Specialty Answering Service

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

renegade.bio is a team of scientists, entrepreneurs, and community organizers, mobilizing as a public benefit corporation in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

We provide testing for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, for organizations, individuals, and communities. Our CLIA-certified labs in Oakland and New York City perform qRT-PCR testing using the SalivaDirect™ testing method.

As Marketing Director during the early stages, I've been responsible for most of the online Customer Experience, including social, websites, print, and building out branded testing sites.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Specialty Answering Service?

We hired SAS to help with registration/scheduling, answering FAQs, and message forwarding for advanced questions for our Marketing individual testing market.

What were your goals for this project?

• Increase ease for customers to register, particularly users without a smartphone, computer access, or who are non-English speakers.
• Increase sales for individual testing market from 0 to ~200/day.

SOLUTION

How did you select Specialty Answering Service?

Our IT department researched an extensive list of services and found SAS to meet our needs for scaling, price, and services.

Describe the project in detail.

We provide onsite COVID testing 7 days/week at our pop-up location in Oakland, CA.

SAS provides 24/7 phone support for our customers allowing them to schedule an appointment, and ask questions about the process and procedure freeing our account and customer support team to deal with more technical issues and out bulk market clients for organizations and schools.

What was the team composition?

SAS provides a rotating staff of operators, and their account managers are responsive and timely with changes to our scripts while also providing suggestions for process improvements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We had over 3,000 calls answered in Q4 2020. Most importantly, we had 1060 calls (12063 minutes) of successful scheduling calls and 367 calls (1,367 minutes) of successfully answered questions and FAQs. This allowed us to focus our small internal team on more challenging technical and lab-related questions while reducing overhead.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We communicate primarily via email with the account management team with occasional calls to onboard new staff or talk through potential issues.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're very responsive and we have script updates live within a day, making changes painless.

Are there any areas for improvement?

As a team new to customer support management, I think we could have used a bit more orientation around planning and building our system. After a few (as to be expected) bumps in the first few weeks, we've been able to iron out most of the kinks—though we could still use some improvement from our side on streamlining the FAQs.

Our challenge is that we have a lot of FAQs from customers, and despite also providing many of these answers on our websites many users prefer to have their questions answered by a person (particularly older and Spanish speaking users).

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company is Against All Odds Professional Counseling Services, I am the Owner and Lead Therapist and provide mental health therapy and mindset coaching. I have Specialty Answering Services to answer my calls.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Specialty Answering Service?

To answer calls

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Someone mentioned them to me

Describe the project in detail and what their cost structure looked like.

They answer calls based on my recommended scripts

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How would you describe/assess the quality of their work?

Excellent!!! I give them a 5 to say excellent!

What impressed you about their services?

They are responsive and address any concerns I have in a timely manner.

Are there any areas for improvement?

no

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a small private law firm with no receptionist. We receive numerous calls each day from government entities and court systems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Specialty Answering Service?

We each try to answer the phone when it rings which causes each of us to stop working every time the phone rings. With all of the cold-call sales calls, fax machines and hang-up calls, we are wasting so much time every day.

What were your goals for this project?

We want to be able to get our work done without having to stop and answer phones needlessly.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We did an internet search for various vendors and what to look for when reviewing answering services. We made a list of needs and looked at comparisons of various companies that provided services to match our needs.

Describe the project in detail.

We needed a service that would answer every call and send true business calls through to the correct person.

What was the team composition?

We have four offices in the US across multiple time zones and we wanted one company to answer all of our phones and transfer directly to the individual the caller was seeking.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

When a phone rings on someone's desk, they know the call is for them. No more random phones ringing throughout the office all day long. So much more work is getting done.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Only one person on our team needs to interact with the answering service. I can call or email and I immediately get a response. Our new employees are not even aware that we have an answering service until we tell them. SAS has a website were I can go to check individual calls and has multiple flow charts tracking our call volume.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

SAS is very quick to respond when I have questions or need to make changes. They follow up and make sure my changes are made to my satisfaction. I can change my service plan from month to month as our case load increases and decreases; I'm not locked in for years at a time.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would like the calls transferred a little quicker so there's not so much "dead air" time. However, I understand with our number of employees, it takes time to find the name the caller is requesting.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the finance and administration manager of Lakeway Municipal Utility District, a water and wastewater utility.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Specialty Answering Service?

We needed a company to answer our phones and provide after-hours customer service associates for emergencies.

What were your goals for this project?

To have complete confidence that our emergency calls would be handled properly.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We compared them with other vendors.

