Don't believe first impressions are that important? You may change your mind when you hear how consumers judge businesses. By some estimates, it takes only seven seconds for a customer to judge the perceived quality of customer care when he or she reaches a company or that company's call answering services call center. When they form these perceptions, they likely do so on the basis of several key characteristics.

Callers will quickly take note of how friendly and helpful their representative is; it doesn't matter if that rep is employed in-house or by an answering service business. Next, they will expect a professional tone and certain level of understanding and attention to his or her individual needs. The representative will then need to be exceptionally responsive to those concerns, as well as knowledgeable about how to address specific requirements. What it often boils down to is credibility and possibly likeability. A consumer doesn't necessarily need to think a 24 hour live answering serivce representative is nice - but they absolutely must trust them, the company and that vendor's product line.

Even for the self-employed freelancer, answering service companies can be affordable and effective. Case in point: After a layoff from her newspaper job, Jessie followed a lifelong dream to start her own freelance writing and editing company. With a small lineup of regular customers, she was soon making 75 percent of her former income. However, long hours of interviewing story sources from a home office afforded Jessie little opportunity to prospect for new clients or take inquiry calls.

Jessie decided to "audition" an answering service business that offered a free trial period and was amazed at the results. She discovered there were many potential clients she never knew existed because they either got a busy signal, were skeptical about calling a cell phone or opted not to leave a message on her home phone. Within weeks of hiring the answering services call center, Jessie was making double what she made as a newspaper reporter and spending less time prospecting for work.

Jessie may not have survived long as a freelance writer had she not been able to project a professional image and facilitate a connection with potential clients. With the help of United Answering service, companies both big and small can unearth their true potential.