Setting Up Your Home Office for a Home-Based Answering Service
Setting up the business in your own home is a matter of knowing how much business you intend to do. If your goal is to generate some extra cash in addition to other work you do, you’ll only want a few clients and phones. Select a room in your house for your to answer these phones.
The room should be comfortable, adequate in size and able to support several phones. You may want to use an area in which you can arrange a long table to be set up with the phones arranged on top, the wires underneath.
If you take on a switchboard, you may still be able to work out of your home. The switchboard will require space and a floor strong enough to support its weight. Your phone company representative can indicate the relative strength necessary to accommodate a switchboard in your home.
If you anticipate having a vast number of clients, or your residential area won’t accommodate the phone lines you need, you may wish to seek out a commercial space to rent. Generally, 350 -400 feet should be sufficient space to get started.
Current national office vacancy rates are running around 15-17%, so there should be good deals on rent out there for you. The appearance of the building isn’t all that important as you’re a phone business — your clients will call, not visit!
In addition to the room for the phones or switchboard, you’ll want to have some work space. Many telephone answering services also contract for other jobs to keep busy while the phones are quiet. Services like envelope stuffing, typing, order filling, addressing envelopes or bookkeeping can all be done while operating the phone lines. Maximize your time wisely!
Brightly colored walls, proper lighting, carpeting and cheery prints for the walls can make the working atmosphere one in which you (and any employees you might hire) will prosper. Employees will be a must if you are trying to operate your phone service for lengthy hours. A 24 hour service will require at least three to four employees.
Other employees will be helpful in giving you a break from the phones. In addition, you can use “down time” to your advantage by making calls to obtain more clients. It’s hard to call on people if you’re at the phone for twelve hours each day.