Why a Call Answering Service Beats Hiring a Single Receptionist

Running a small business means wearing multiple hats, from sales to operations to customer service. But when it comes to answering calls, the decision between hiring a receptionist and outsourcing to a professional call answering service can significantly impact your bottom line, customer experience, and growth potential.

Let’s break down the benefits and show why more and more businesses are choosing call answering services over employing a full-time receptionist.

Cut Your Costs Without Cutting Corners

Here’s a fact worth thinking about: An employed receptionist on average spends just 23% of their time answering calls. So why pay for 100% of their time?/p>

With a call answering service we offer a cost-effective solution. There’s no salary, no sick pay, no pensions, no equipment costs. Just efficient, professional support when you need it. For cost-conscious small business owners, it’s a no-brainer.

24/7 Availability

Unless you’re hiring multiple receptionists on rotating shifts (which gets expensive fast), your in-house coverage will be limited to regular office hours.

In contrast, our quality call answering service operates 08:00 – 20:00, 365 days a year. Weekends, and Bank Holidays included. This means:

You never miss a potential lead.
Customers can always reach a human.
Your business appears bigger and more established.

No Sick Days. No Holiday Gaps. No Stress.

When your receptionist is off sick, on holiday, or unexpectedly leaves the business, who’s answering your calls?

Call answering services provide uninterrupted support, with teams in place to handle spikes in volume or unexpected absences, meaning zero downtime and no disruptions to your customer service.

Scalable Support That Grows With You

Hiring a receptionist might work when your business is just starting out, but what happens when you grow and the call volume doubles?

A call answering service is built to scale. Whether you get 10 calls a day or 200, you’ll have instant access to a flexible team who can adapt to your needs, without any recruitment headaches or added overheads.

Professional Call Handling, Every Time

First impressions matter. Your customers judge your business based on how their calls are answered.

Our award-winning call answering team is:

Trained to represent your brand with warmth, clarity, and professionalism.
Supported by a quality assurance guarantee, giving you peace of mind that your business calls are always handled to the highest standard.
Skilled in handling a range of scenarios, from simple message taking to appointment booking and customer queries.

Compare that to the time and effort needed to recruit, train, and supervise a single receptionist, the difference is clear.

Better Customer Experience = More Sales

Every missed call is a potential missed opportunity.

With a dedicated call answering service, your customers are always greeted by a friendly human, not voicemail. That consistency builds trust, improves satisfaction, and helps convert enquiries into actual business.

Studies show that 80% of people won’t leave a voicemail, they’ll just call the next company on the list, so don’t let your competitors take your calls.

Still Not Convinced? Let’s Compare:

Feature	In-House Receptionist	Call Answering Service
Availability	Office hours only	08:00-20:00, 365 days a year
Cost	Salary + benefits + equipment	From £70 +VAT per month
Cover for illness/leave	Limited	Always covered
Scalability	Needs recruitment	Instant support
Quality checked calls	Rare	Standard
Customer experience	Depends on training	Professionally handled
Missed calls	Common during busy periods	Rare — full coverage