What Happened to Customer Service in the Healthcare Industry?

I might be stating the obvious here, but it seems to me that businesses in the healthcare industry provide some of the worst customer service, ever.

Recently, I have dealt with several doctors' offices that take messages, but don’t return phone calls. I actually had one doctor's office tell me that the person that handled referrals was let go so they switched me into someone else’s voice mail that never called me back.

I wasn't even a patient yet and they were already dropping the ball.

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Happy Holidays from AnswerFirst

Happy Holidays from AnswerFirst, a photo by AnswerFirst on Flickr.

Wishing all of our partners, clients and employees a safe & happy Holiday Season.

Our call centers are U.S. based and staffed with English speaking customer service professionals 24/7/365. No contracts or long-term commitment required. Pay only for what you use and no hidden fees. No additional charges for nights, weekends or holidays.

For more information, please download our Pricing & Info Packet: http://www.answerfirst.com/pricing or call us at 1-800-645-2616.

Tampa Business Owners: AnswerFirst Can Help Your Business Survive The 2012 RNC

The Republican National Convention is being held in Tampa, FL beginning August 27, 2012.

More than 50,000 people are expected to visit Tampa for the convention and while many local businesses will benefit from the additional tourism other businesses will be forced to close their doors or figure out a way to operate remotely because road closures and traffic will make it impossible for them to function normally. 

AnswerFirst's Center of Operations is located just outside of downtown Tampa and will remain open during the RNC.  The majority of our call center staff works remotely and will not be affected by the congestion that the convention will bring.  If you think your business will be affected, it's not too late to set-up an account with us so that we can help you handle your business communications during the week of the convention.

For more information, please visit this page of our website: Use An Answering Service During the 2012 RNC or call us at 1-800-645-2616.

Avoid the Sting of Bad Customer Service!

Reliable & Cost Effective Customer Service Solutions for Any Business!

• Eliminate the loss of important revenue generating calls
• Answer with a human, not a machine
• Respond to time sensitive emails
• Be available day and night
• Free yourself with more time; focus on your business
• No long-term contracts; simply pay-as-you-go
• Recordings and reports at your fingertips

We provide answering services, call center solutions, inbound email processing and customer service solutions for businesses in every industry.  

Want more info about what we can do for your business? 
Visit our website to download a free pricing and plans packet or call us at 1-800-645-2616.

Evaluate Answering Services Before You Buy!

Shopping for an answering service can be tricky because not all services are equal.  Hidden fees, unreliable infrastructures, outsourcing to non-U.S. agents and limiting access to your call recordings are just a few of many issues that an answering service or call center might have and, if you're not careful, you can end up stuck in a long-term contract with exorbitant bills and unreliable sub-standard service.

So, how can you avoid choosing the wrong service?  We've put together a list of more than 30 questions that you can utilize to compare answering services.  Here are just a few of the questions you should ask any answering service that you are considering:

• Does your normal rate include answering on holidays, weekends or nights?
• Can I forward my phones any time I wish without penalty or additional charges?
• In the event of a power outage, will the service continue to function?
• Is my account data protected by a firewall and backed-up daily?

(You can view the rest of the questions by clicking here.)

If you choose an unreliable or unprofessional answering service, you risk upsetting your existing and potential clients so take your time and ask questions.  If you're looking for more information about AnswerFirst and our answering services then click here to download our free pricing and information packet.

