While most people have interacted with call centers in a variety of industries, the term is often associated primarily with telemarketing. On the other hand, answering services are more widely recognized and experienced by the general public. But are they the same thing? Let’s take a closer look at how these two services differ.

At their core, answering services can be considered a type of call center, but not every call center is an answering service. The primary distinction lies in the scope of responsibilities. Answering services focus on a more limited range of tasks compared to traditional call centers. These services often build a closer relationship with the businesses they support, ensuring a seamless interaction for callers. For instance, many medical practices use answering services after regular office hours. Whether you speak with a nurse at the practice or an answering service representative, you can expect the same level of expertise and consistency. Answering services often handle duties like taking messages, scheduling appointments, and providing basic business information, functioning much like a virtual receptionist.

Call centers, by contrast, train agents to address a broader variety of customer needs. Agents typically work from a script and handle everything from fielding customer complaints to placing orders or answering general inquiries. A call center agent’s primary responsibility is to resolve the caller’s issue during the call, without necessarily having insight into the larger business structure. Unlike answering services, which primarily act as intermediaries between the caller and the business, call centers are more self-sufficient, aiming for quick and efficient resolutions—making first-call resolution a key performance metric. When customers contact an answering service, they don’t always expect immediate solutions; they anticipate being directed toward further steps, potentially involving another call to the business itself.

Whether you manage an answering service or a call center, having the right tools for your agents is critical. CallShaper offers the perfect platform to enhance the performance of your team. Reach out to learn more today!