Per-Minute Versus Per-Call: That Is The Question

When looking for a Virtual Receptionist, it can feel intimidating trying to find the best fit for you.  It’s confusing alone looking at what is available and taking all the options into consideration.  The first place that people often look is at the price.  Often with price comes to value.  As an entrepreneur’s, we all want to maximize value when seeking a service or product.  The big question arises, should you look for a per call-rate versus per-minute rate?

Breaking It Down

At first, per-call pricing may seem instinctive however everyone interprets a ‘call’ differently.  Some services will charge for the same rate if it is a wrong number or a hang-up.  It is possible that sending texts, emails, or faxes will also count as ‘’calls” for some companies.

Per-minute (or time-based) pricing can bring a more accurate impression of value.  Simply said, you pay exactly for the amount you use.  While every virtual receptionist business is different, here is a glimpse of the typical size of per-minute plans you might see:

• Pay-as-you-go
• 100 – 150 minutes
• 200 – 250 minutes
• 500 minutes
• Custom quotes

Hidden Costs

It is important to look for specific hidden costs that may arise whether is per-call or per-minute plan.  Be sure to read the fine print with any service to make sure that all costs are being shown upfront.  Here are just a few hidden fees that may creep up on an invoice:

• Initial set up fees
• Monthly fee
• Overage fees
• Holiday fees
• Text message fees
• Connecting callers’ fees
• Blocking numbers fees

We Are Straight Shooters!

At Back Office Betties, we average over 75% savings versus the cost of hiring someone in-house!  There are no surprise fees – ever!!  All our fees are disclosed upfront.  We also offer no charge for calls that are under 15 seconds.  Which means you won’t pay for wrong numbers or hang-ups.

Here’s a simple example:  Jennifer’s most recent bill for $236 for 94 minutes and 45 calls at Betties. Under a flat-rate plan from ‘Company X’ of $6 per call the invoice would have been $270.

At Betties, we are always mindful of our client’s budgets and prioritize keeping calls short without compromising on quality. We wouldn’t say the flat rate is better or worse than pay per minute. We’d suggest focusing on working with a company who knows your industry thoroughly and will provide consistent quality.