Describe the project in detail.

They answer any calls we receive after 5 pm and before 8 am, as well as on weekends/holidays.

What was the team composition?

They have well-established teams to handle every aspect of our process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

While we are just starting the service, we have been very impressed with the implementation. Their associates are very responsive and have a can-do attitude.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We’ve had an excellent response from their team in getting things set up exactly as we wanted.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their responsiveness, professionalism, and desire to provide excellent service impresses me.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing, they have everything down perfectly.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated on July 23rd, 2019 by the client. New content is below.

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a Water and Wastewater Public Sector Utility. I am the Finance/Administration Manager.

For what projects/services did your company hire Specialty Answering Service?

After hours answering services.

What were your goals for this project?

Timely response to our customers who call in after hours.

How did you select this vendor?

Reviewed references and features; this appeared to be the best soulution.

Describe the project in detail.

Coverage 24/7 when we are unable to answer the phone; typically after hours.

What was the team composition?

The team is made up of professional people who answer the phones as if they were employees of Lakeway MUD.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The whole service is proving invaluable. Being a new customer, this morning I needed W-9 information in order to pay our bill. I called and explained what I needed; within 30 seconds I had the form I had requested in my email. Excellent service and response!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They care.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None...great job by all.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the president of ProxyProcess Corp. We’re an R&D firm that does defense-related projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Specialty Answering Service?

We needed call answering services at all hours to improve our team’s efficiency. Our stakeholders expect us to be highly reliable.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to turnaround responses to stakeholders quickly without slowing down our team with interruptions.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them via research and word of mouth.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we selected them, we established an email alert procedure that detailed who to contact and how depending on the specific message. SAS has kept it simple since then, being responsive as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Because SAS is fielding and forwarding calls to team members, our work has been reduced. We have fewer interruptions, which means we’re more productive than we used to be.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The email approach has proved to be a very simple workflow. Our office manager handled the setup, but now everyone benefits.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

SAS is reliable and responsive, which we count on to keep operations running smoothly.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It would be helpful if they gathered data we could analyze and use to make decisions regarding whose calls to address and allow.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated by the client on August 28, 2020. The original star ratings were: Overall - 5, Quality - 4.5, Schedule - 5, Cost - 4.5, NPS - 5. New content is below:

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the President of ProcessProxy, and we are headquartered in Maryland, having 6 employees. We serviced during this project 12 different hospitals and also the Dept. of Defense. I am the lead scientist and engineer for these projects that are done in healthcare.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Specialty Answering Service?

Our project had software running 24/7 that required occasional customer support and troubleshooting. That is why we hired Specialty Answering Service, to be able to handle the call traffic professionally at all hours and all days of the week, since hospitals also operate 24/7.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals were to have same day responsiveness, if not within hours of client contact. With SAS we were nearly perfect in that regard thanks to their outreach to our team when a client had an issue.

SOLUTION

How did you select Specialty Answering Service?

We were recommended by a colleague to try SAS, and we were not disappointed. They exceeded expectations.

Describe the project in detail.

SAS was responsible for handling minor but also at times urgent, major calls from healthcare professionals, given that our reporting and alerting impacted patient lives. We did not have the scale and resources, however, to have our own customer support. That is why we asked SAS to perform these services for us.

What was the team composition?

SAS was our support team for fielding client calls, and then contacting us via email. It consisted of multiple individuals on their team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Within the first month, which is the most important of a service and product rollout, we were able to maintain top quality response times thanks to SAS, to the point that we obtained new clients through word-of-mouth due to our reputation for fast turnaround times on various requests, including support.

This level of performance continued essentially for the duration of the project, and helped us execute the Defense project to commendations of the leaders involved.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Extremely effective -- we had prioritized their emails, and their messages would reach us nearly instantly, so we could thus respond rapidly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Once again, speed and reliability were our advantages, and SAS -- via their speed and reliability -- helped us achieve these competitive advantages. We considered them during the project as synergistic to our business, which is always impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The only challenge we once faced was a lack of communication on one problem, but once we identified the issue (excess callers where we weren't aware of the level of calls), it was promptly resolved and preventions put in place to avoid that issue in the future.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner of a cleaning service firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Specialty Answering Service?

We needed a call center to provide answering services for our cleaning firm.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I expected them to follow our script, but they failed to catch on even after we adjusted it 20 times. They would leave the customer on hold for three to four minutes, billing us for every minute and resulting in unnecessary charges. They would say things that weren’t in the script as well.

