As a business owner in the state of New Jersey, you need to do your best to keep costs low. When it comes to ensuring this, there are many things that you must evaluate.
One key area is customer service. You should be able to manage incoming calls effectively while staying within budget.
To make this possible, you have two main options to choose from. You can decide to get professional answering services.
On the other hand, you may consider hiring a full-time receptionist. Which of the two provides exceptional results while keeping costs low?
This article compares both options. With this information, you should be able to choose the best possible one for your business.
Answering Service vs Receptionist
The True Cost of Hiring a Full-Time Receptionist in NJ
Salary, Benefits, and Payroll Taxes
When looking at the true cost of working with a full-time receptionist, you have to look deeper than the basic salary. As an employer, you have to pay benefits to your workers. These may entail things like health insurance and retirement contributions. You also need to factor in paid time off and other perks. Such aspects can significantly increase the total expenditure of having in-house staff.
You also have to pay payroll taxes in the form of Social Security and state unemployment taxes. These are additional expenses that continue to pile up regardless of the employee’s workload.
Such hidden costs make it quite expensive to maintain a full-time receptionist. It’s for this reason that you should consider an alternative call management solution.
Training, Equipment, and Workspace
When you want to bring in a full-time employee, you have to account for the investment you have to make in training, equipment, and workspace.
A new hire requires time and resources to gain a proper comprehension of how your company operates. This is a process that can take a couple of weeks. This means that your receptionist will not be at full productivity immediately. Due to this, office efficiency will be temporarily affected. Apart from training, you need to go an extra step ahead and provide them with the right tools and environment.
These costs can add up quite fast. On top of this, they are ongoing. These are issues that you don’t have to incur when working with an answering solution. The reason behind this is that the right experts utilize their own equipment and infrastructure.
Coverage Gaps and Productivity Challenges
A full-time receptionist will definitely have limited availability. This can be caused by breaks, vacation, or unexpected absences. These instances can leave calls unanswered. They can also disrupt client communication. When this happens, expect the workflow to slow down a bit. This is because your other employees will be tasked with handling calls.
The good thing is that you don’t have to experience this challenge when working with external solutions. They provide 24/7availability. Therefore, you can be sure that no call goes unanswered. This will be the case no matter whether it’s during the weekend or holiday.
What Does an Answering Service Cost in NJ?
We have evaluated that hiring a full-time receptionist is a bit expensive. Now that you are considering external solutions, how much does an answering service cost in NJ?
The cost usually depends on the level of coverage and features you choose. Basic plans usually start at around $50-$100 per month. This kind of a service provides limited call handling during business hours.
For a more comprehensive option, the cost can range from $200 to $500 per month. Such a plan offers a wide range of extra services. Some of these include 24/7 availability and live transfer of calls. On top of this, they provide message taking and appointment scheduling.
It’s very clear that hiring a full-time receptionist typically comes with higher upfront and ongoing costs. You have to pay salaries, benefits, and payroll taxes. On top of this, you need to offer training and a good workspace. All these requirements can be quite expensive. They also add up quite fast. Apart from the financial aspect, there is also the issue of flexibility. A full-time receptionist may be unavailable on some days. Such an instance can end up disrupting call handling and the overall customer experience.
Since you don’t want to experience such issues, it makes sense to invest in professional answering services. Looking for a good call handling solution in New Jersey? Consider partnering with us. At AB Universal Messaging, we offer a cost-effective and reliable option for maintaining consistent communication with clients.