AnswerFirst Reveals Their New Brand Identity

We're happy to announce that we have finally revealed our new brand identity.  Our new logo, website, sales documents and social media presence can be seen at the following locations:

Logo and Website: http://www.answerfirst.com

Sales Documents: Please fill out a pricing packet request at http://www.answerfirst.com/pricing

Social Media: Visit us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Do you like what you see?  Let us know!  Leave comments on this blog post or on our social media channels.  For more information about our answering services, virtual receptionist services and call center solutions visit us

Inside AnswerFirst: The Marketing Department

At AnswerFirst our management staff is split into four departments: Operations, Sales, Marketing and IT.  Each department is responsible for specific duties that are crucial to the success of the other departments and AnswerFirst, as a whole.  Through collaboration and focus these four departments are consistently successful at achieving our mission to provide the best customer service to our clients and our clients’ callers, in a timely fashion and as efficiently as possible.  This post is one of a few blog posts that are about the responsibilities of each of these four main departments and how they interact with each other to make AnswerFirst successful.  Introducing the AnswerFirst Marketing Department...

The goal of the Marketing Department is to develop new and innovative ways to connect with existing and potential AnswerFirst customers.  Marketing is responsible for how potential clients perceive AnswerFirst before they speak to an AnswerFirst Sales Representative and, therefore, is focused on distributing professional, informative, appealing and engaging content across all media including social, web and print.  This department is responsible for teaching potential clients how we are different from our competitors while teaching existing clients about old and new services that we offer.  We are an industry leader in social media with our active Twittter, Facebook and YouTube accounts; we encourage our clients to interact with us via any or all of our social channels.  We believe that interaction with our clients helps to solidify our relationships and leads to superior customer service experiences.  The Marketing Department also develops and implements Internet marketing strategies, working closely with the Sales Department for the purpose of bringing new clients to AnswerFirst and also teaching sales team members how to effectively use social media in their sales efforts. Marketing relies on the IT Department for implementing technology solutions that result in improved marketing agendas and more efficient social and Internet marketing strategies.  The Marketing Department acts as eyes and ears of AnswerFirst; without the Marketing Department we can’t attract new clients or differentiate ourselves from our competitors.

For more information about AnswerFirst's answering services and call center solutions, please visit our wesbite http://www.answerfirst.com or call us at 1-800-645-2616

Inside AnswerFirst: The IT Department

At AnswerFirst our management staff is split into four departments: Operations, Sales, Marketing and IT.  Each department is responsible for specific duties that are crucial to the success of the other departments and AnswerFirst, as a whole.  Through collaboration and focus these four departments are consistently successful at achieving our mission to provide the best customer service to our clients and our clients’ callers, in a timely fashion and as efficiently as possible.  This post is one of a few blog posts that are about the responsibilities of each of these four main departments and how they interact with each other to make AnswerFirst successful.  Introducing the AnswerFirst IT Department...

The goal of the IT Department is to ensure that all AnswerFirst staff and clients have access to the IT infrastructure, services and support that they require to accomplish their work efficiently and effectively.  The IT Department is responsible for maintaining the necessary IT infrastructure for all other departments, as well as supporting all business, e-business, decisions and project planning tools used at AnswerFirst.  AnswerFirst’s business model requires a reliable infrastructure; our call center is open 24/7/365 and downtime is unacceptable to us and our clients.  Therefore, the IT Department plays a crucial role in supporting our clients and our Operations Department via the implementation of a fully redundant infrastructure that is not only reliable but secure. Implementing back-up systems for back-up systems is common practice and testing fail over procedures is a major department focus.  Also, the IT Department must work closely with all departments for the purpose of refining all business processes through the use of technology; IT is constantly looking for ways to decrease costs by increasing efficiency and ROI, and boosting productivity of all departments within the corporation.  The IT Department is the backbone of AnswerFirst, providing reliable structure and solid support; without this department AnswerFirst can’t sustain or grow.

For more information about AnswerFirst's answering services and call center solutions, please visit our wesbite http://www.answerfirst.com or call us at 1-800-645-2616

Answering Service Blair Witch Project Parody : Happy Halloween from AnswerFirst

AnswerFirst provides answering services and call center solutions to more than 1400 companies around the globe but what sets AnswerFirst apart from other services? Our call center is staffed with U.S. agents 24/7/365 and a manager onsite at all times so that our clients receive the same level of service that we provide their callers. We hope you enjoy this Blair Witch Project Parody about our call center (by Vivienne Brown http://www.VivienneBrown.com) Happy Halloween from AnswerFirst! http://www.answerfirst.com 1-800-645-2616

AnswerFirst Answering Services Booth at the Florida Bar Midyear Meeting in Orlando

AnswerFirst Answerin Services Booth at the Florida Bar Midyear Meeting in Orlando, a photo by AnswerFirst on Flickr.

