Answering service – Definition & Meaning

An answering service is a type of service that provides assistance in answering calls on behalf of a business or organization. It is a crucial service that ensures that customers can always reach out to an organization and receive prompt responses.

Definitions

An answering service is a business that provides live or automated telephone answering services to other businesses. It is also a service that provides a virtual receptionist to answer calls and take messages for businesses.

Origin

The concept of an answering service dates back to the 19th century when telephone technology was first introduced. Initially, telephone operators were responsible for answering calls and connecting them to the relevant parties. However, as the number of telephone users grew, it became difficult for operators to handle all the calls. This led to the emergence of answering services that could handle the overflow of calls.

Meaning in different dictionaries

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, an answering service is “a service that provides telephone answering and message forwarding.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “a service that answers telephone calls on behalf of a business or organization.”

Associations

The answering service industry is associated with customer service, telecommunications, and call center operations. It is also closely linked to the healthcare industry, where answering services are used to handle patient calls and appointments.

Synonyms

Some synonyms for answering service include call answering service, virtual receptionist service, and telephone answering service.

Antonyms

There are no direct antonyms for answering service. However, some related concepts that could be considered antonyms include self-service and automated systems.

The same root words

There are no specific root words associated with answering service. However, the term “answer” is derived from the Old English word “andswaru,” which means “a reply or response.”

Example Sentences

1. “Our answering service ensures that all calls are answered promptly and professionally.”
2. “The virtual receptionist from the answering service took a message for me and forwarded it to my email.”
3. “We use an answering service to handle all our after-hours calls and emergencies.”
4. “The answering service helped us to manage our customer calls during the busy holiday season.”
5. “The answering service is an essential part of our business operations, ensuring that we never miss a call from a customer.”