Gigpreneur

There are several cool entrepreneur gigs out there. Today’s cool entrepreneur gig is an Answering Service Operator. I chose this particular entrepreneur gig out of hundreds of gigs because I have dabbled in the answering service business from home.

Starting an answering service business is fairly easy and enjoyable. You can set your own hours and earn as much as you desire. For instance, you can work full-time or part-time. If you’re a night owl, you can work nights. In 2009, I worked full-time (Monday-Friday 9-5) from home. I took off weekends and absolutely NO HOLIDAYS.  I eventually reduced my hours to explore other entrepreneur opportunities.

Another great advantage? Your client base is unlimited. Your clients can range from local businesses, national and even international. My client base consisted of U.S. Internet businesses with 1-5 employees. My calls were sporadic which gave me extra time for other projects.

Some established answering service companies charge a flat fee such as $19.99 per month and charge per call (i.e. $1 per call). I have seen answering service companies charge an hourly rate of $15-$27+ per hour including a monthly retainer fee.

When I launched my answering service gig I charged $15 per hour plus a retainer fee. I received 1-2 calls per hour. The good thing about this cool entrepreneur gig is that it allowed me to multi-task on other projects in between calls. The only down fall is that I wasn’t able to run errands unless I had someone to cover my calls.

Once you become established, you can hire out someone reliable to cover your calls. There are several retired people who wouldn’t mind answering calls for fun or to earn extra money.

You can even work for an answering service company and get paid weekly or bi-weekly to answer calls. I personally would not work for an answering service company because it reminds me too much of working in the rat race. If I’m going to work from home, I want to work on my own terms.

How do you earn money answering phone calls?

It’s up to you. You can charge your clients a flat fee upfront or place them on a weekly or bi-weekly payment plan. Don’t place all your eggs in one basket. For example, let’s say you have three companies you answer calls for.

You should have at least one company that pays you a percentage upfront. Offer your clients that option. If they pay you upfront, they receive a discount. I had one company that paid me in advance every week in order to answer phone calls. Another company paid me on time bi-weekly.

Before placing any company on a weekly or bi-weekly payment plan, make sure you’re dealing with a reputable company.

How to get started with an Answering Service Business from home?

Make sure you invest in a separate phone line from your personal home phone. Also, you can answer calls via Skype to save on your phone bill. However, it is recommended to use your local phone service provider. If your Internet is down, you can’t answer calls. It’s always good to have a reliable backup. This is where having someone to answer your back-up calls comes in very handy!

Make sure you buy a high quality head-set. I don’t recommend using a cell phone to answer calls because it sounds unprofessional. You want to sound as professional as possible — as if you’re calling from an office suite on the Avenue of America’s in New York. You should also have a computer or a way of tracking incoming calls.

Answering service gigs are perfect for people who live in a quiet environment. If you have screaming children, barking dogs and other noise interferences, make sure your home office is sound-proof.

What you need to get started?

• Reliable headset
• Separate phone line
• A computer to track calls
• A great enthusiastic speaking voice!

Answering service business Future Out look?

People still like to hear a human voice on the other end of the phone. In fact, people like to hear a non-descript American Speaking voice. As an American based answering service company, you have an advantage because many companies are outsourcing their calls to other countries. Unless you’re a good actor, a non-descript voice you can’t fake.

Consumers are more likely to do business with a company who has American speaking answering service operators. Even many international companies prefer answering service reps who have non-descript speaking voices.

In addition, most small businesses can’t afford to hire an in-house receptionist. Many companies are sole proprietorships and need someone to answer their calls. This entrepreneur gig is in high demand and will be for quite a while.