We called and addressed these problems with them, but their whole process was unprofessional. We had customers who would get frustrated when calling to reschedule appointments and tell us everything when we showed up to their houses. All of our calls were recorded, so we believed what our customers were telling us.

They didn’t follow what we asked them to do. They billed for random changes and sent invoices twice in the same month. We had so many complications with them. We thought it would be a smooth process when we started and thus gave them the benefit of the doubt, but realized they weren’t professional after four months.

How did you come to work with Specialty Answering Service?

Initially, their price model ($200 per month) stood out to us.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $3,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from January–April 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

Our customers have given negative feedback on their service. We’ve now found out that they’re putting things up about us on other websites, causing us to lose business. We’re currently looking to hire another answering service.

How was project management handled?

They didn’t have a project manager, nor did they listen back to what their representatives were saying to customers until we complained about it. They had three different items on our bill other than the $200 per month charge that they never explained, even though we asked about it repeatedly. We realized the calls weren’t as long as what they were billing us for. We had a lot of issues with them coming up with random charges like that. We contacted them numerous times to find a solution, but they just kept giving us excuses and claiming to have proof.

In what specific areas can they improve?

If the customer is saying that a call shouldn’t be so long and are asking for a credit for it, then they should listen to the customer and try to cooperate.

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

They had a Google page, but have since removed it so that no one can see bad reviews like the one we left.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Partner/District Manager of The Medicare Detectives

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Health insurance broker

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Specialty Answering Service to accomplish?

• Answer the phone when I am not available
• Set Appointment for upcoming seminars
• Aet Appointments with me.

SOLUTION

How did you find Specialty Answering Service?

Online Search

Why did you select Specialty Answering Service over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from Specialty Answering Service were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Specialty Answering Service answers calls in a very professional manner. They set appointments with me as needed. They also keep an eye on my account for me to make sure things are running correctly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• on-going project.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

If I have a question about a phone call, the calls are recorded so I can always to my website login and listen to the call. The response rate with SAS is outstanding.

What was your primary form of communication with Specialty Answering Service?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

My phone had no calls come in over a weeks time. They noticed and contacted me. I did not know my forwarding phone number had been canceled due to events beyond my control. Consequently, I was able to make the corrections and the phone started ringing again.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Specialty Answering Service could have done differently?

none

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at Nu Look Home Design

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Exterior Remodeling Company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Specialty Answering Service to accomplish?

• After Hours Answering Service

SOLUTION

How did you find Specialty Answering Service?

Online Search

Why did you select Specialty Answering Service over others?

Good value for cost

What was the size of Specialty Answering Service’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We needed a service that could answer our phones during non-business hours.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• SAS answers our calls in a timely manner and does not leave out customer on hold.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Everything was delivered on time and in a timely fashion.

What was your primary form of communication with Specialty Answering Service?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They're use of a dashboard.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Specialty Answering Service could have done differently?

They were great.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the former president of the company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Professional writing services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Specialty Answering Service to accomplish?

• Answer the phone when I'm not available.
• Take messages.
• Determine whether to send the messages via text or email.

SOLUTION

How did you find Specialty Answering Service?

Online Search

Why did you select Specialty Answering Service over others?

Other

What was your primary form of communication with Specialty Answering Service?

Email or Messaging App

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Answer the phone when I'm not available, take messages, determine priority and send via text or email, as appropriate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Prevent hangups due to voicemail.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Highly responsive, and knowledgeable.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Like all of us, they have competitors. I contacted several. They won the account because their rep. The team is attentive and can consistently resolve technical inquiries and issues.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Specialty Answering Service could have done differently?

Not yet.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of an Independent Life Insurance Company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Specialty Answering Service, and what were your goals??

SAS answers our office calls and takes introductory life insurance quote questionare.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

SAS is a professional service at an affordable price.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package, including any calling tools used.

I am setting up a dedicated agent program, providing them with a call list for outbound leads.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

I worked with Gabe. He helped me in the setup of a new account.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the service?

The service turn around is always quick and friendly.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

My original contact was outside of normal office hours (3am), so I was able to submit a support ticket and Gabe responded that morning.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I am impressed most with the SAS dashboard. Once a call is received, I receive a text and an email. I am then able to log into my dashboard and listen to the call, which is the biggest benefit to their service. I can also text the caller back from inside the dashboard or call the caller back all from within the dashboard. So convenient.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

SAS is great! They've exceeded my expectations. Thanks for always being there.