What is the app that answer phones by voice?

A phone answering app is software that allows businesses to receive and handle incoming calls automatically. The app answers calls with a pre-recorded greeting, then provides callers with menu options to route them to the right department or person. The main purpose of phone answering apps is to professionally handle a high volume of calls without the need for a dedicated receptionist. They enable any employee to sound like an experienced receptionist by delivering a consistent greeting and seamlessly transferring calls. Key benefits of using a phone answering app include:

Improve customer service – Apps never miss a call and provide quick, customized service 24/7.
Screen calls – Intelligent call routing sends callers to the right person or department.

Save on costs – No need to hire a full-time receptionist, apps scale as your needs change.
Gain insights – Dashboards provide call volume reports to optimize workflows.

Key Features

Some of the most useful features found in popular phone answering apps include:

Call screening – Apps like Smith.ai and AnswerConnect allow you to screen calls before deciding whether to answer. The app provides a real-time transcription so you can quickly determine if it’s a call worth taking.

Voicemail transcriptions – Apps like AnswerConnect and Reply.ai provide voicemail-to-text transcription, allowing you to read voicemails instead of listening to them.

Scheduling – Apps like Acuity Scheduling, Calendly, and YouCanBookMe allow you to set availability for calls and meetings so customers can self-schedule sessions.

Custom greetings – Apps like Grasshopper, AnswerConnect, and Smith.ai allow you to set custom greetings for day/night, weekends, holidays, etc. to sound more professional.

Smart routing – Apps like Smith.ai and AnswerConnect use IVR menus to intelligently route calls to the right people or teams.

Real-time analytics – Apps provide insights into call volumes, peak times, caller locations, and more to optimize operations.

Integration – Top apps integrate with CRM software, calendar apps, voicemail services, and other business tools for streamlined workflow.

Integrations

Phone answering apps integrate with a variety of popular CRM, calendar, and business tools to streamline workflows. This allows businesses to capture more leads, book more appointments, and provide better customer service by never missing an important call. Some of the top integrations include:

CRM tools like Salesforce, Zoho CRM, HubSpot CRM, and Freshworks CRM. Customer and contact data can be automatically logged for each call, saving time on manual data entry.

Calendar apps like Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Calendly. Call details can be automatically synced, helping schedule follow-up meetings and appointments.

Business phone systems like Vonage, RingCentral, Nextiva, and 8×8. This enables full integration with your existing business phone numbers and call flows.

Help desk software like Zendesk and Freshdesk to easily create tickets from incoming calls.

Voicemail transcription with services like Rev and Trint to convert audio into text notes.

Benefits

Using a phone answering app can provide numerous benefits for businesses and individuals. Some of the key benefits include:

Increased productivity. A virtual receptionist frees you and your staff from having to answer every call. This enables you to focus on core tasks and priorities without constant interruptions. A 2017 study found that switching to a call answering service increased worker productivity by an average of 23%.

Flexibility. Phone answering apps allow you to customize hours of coverage and route calls intelligently based on time of day or caller needs. This provides the flexibility to adapt to changing demands. Many services offer pay-as-you-go plans so you can scale up or down as your requirements change.

Professional image. Live receptionists project a polished, corporate image for your business. Customers get a consistent, professional experience when contacting you. This promotes trust and confidence in your brand compared to voicemail or missed calls.

Use Cases

Virtual phone answering apps can benefit many different types of businesses and roles. Here are some examples of popular use cases:

Small Businesses – Small business owners often wear many hats and can’t always answer every call. A virtual answering service allows calls to be answered professionally 24/7.

Healthcare – Doctors’ offices and hospitals route calls to the right departments and ensure no patient calls are missed using a virtual receptionist.

Legal Firms – Law offices use phone answering apps to screen new client calls and book consultations during and after office hours.

Real Estate – Real estate agents on the go can have calls answered remotely when showing properties or meeting with clients.

