Answering Service companies have been around much longer than the current slate of behemoth International Call Centers, some for over 50 years. True, most outsourced call centers can perform the basic functions of an Answering Service, but to get real expert service, you may consider some of the Answer Service companies that specialize on answering services.

Specific services may include taking messages, collecting contact information and messages, and transmitting that information back to you. You can receive that information through a page, email, fax, or electronic file.

You can have an answering service be transparent, where they answer your call in the name of your company or you can make it clear that to the caller that they have reached an answering service.

Some answering services focus on medical services for after hours screening of calls. Generally, there is an emergency number left with these answering services to reach on-call medical personnel.

Some answering services focus on dispatch services, where a call is placed, and then a page or a call is made to some mobile technician to go to some location.