AnswerFirst Communications is currently attending the Florida Bar Midyear Meeting at the Walt Disney World Resort Hilton in Orlando, Florida.

The organized bar in Florida began in 1889 with a small group of lawyers but officially became the Florida Bar in April of 1950. Today, the bar is a statewide professional organization of lawyers that serves as a guardian for the integrity of the legal profession; the Bar also serves an advocate and intermediary for attorneys, the court and the public. The Midyear Bar Meeting is an annual gathering of bar members including lawyers, judges and other legal professionals; the event provides committees, bar members and sections an opportunity to meet midyear to carry out goals, while also serving as a networking and educational environment for members and other attendees. AnswerFirst is attending the 2011 Florida Midyear Bar Meeting as an exhibitor with the intention of marketing their answering services to the hundreds of attorneys at the meeting.

Teri Erickson, Business Development Coordinator at AnswerFirst said, “Legal professionals are a large part of our client base because our services are a perfect fit for their business models; we help their businesses run more efficiently while reducing their operating costs. The Florida Bar Midyear Meeting is the second largest bar-wide meeting and our attendance provides us with the opportunity to introduce our company and services to more than 1,000 attorneys and legal professionals.”

AnswerFirst Communications, Inc. is based in Tampa, FL and provides answering services, virtual receptionist and call center solutions to more than 1400 customers around the globe. For more information about AnswerFirst's answering service and call center solutions please visit their website or call Teri Erickson at 1-800-645-2616.

AnswerFirst Answering Service Vs. Automated Answering Services (IVR)

AnswerFirst provides answering services and call center solutions to more than 1400 companies around the globe but what sets AnswerFirst apart from other services? Our call center is staffed with U.S. agents 24/7/365 and a manager onsite at all times so that our clients receive the same level of service that we provide their callers. Talk to a real person instead of a robot. http://www.answerfirst.com 1-800-645-2616.

AnswerFirst Answering Service at ITS 2011 : 8.31.2011

AnswerFirst Answering Service at ITS 2011 : 8.31.2011, a set on Flickr.

AnswerFirst is attending the Internet Technology Summit 2011 taking place today in Tampa, FL.

Hundreds of technology executives, internet marketers, business strategists, entrepreneurs and more are onsite at the Tampa Convention Center. Also, Tampa Mayor, Bob Buckhorn, was in attendance and stopped by the AnswerFirst booth to chat and hang out with some of the AnswerFirst team; we managed to snap a few pictures with him.

AnswerFirst is based in Tampa, FL and provides answering services, appointment scheduling, reservation taking, technical support, customer care, order entry and contact center solutions to more than 1400 businesses in many industries throughout the world. For more information about their services visit their website or contact Teri Erickson at 1-800-645-2616.

AnswerFirst Help Desk & Customer Service Solutions

AnswerFirst Help Desk Administration Rack Card Artwork (Front), a photo by AnswerFirst on Flickr.

We provide call center solutions to software companies, hardware resellers, Internet service providers, hosting companies, telephone companies and many other businesses in the information technology industries. Our agents are your front-line of communication providing affordable customer service in a professional and efficient manner.

Level 1 Help Desk Support

• Trouble Ticket Management
• Inbound Email Alert Processing
• Dispatch Services
• Utilize Your Existing Web Portal

Focused Customer Service Solutions

• Our Agents Listen & Record Issues In Detail
• Custom Business Processes
• Superior Customer Service Experiences
• Call Escalation & Urgent Call Handling Services

AnswerFirst is based in Tampa, FL and provides answering services, appointment scheduling, reservation taking, technical support, customer care, order entry and contact center solutions to more than 1400 businesses in many industries throughout the world. For more information about their services visit their website or contact Teri Erickson at 1-800-645-2616.

