The most important qualifications to look for in an operator are voice and attitude. The voice must be pleasant and sound alert, interested and ready to help the caller. Warn your operators never allow their “personal feelings” to show thru when they’re answering the phone. They represent your business and your customers. As such, they must project a professional manner at all times.

Teach your operators to answer the phones with a “happy smile” in their voices. Train them to take their time with the callers, and get the message right by reading the message back to the caller, and also be sure they ask the caller for the correct spelling of his or her name. Unless specifically instructed otherwise by a customer, insist that your operators never allow an incoming call to ring more than twice before answering it. Hardly anything frustrates anyone calling a business number more than a telephone that seemingly rings forever before someone answers it.

You can start you inexperienced people at $4 an hour, and your experienced operators at $6 an hour. Try to explain to them that the success of your business depends on them, and as your business prospers, so will give them their monetary rewards. Get them involved and interested in helping you succeed.

It’s going to take aggressive selling on your part to reach success with a venture of this kind. You must spend at least 50 percent of your time making sales calls–if you can’t or don’t wish to do any personal selling, then you’ll have to hire at least two full time people to take your place. In addition to your own sales efforts or people who will fill your shoes in this area, you should hire at least one other full time sales person. You should plan to have someone making telephone solicitations for at least 3 hours out of each working day.

Selling your services–building an ever larger customer list—is the name of the game for real success. You’ve got the start-up information, and form here on, the rest depends on your own ambition…

Associated Telephone Answering Exchanges, Inc.
Bankers Square
100 Pitt Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 683-3770

TYPICAL EQUIPMENT COSTS:

TWO OPERATOR CHAIRS…………………………$90
DESK & CHAIR……………………………….100
TWO SIDE CHAIRS……………………………..50
BOOKCASE……………………………………50
FILING/SUPPLY CABINET………………………..50
CALCULATOR………………………………….50
USED TYPEWRITER…………………………….150
BASE FOR SWITCHBOARD…………………………60
MESSAGE RACK………………………………..75
TIME CLOCK…………………………………250
OFFICE FURNISHINGS/DECORATIONS……………….150
5-THOUSNAD MESSAGE PADS………………………25
24-DOZEN PENS……………………………….12
SWITCHBOARD LEASE (ONE BOARD)………………4,000
CABLE INSTALLATION (ONE BOARD)……………..1,500
RENT ON OFFICE……………………………..600
UTILITY DEPOSITS…………………………….50
BUSINESS LICENSES……………………………50
BUSINESS INSURANCE………………………….350
LEGAL FEE………………………………….100
SUPPLIES…………………………………. 200

TOTAL ………………………………… $7,957

Related post with How to Start a Telephone Answering Service

How to Start a Telephone Answering Service (part 1)
How to Start a Telephone Answering Service: Switchboard
How to Start a Telephone Answering Service: Setting up Facilities
How to Start a Telephone Answering Service: The traditional Telephone Company Switchboard
How to Start a Telephone Answering Service: Maintaining Basic Customer Information
How to Start a Telephone Answering Service: Qualifications to Look for in an Operator