Contractors – Electricians, plumbers, landscapers and more use call answering services so they don’t miss job opportunities.

Work-Life Balance – Entrepreneurs and small business owners use phone answering services for better work-life separation.

Sales Teams – Inside sales reps can hand off qualified inbound calls to the right salesperson using call routing features.

Government – City and state agencies use virtual receptionists to direct citizens to the correct departments.

Support & Service – Customer support calls can be fielded 24/7 and directed to the right representative.

Pricing

Pricing for phone answering apps can vary greatly depending on the provider, features, and usage. Most providers offer monthly subscription plans with different tiers based on the number of users, minutes, calls, etc. Some common pricing models include:

Per user pricing – Price based on the number of users or agents on the account. Ranges from $20-$100+ per user per month.

Per minute pricing – Price based on the number of minutes used each month. Ranges from $0.59-$1.99 per minute used.

Toll-free minutes – Some plans include a certain number of toll-free minutes per month, then charge overage rates.

Pay-per-call pricing – Price per incoming call, typically $0.99-$1.99 per call.

Overage rates – Some plans charge for additional minutes or calls beyond the plan limits.

Many providers offer basic plans starting around $29-$59 per month, including Numa (https://www.numa.com/blog/answering-service-pricing), featuring unlimited users and minutes. More advanced plans with additional features run $100-$300+ per month.

It’s important to calculate expected call volume and features needed to find the optimal balance of price and functionality.

Implementation Tips

Choosing the right phone answering app for your business starts with understanding your needs. Consider call volume, desired features like call routing or voicemail-to-text, and any existing systems you need to integrate with. You’ll also want to factor in your budget and whether you need scalable solutions as your business grows.

When implementing a new phone answering app, thoroughly test features and connectivity prior to launch. Make sure to port over any existing phone numbers and set up rules, call flows, greetings, and on-hold messaging. Spend time training staff on how to use the app and monitor initial performance to identify any issues. Consider starting with a small test group before rolling out to all employees.

To get the most out of your phone answering app, customize greetings for working hours versus off-hours. Set up call forwarding rules and on-call schedules so calls always reach the right person. Use features like voicemail transcription to efficiently handle messages. Integrate popular productivity apps to synchronize contacts, calendars, and more. Provide ongoing training and feedback channels to refine implementation over time.

Top Providers

The top providers of phone answering apps include RingCentral, Ooma Office, Dial My Calls, GoToConnect, Google Voice, and AnswerConnect.

RingCentral is one of the most popular solutions, offering automatic call routing, call forwarding, voicemail transcription, unlimited extensions, and seamless integrations. Ooma Office provides an easy-to-use interface, unlimited minutes, virtual receptionist, and mobile apps.

Dial My Calls focuses on small business users with features like call tracking, voicemail drop, SMS reminders, and unlimited extensions. GoToConnect combines cloud PBX, video conferencing, and chat in one platform. Google Voice offers low pricing starting at free, voicemail transcription, call screening, and easy setup.

AnswerConnect is known for its live, U.S.-based agents and custom greetings. When comparing providers, businesses should consider their size, call volume, budget, features, and scalability needs to find the best match.

Conclusion

Phone answering apps provide an efficient way for businesses and individuals to handle inbound calls. As we’ve discussed, key features like custom greetings, call routing, voicemail transcription, and CRM integrations make these solutions extremely versatile. Benefits range from increased productivity to better customer experiences. While phone answering apps have already been widely adopted, we can expect the technology to continue improving. As AI advances, the apps may become even more seamless and natural. Ultimately, phone answering apps look poised to become an indispensable tool for call management across a variety of industries and use cases.

In conclusion, phone answering apps provide a powerful way to streamline call handling. With thoughtful implementation, they can help businesses and individuals maximize productivity and deliver exceptional caller experiences. The future looks bright for these intelligent solutions to continue evolving and extending their capabilities.