We'll be attending the 2011 Internet Technology Summit in Tampa on August 31, 2011

At Internet Technology Summit 2011, Internet leaders from across the country will converge to discuss emerging trends, innovations and opportunities created by internet technologies. Hear from top internet experts and thought leaders on topics such as Mobile, Social Media, Cloud Computing, Gaming, Applications, TV 2.0, Analytics, E-Commerce, Search, Geolocation, Internet Security, Advertising and more.

Join hundreds of technology executives, internet marketers, business strategists, entrepreneurs, developers, media and venture investors for the 3rd annual Internet Technology Summit, hosted on August 31, 2011 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida.

Please stop by our booth and meet the AnswerFirst team.

AnswerFirst is based in Tampa, FL and provides answering services, appointment scheduling, reservation taking, technical support, customer care, order entry and contact center solutions to more than 1400 businesses in many industries throughout the world. For more information about their services visit their website or contact Teri Erickson at 1-800-645-2616.

A Major Traffic Jam: The Perfect Reason to Use An Answering Service

Lanes of I-275 South in downtown Tampa reopen after crash: "A jack-knifed tanker truck that blocked the southbound lanes of Interstate 275 just south of the downtown exits this morning has been moved and all lanes now are open, officials said."

The weather in Tampa, FL the past two days has been very wet. At one point, Bay Area meteorologists were tweeting that there were rainfall rates of 4" an hour in some areas. No matter what part of the United States you live in, you know that rain means traffic delays and collisions inevitably ensue. At about 8:30 this morning (during Tampa's peak rush hour) on southbound interstate 275 (the main highway leading through Central Tampa) wet roads caused a tanker to collide with another vehicle; the collision left the tanker jack-knifed across all southbound lanes of the interstate literally stopping traffic for more than 2 hours. Thousands of commuters were stuck in their vehicles waiting for the tanker to be removed from the roadway.

Where do you think the majority of these people were headed at 8:30 a.m. on a Wednesday morning? Work, of course...

This is the perfect example of when an answering service can benefit a business: unexpected delays on the roadways cause employees to be late for work but that doesn't stop a businesses' phones from ringing.

Events like this don't happen every day and that's why a lot of businesses might not need to use an answering service every day but that's exactly why AnswerFirst's rate plan is perfect for every type of business. For only $20 per month we are there when you need us. You don't pay a dime over $20 unless we actually answer your phones and you only pay for the time you use. Maybe you will only use our services one time per year but it's that one time that can really make a difference to your clients; it won't be the last time our agents hear, "Thank God you answered!"

For more information about our services contact us today: 1-800-645-2616 or http://www.answerfirst.com

An AnswerFirst Minute - Episode 4 : How To Shop For An Answering Service

Teri Erickson, AnswerFirst's Business Development Coordinator, provides useful tips to consider when shopping for an answering service. AnswerFirst is an answering service and contact center solution provider based in Tampa, FL that provides service to more than 1400 clients worldwide. Contact Teri at 1-800-645-2616, sales@answerfirst.com or visit our website at http://www.answerfirst.com for more information.

AnswerFirst Answering Service Attends the Tampa Bay Business Journal Nonprofit of the Year Awards

AnswerFirst Answering Service Attends TBBJ Nonprofit of the Year Awards, a photo by AnswerFirst on Flickr.

AnswerFirst Communications, an international live telephone answering service and customer service solutions company specializing in answering & messaging services, virtual receptionist and call center solutions, announced this week that they will attend the Tampa Bay Business Journal (TBBJ) 2011 Nonprofit of the Year Awards Luncheon at the Embassy Suites in Tampa.

