Does anyone use an answering service?

[Austin Lockard]

Hey BPers,

I'm creating flyers for my first marketing strategy in Houston.  I had the idea of having a google # on the flyer that links to my cell phone and my office #.  However my private investor doesn't want me answering any of the potential calls I'd be receiving from these flyers but instead wants me to use an answering service.  Is this a good idea?  Does anybody else have experience with using an answering service? From reading the forums and listening to the podcasts, I'm under the impression that I should be answering these calls.  I'll be the one going to the sellers house and negotiating with them if a call does turn into a lead.  Wouldn't a motivated seller feel more comfortable letting me into their home if its me that they initially talked to?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Austin

[Pennie Nakashima]

Hi,  I use Patlive call center with a basic form embedded into a CRM so that when a call comes in Patlive asks basic initial questions to the seller lead and then those answers go directly onto the CRM database.  I also get email notification that the call came in.  I then get to view the answers first before calling the seller back myself.  I have not run into the seller leads being upset that I am the second person they are speaking with.  Motivated sellers are very forthright with information.  It's a good system but there is a monthly cost to Patlive.