An answering service, also referred to as a telephone answering service or live answering service, is an organization that answers telephone calls on another’s behalf.

Generally these services are provided by companies in a call center environment, but there are individuals who provide these services on a smaller scale from their homes. The scope of work performed by an answering service has traditionally been limited to answering the line, taking a message, and delivering it to the customer (the person or organization that the call was intended for). However, because of advances in technology, most answering services have progressed into full-service call centers. Thus, modern usage of the term answering service is often synonymous with the term call center, though an answering service is technically recognized as being more simplistic in nature.

Elsewhere on the web

The entry for “answering service” on Wikipedia is now directed to “call center,” but an entry for “operator messaging” remains. As the entry explains, “Operator Messaging is the term, similar to Text Messaging and Voice Messaging, applying to an answering service call center who focuses on one specific scripting style that has grown out of the alphanumeric pager history.” Read more from Wikipedia

Here at CMS

We provide a variety of live answering services to clients nationwide. From doctor’s offices to HVAC companies, we answer for every type of business imaginable and operate 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

Incoming queries

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