5 Things You Can Cut From Your Budget That Cost More Than an Answering Service

answering service costBusiness owners know that every dollar they invest in their company is one that isn’t destined to return to their wallet. While it’s true you have to spend money to make money, many entrepreneurs find themselves in over their heads when it comes to operating costs. Whether it’s your first year or your 50th, every cent counts.

If you’re hoping to cut costs without sacrificing the quality for which you’re known, consider partnering with MAP Communications for your administrative requirements. With live receptionist services starting at just $39 a month, our services are more affordable than many of the tools you’re already using to stay afloat. Consider cutting any one of these and putting your hard-earned cash into virtual receptionist services instead:

A Full-Time Receptionist

Employees can be expensive. So is the process for finding, interviewing, and hiring them. Even at an affordable hourly rate, full-time workers need health insurance, paid sick leave, vacation days and desk space. While a great receptionist can do wonders for your business, they can also be a drain on your finances. When they’re busy, they’re irreplaceable – when times are slow, though, they’re being paid to wait around. They’re also human, with very real limitations on the hours they can work; when their shift ends, they clock out and go home, leaving your phone calls unanswered until they return.  Considering that a full-time receptionist typically starts at around $35,000 annually, it’s a cost most entrepreneurs are eager to cut.

Not keen on replacing your beloved front desk staff with an answering service? You don’t have to sacrifice your receptionist to take advantage of MAP’s telephone answering services. We work in conjunction with the administrative team you already have in place, picking up where they leave off for the day.

IT Staff

Informational technology professionals are worth their weight in gold – right? While no successful company seems to be without them these days, IT workers are often paid to wait around for something to go wrong. Many small businesses and startups are switching to cloud-based computing to cut IT costs. With this setup, you can avoid buying and maintaining expensive servers to keep on site. Instead, your cloud provider will take care of your data management. While certainly not recommended for every kind of business, cutting IT staff is a good way for some companies to save capital.

If your IT staff spend their time assisting customers with tech challenges, it can be difficult to eliminate these employees. The good news? An experienced call center can help callers troubleshoot many of the most common problems they’re having. While certainly not a replacement for a network engineer or programmer, tech support call center agents are jacks of all trades who are happy to don the help desk hat.

Office Space

Remote work is becoming more and more common, and for good reason: few industries demand on-site employees working around the clock. While storefronts and offices were once the norm, they’re becoming less and less necessary in the technology age. If most of your business is handled over the phone or online, it may be worth downsizing your office space or eliminating it altogether.

Operate from a home office or from the field instead. Trades like plumbing and home inspection services can be managed remotely, with workers doing their duties in the field while virtual receptionists handle the administrative side of the business. While certainly not a one-size fits all cost-saving strategy, it’s one that’s growing in popularity for a wide range of businesses.

Professional Development

Industry conferences offer fantastic learning opportunities for your staff. They’re also expensive, time-consuming, and the return on your investment can be difficult to track. If you’ve been sending your team out to far-flung convention centers around the country, it’s worth reflecting on the value that these conferences are actually providing. If they’re indeed worth the cost of flights, hotels, registration fees and per diems, then by all means, continue to invest.

If you’re finding it difficult to justify the cost of such trips, though, consider offering other forms of professional development. Webinars are often cheap – if not free – and deliver much of the same information found at industry conferences. Even something as quaint as a staff book club that meets to discuss the latest publications in your field can help keep employees in the loop while cutting costs.

Technology

When businesses anticipate a large number of incoming calls, they often invest in sophisticated systems to handle calls, put customers on hold and manage notes between employees. This kind of technology doesn’t come cheaply. The infrastructure required to successfully run such software is expensive and requires regular maintenance from IT workers. There’s also the risk that the tech fails at a particularly inopportune moment. Smart business owners know they need a contingency fund in case their technology malfunctions.

While it would be nice to eliminate technology from your budget altogether, that’s just not realistic in the 21st century. A professional call center can, however, help you cut many of the most expensive pieces of technology your office uses. Why invest in all that call handling technology when a call center already has? MAP Communications has even developed a proprietary technology that leads the industry. When it comes to saving money, this one is a no brainer.

If you’re eager to cut costs without sacrificing the quality for which your business has become known, considering working with MAP Communications. Industry leaders with thirty years of experience in the business, MAP has an array of administrative solutions for every kind of company imaginable. Curious about how we can help your organization? Sign up now for a free, week-long trial of our customized call center services.

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