Specialty Answering Service

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Search Analyst of Total Warehouse

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Total Warehouse is the leading West Coast Material Handling Equipment and Storage Solutions Providers with a Wide Range of Forklifts and Narrow Aisle Equipment with capacities ranging from 3,000 to 30,000 lbs, in Electric, LPG and Lithium powered Configurations, along with the Most Comprehensive Forklift Attachment fleet from Carton Clamps to Single Doubles and all Attachments in between to support heavy Dock work for loading and unloading products. Our Narrow Aisle Reach trucks, Order Pickers and Turret Truck fleet will provide immediate solutions for your operation. Our Charger and battery Fleet to support any and all Electrical equipment in use will assure that the Run time per charger meets your demand.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Set up call routing system for business after hours

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

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

2-5 Employees

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

SAS has brought automation to our customer service team, providing a team of operators to answer calls for our company

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to outsource majority of customer service work and calls to SAS

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

The team has always been responsive. All items were delivered on time.

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

Email or Messaging App

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

Excellent value for the pricing

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

No improvements needed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Customer Success Manager of L-Charge

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We produce chargers for Electrical Vehicles

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Customer support via phone 24/7

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
• Good value for cost

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

2-5 Employees

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

SAS provides a comprehensive hotline service designed to keep us connected with our customers around the clock. Their service includes:

• 24/7 Customer Support: SAS operators handle inbound customer calls any time, ensuring no missed opportunities and supporting continuous customer engagement.
• Flexible Pricing Model: SAS offers a pricing structure that adjusts to our needs, allowing us to manage costs effectively as our call volume grows.
• Customizable Operator Responses: We have access to extensive customization options for operator scripts, enabling responses that align with our brand voice and specific customer requirements.
• Reliable Call Handling and Reporting: Their solution gives us dependable call management and regular reporting on call metrics, helping us track and improve customer interactions.

These features provide us with a fully supported, scalable hotline service that adapts to our business as it expands.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've only been using SAS call center services for a few months, but we've already seen measurable improvements:

• We are now available 24/7, so there are no missed or unsatisfied customer inquiries.
• We’re saving significantly on call center costs compared to hiring additional staff for 24/7 support.

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

SAS employees responded promptly and provided thorough information for my request.

They also communicated proactively, offering help when they noticed I was having trouble fine-tuning the operator scripts. Much appreciated!

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?

Call center cervice with native U.S. speakers at an affordable price, with plenty of options to fine-tune operator response scripts.

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

We are fully satisfied with Specialty Answering Service right now. Perphaps when we work together for a longer period of time, I will be able to find some areas for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of The Yard Ramp Guy

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Yard Ramp Guy sells, rents and buys new and used yard ramps throughout the United States.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Live Receptionist Service

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
• Good value for cost

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

Live receptionist scripting, employee phone and computer applications for retrieving calls and entering reviews or service tickets, basic daily use training

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ultimately, we rate the outcomes and performance of each inbound call to grade the scripting structure and the call agent performance.

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

The SAS team has been outstanding and very different from my experience with some of their competitors. I judge companies by how they respond to challenges, problems and the unexpected. SAS demonstrates a passion for stepping up and doing right by their clients. I have not been the easiest client, I am sure. I am very particular about my script and agent performance. They do not flinch. We have worked together to get it all right. This is VASTLY different from my efforts with other answering services. And it is important to note my interactions have been with multiple members of the SAS team. The culture permeates throughout their company. Good for them. Good for us. I highly recommend Specialty Answering Service.

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 are very responsive and positive in making things right for the customer.

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

Some of the on-line application features could use some polishing up. This is true most critically in the report package. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the owner and sole veterinarian of Pet Diagnostics

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Pet Diagnostics provides outstanding veterinary care.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Free up staff time by fielding all incoming voice calls and taking messages
• Provide answers to after hours callers
• Make a record of client phone calls

SOLUTION

How did you find Specialty Answering Service?

Online Search

Why did you select Specialty Answering Service over others?

Pricing fit our budget

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

Our practice has been using Specialty Answering Service to handle incoming phone calls for the past 28 months and could not be happier with them. The SAS staff does an outstanding job screening calls and taking messages, which permits our minimal staff to devote so much more time to taking care of our dog and cat patients. Similarly the SAS software lets us exchange text messages with clients and easily select/play back conversations the SAS staff had with clients whenever we need to clarify things. SAS is a gamechanger.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Freedom from phone calls gave us much more time available to handle patients Succinct messages sent by email allowed us to track initial calls better and make sure they were handled properly Being able to read their rmessages and not have to painstakingly extract information from worried, upset, anxious clientslets us prioritize call backs and handle true emergencies faster SAS handles multiple incoming calls simultaneously something that is hard for our minimal staff

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

Very responsive. Change sripts as soon as we alert them to new information. They're super easy and pleasant to deal with by phone and email.

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

Email or Messaging App

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

We highly appreciate their reliability.

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

There's nothing they needed to improve on.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of OMT Communications

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Business and Residential Telecommunications

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Answer Phones, route calls
• Gather leads and prospects

SOLUTION

How did you find Specialty Answering Service?

Online Search

Why did you select Specialty Answering Service over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

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.

Answer calls that are directly forwarded to the services, take messages and enter lead or prospect information into forms/CRM. Handle routing of calls to team members for sales, support, etc.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ability to handle routing of calls when appropriate. Able to handle all m, lead, and prospect information. The ability to respond as if they were directly in my office and not as an answering service makes the face of my business much of a larger enterprise and professionalism.

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

Did exactly as expected. My needs were met as I requested. Immediate setup and the ability to customize and make changes. Questions were answered and suggestions were given. Excellent work.

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?

The ability to provide what my needs were and what I was expecting by email and then a follow-up by their team via a Zoom meeting to verify the information given and to give suggested changes. I liked the suggestions they gave me and was able to incorporate those into the scripting which greatly improved what I originally had put in.

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

If I think about any I'll update but as of right now very pleased with the service and their team.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Office Director of an insurance company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Insurance sales and service

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Help with after-hours calls

SOLUTION

How did you find Specialty Answering Service?

Online Search

Why did you select Specialty Answering Service over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

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.

I was looking for a local call-answering service to help our small business agency with after-hours calls, and stumbled across SAS in a Google search. I scheduled a demo consultation and was impressed with what I heard and saw, so I quickly agreed to a risk-free trial. 

They built a call script for me, but because of how hands-on I am, I went into the admin portal and edited it quite a bit to fit what I was envisioning. They provided me with help all along the way to make sure I was understanding what to do.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It has taken such a load off of us to know that our clients who call after-hours are being given correct information by a friendly live representative.

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

I was looking for a local call-answering service to help our small business agency with after-hours calls, and stumbled across SAS in a Google search. I scheduled a demo consultation and was impressed with what I heard and saw, so I quickly agreed to a risk-free trial. We've now had SAS implemented for almost 4 months now.

 I am continually impressed with the courteousness of the operators, the ease of getting my questions answered, and the flexibility that the SAS admin portal gives me. Any issues I've encountered have been easily addressed by tweaking the call scripts to make sure the operators know what to say. I love that our account rep Mollie checks in with me here and there to make sure I'm up-to-date on all the features in the portal.

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

Virtual Meeting

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

It feels rare to find a company that truly is a partner in business, but SAS is one of those rare finds. They listen to my suggestions and have an innovative programming team who are always rolling out helpful updates

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

None. I really love their services.

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.