The TBBJ advertises this year’s event as the sixth annual Nonprofit of the Year Awards event and special publication dedicated to recognizing the nonprofit organizations who are making a difference in the Tampa Bay area every day. An independent panel of judges named 40 organizations finalists for the 2011 Nonprofit of the Year awards; each organization is a 501(c)(3), non-foundation community organization in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Hernando, Sarasota, Pasco or Manatee counties and has an established date prior to January 1, 2008.

According to its website, the Tampa Bay Business Journal is a printed publication that features local people and decision makers who are leaders in their business communities. They report on local and national issues that impact subscribers' businesses and assist them in growing their companies. Printed each Friday, the business journal includes topical listings and business leads for new business licenses, building permits, real estate transactions and court judgments.

Teri Erickson, Business Development Coordinator at AnswerFirst said, “The Tampa Bay Business Journal always does an excellent job of organizing events including trade shows, award ceremonies and networking showcases. We’re looking forward to interacting with representatives from local nonprofit organizations; they make a huge difference in our community.“

For more information about AnswerFirst's answering service and call center solutions please visit their website or call Teri at 1-800-645-2616.

Happy Birthday U.S. Army! - June 14, 2011

Happy Birthday U.S. Army! - June 14, 2011, a photo by AnswerFirst on Flickr.

AnswerFirst Communications, an international telephone answering service and customer service solutions company specializing in answering & messaging services, virtual receptionist and call center solutions, announced this week that they attended the Association of the United States Army Suncoast Chapter’s Purple Heart and Cake Cutting Ceremony at the V.A. Hospital in Tampa, FL. The ceremony was a celebration of the United States Army’s 236th birthday which fell on June 14, 2011.

The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) is a private, non-profit educational organization that has been supporting America's Army - Active, National Guard, Reserve, Civilians, Retirees, Government Civilians, Wounded Warriors, Veterans, and family members since 1950. The AUSA represents every American Soldier by being the voice for all components of America’s Army, by fostering public support of the Army’s role in national security and by providing professional education and information programs. AUSA works to support all aspects of national security while advancing the interests of America's Army and the men and women who serve. AUSA also provides numerous professional development opportunities at a variety of events both local and national. The Suncoast Chapter includes MacDill Air Force Base, home of the US Central Command and the US Special Operations Command both of whom provide operational support for the Chapter. The Purple Heart and Cake Cutting ceremony was held in honor of the U.S. Army’s 236th birthday and attendees included AUSA corporate sponsors and representatives of the United States Army including veterans, officers and enlisted soldiers.

Teri Erickson, Business Development Coordinator at AnswerFirst said, “We’re happy to have the opportunity to support our local chapter of the Association of the United States Army. The organization provides recreational and educational opportunities to soldiers and their families and our corporate sponsorship provides us with the ability to show our support for our troops.“

For more information about AnswerFirst's answering service and call center solutions please visit their website or call Teri at 1-800-645-2616.

Answering Service Client Testimonial

"Hi! I just wanted to let you know, we’re very happy with Answerfirst's answering services! The receptionists have been professional, friendly and helpful. Thanks so much for checking up on us."

Dana
Nyquist Capital Partners

Contact us today for more information about how we can help you offer your clients better customer service while helping you run your business more efficiently.

http://www.answerfirst.com

1-800-645-2616

Call Center Services - Reservations & Scheduling

Our reservation specialists help free you and your staff from this time consuming task so you can better focus on other objectives. You get an easy cost effective solution which saves time, prevents overbooking, and exceeds your client expectations. Please be sure to ask your answering service sales representative about the various solutions we offer. We can utilize your web site for reservations and we also offer an in-house solution.

Messages may be delivered in a variety of ways: hold for call in, call out (to cell phone, home phone etc.), digital page, alpha-page, e-mail, fax each as taken, voice mailbox, fax summary and e-mail summary.

Contact us today for more information: 1-800-645-2616 or http://www.answerfirst.com