5 Criteria to Find the Right Answering Service for Your Cleaning Business

If you own a cleaning business, you probably spend a lot of time hiring, scheduling, and at clients’ houses. Which means you’re not always ready and available to answer the phone. Whether you’re elbow-deep in kitchen grease or just running the vacuum and don’t hear the ringer, there are plenty of times that you’re just going to miss the call. Fortunately, you no longer have to settle for letting people leave voicemails and then carving out time to call them all back.

Today, there are a host of solutions to assist you in the form of modern answering services. Of course, each one is created differently so you’ll have to take the time to find the one that works best for you. That can mean a lot of things. You’re not alone, though. In this guide, we’ll help you clean up your to-do list by adding an answering service to your business partnerships. 

First, though, let’s talk about the perks of having someone else to answer the calls. 

The benefits of an answering service

It’s not lost on most people that the biggest features to look for in an answering service are the benefits that usually set them apart. Things like around-the-clock availability and an array of features and services give companies a chance to get more out of their communications and admin solutions than they might be able to do on their own. 

Instead of hiring a receptionist or putting it all on one person, an answering service can deliver all the support you need with perks like:

• Trained operators
• Custom script development
• A variety of features and services
• Customization and scalable plans
• 24/7/365 availability
• Cost-effective solutions

While these experts are dedicated to answering the phone and taking care of your callers, you can focus your efforts on your existing customers and current business needs. 

Here are five criteria to keep in mind (that might look a bit familiar) to help you choose the right answering service for your cleaning business. 

1. 24/7 availability 

People have jobs and busy lives. It’s rare that most people are available during “business hours” to make phone calls and inquire about services. A cleaning company, especially, should be available on the nights and weekends so that people can get cleaning services at their preferred time. Of course, the caveat is that you don’t want to be the one responsible for answering every call, every hour of every day. 

With a 24/7 answering service, you won’t have to. They will be there with a live person answering every call and you will get the information or leads that need to reach you when they need your input. That way, you can go on taking care of your business and enjoying your personal life while ensuring that you never miss a beat. Plus, increasing your availability will definitely bolster your reputation. 

2. Trained, experienced operators

Not all answering services are the same. They might “train” their operators, but they don’t necessarily equip them with the best skills to do the job. Check to see how the operators are trained with the service that you choose. Find out how much experience they have, what kind of work they’ve done in the past, and what they can do for you in acting as an extension of your business. 

Get insight by reading reviews and checking out testimonials, but also ask the company directly. The good ones should be more than willing to explain what makes their operators stand apart from the rest. 

3. A variety of features and services

You might think that an answering service is just for taking calls and messages, but that’s not the case anymore. Today’s answering services can deliver total solutions for communications and administrative needs, including everything from scheduling appointments to collecting payments, and so much more. Consider what kind of features you could benefit from. 

If you already have an idea of what you need, this is where you’ll want to compare what the answering service offers to your list of must-haves. If you’re not sure, feel free to browse and see what kind of solutions you could build. 

4. Customization and scalability

How much can you customize your solutions with each answering service you consider? Do they offer customization of their services and plans to suit your needs? Will they also grow and scale with you over time so that you’re not constantly changing services? If you’re doing things the right way, your cleaning business is going to keep growing. You need services and solutions that grow with it. 

5. Flexible, transparent pricing

Gone are the days when companies could withhold pricing information in the hopes that people would call for a custom quote. Even those who do need custom solutions will want to at least get an idea of what they’re going to spend before they talk to someone. You should look for an answering service that offers up-front and transparent pricing information, including details about their plans and whether they have pre-packaged solutions or only do custom services. 

Even if you end up having to reach out to get an accurate price for your business, having an idea of what to expect can help. Plus, it proves that the companies believe in their services and stand behind what they do because they’re not afraid to share their pricing or worried it will turn people away. 

Consider the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai for flexible, customizable solutions

For all your communications and admin needs, the team at Smith.ai is ready to build a partnership that works for you. In addition to providing you with a 24/7 answering service, our dedicated virtual receptionists can also assist with lead intake, appointment scheduling, live website chat, and even offer insight and support for your outreach campaigns to build leads in the first place. 

We’ll also provide you with a custom plan to manage all the details, no matter what you need. If you’re ready to learn more, schedule a consultation or reach out to hello@smith.ai. 

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