Paying for live phone answering service can help any small business make money. Yes, it costs money to hire a virtual receptionist. However, you can amplify customer retention and happiness when you have a live person answering your business phone, scheduling appointments, routing calls, and taking messages. It can directly translate to more money for your business. To help you make a decision, we have compiled a list of the best options. Let us address them below.

There are a ton of live phone answering services available in the market. So, it is vital to choose wisely and pick well-trained live receptionists. Ideally, the right solution would be an affordable service that seamlessly fits into your workflow.

VoiceNation
It is one of the top live phone answering services for small businesses that seek an application that can get up and running at the earliest. Since it can begin answering calls as soon as you complete the signup process, VoiceNation stands out from its competitors. So, you do not have to wait twenty-four hours like in other services.

Its instant activation facility is its most incredible aspect. Every VoiceNation plan comprises an account manager anytime you need it. There is also a facility for message delivery by email, voicemail, mobile app, or text. So you can easily monitor things on the go. You also get an option for seamless custom call scripting. VoiceNation provides access to detailed analytics that can help advance your business. There is no setup fee and no contracts either.

You can bag the basic plan for twenty receptionist minutes at $59 per month, but their Enterprise plan can bag 600 receptionist minutes and cost you approximately $889 per month. They also have a seven-day free trial that bags you basic message taking, 24/7 live answering, and instant activation.

RingCentral
It is a cloud-based live phone answering service. RingCentral structures its offerings in two tiers – for enterprise clients and small businesses. In the latter, you get a comprehensive small business phone system comprising an auto-attendant to route the online meetings, messages, and incoming calls, within a secure environment.

Its auto-attendant features comprise an AI virtual receptionist that can connect all incoming calls to the correct desk or department in the company via an automated menu of options. Of course, it cannot be the same as a live person answering your call, but it is undoubtedly efficient for growing small businesses wherein the volume is too high for one person.

But, as the business grows and you seek a call-answering service with more features, you can add personalized features, such as additional users from any device and the covered minutes. If you ever feel stuck, you can reach out to RingCentral’s 24/7 accessible support team.

RingCentral has over a hundred integrations, comprising Box, Amazon, Microsoft, Okta, Google, and Salesforce, making it versatile enough to integrate into every company’s workflow effortlessly. Their prices start at $20 per user per month and go up to $70 per user per month. Cost depends on different factors and services.

Ruby
Also known as Ruby Receptionists, Ruby is another popular live phone answering service that provides integrated live website chat and 24/7 virtual receptionists. It is a suitable pick for after-hours service sans additional costs. You also get expanded capabilities like an automated lead capture tool, call routing, appointment scheduling, and more.

Ruby has a fully-featured mobile app that offers instant access to call notifications and messages. You also get an auto-attendant with barge and call whisper features. You can find the bundled plans to combine live chat and virtual receptionists. The only low is that Ruby’s plans are curtailed to live chat and answering service.

Vonage
Vonage’s popularity is attributed to its custom menu with an intuitive IVR attached, ensuring no call goes unanswered. There is always a virtual receptionist to answer calls, irrespective of whether it is after-work hours, holidays, or lunch hours. It queues the customers in a virtual waiting room and forwards the calls to several extensions. Vonage has integrations comprising CRMs like Zendesk, Salesforce, etc.

Vonage’s mobile plan starts at $19.99 per month, the premium plan is $29.99 per month, and the advanced plan costs $39.99 per month.

Go Answer
It is a bargain for someone seeking an affordable live phone answering service. Go Answer assures excellent service and top-notch web chat support. They are HIPAA compliant, and their unique pricing system begins with a $50 base, adding a dollar per minute from there. Hence, you pay for only what you use. It is the perfect pick for businesses anticipating several Spanish-speaking customers. The only low is that you will have to write your script. Using Go Answer, it becomes easier for small business owners to compete on a level playing field with bigger companies.