Transforming Customer Communication: The Essential Role of an Answering Service for Flooring Businesses

I'm writing this article to help flooring businesses understand how integrating a professional answering service for flooring can transform their customer communication. In an industry where 80% of callers who reach voicemail hang up without leaving a message, having reliable call handling is essential for capturing leads and maintaining client relationships.

What is an Answering Service?

An answering service is a third-party company that handles inbound and outbound communications on behalf of other businesses, functioning as an extension of your company to manage calls, messages, and customer inquiries.

The marketplace offers several types of answering services:

• Live answering services with human receptionists
• Automated systems using IVR technology
• Virtual receptionist services combining live agents with technology
• Call centers for high-volume operations
• Online answering services for digital communications

These services perfectly match modern business needs by providing 24/7 availability—a feature used by 58% of answering service clients. They offer cost-effective alternatives to in-house staff while improving customer satisfaction for 49% of businesses.

Overview of the Flooring Industry

Flooring is a fundamental element in both residential and commercial spaces that serves dual purposes: functional necessity and aesthetic appeal. The industry is substantial and growing—the global flooring market was valued at $388.24 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $621.54 billion by 2028.

As a flooring business owner or manager, you're likely familiar with the major product categories: hardwood, laminate, vinyl, tile, carpet, and stone. The growing construction and renovation activities, coupled with increasing consumer focus on interior aesthetics, create significant demand for these products.

Managing customer communication can be challenging in this business. With the high volume of inquiries about products, installation, and maintenance, many flooring companies struggle to handle overflow calls and after-hours inquiries. Plus, flooring options come with technical specifications that require knowledgeable responses to customer questions.

The need for appointment scheduling for in-home measurements and consultations, effective lead capture for potential customers researching options, and emergency response for water damage situations all highlight why a dedicated answering service for flooring has become essential for the modern flooring business.

Why Choose GoodCall Answering Service for Flooring?

When looking for an answering service that can effectively support your flooring business, GoodCall stands out as a premium solution explicitly built for modern businesses. I've researched their offerings extensively to help you understand why they might be your best choice for your flooring company.

Company Overview

GoodCall is a relatively new but rapidly growing player in the answering service space. Founded in 2024, the company brings Silicon Valley expertise to business communications.

Despite being young, GoodCall has secured impressive backing with $4 million in venture capital funding, allowing them to scale their operations rapidly. They currently serve over 2,000 businesses across retail, service, and professional sectors, processing more than 500,000 calls monthly.

For flooring businesses specifically, GoodCall has developed specialized knowledge of the industry's unique needs, including handling technical product inquiries, scheduling in-home measurements, and managing emergency restoration calls for water damage situations.

Key Features

What makes GoodCall particularly well-suited for flooring businesses is its cutting-edge AI technology combined with industry-specific capabilities:

• AI-powered 24/7 phone assistant with advanced natural language processing that can answer common flooring questions
• Customizable voice options with 3 male and 3 female voices to match your brand persona
• Built-in spam and scam call deterrent to protect your business from time-wasting calls
• Call recording and transcription for quality assurance and record-keeping of detailed customer requirements
• CRM integrations via Zapier to keep all customer information organized alongside your project details
• Lead capture and qualification designed explicitly for flooring sales processes
• Real-time call notifications so you never miss important communications about urgent projects
• Detailed analytics and reporting to optimize your communication strategy and track lead sources

GoodCall's AI continually learns from interactions, constantly improving service quality and understanding of flooring-specific terminology and common customer inquiries. This means the system becomes more effective at handling technical questions about materials, installation processes, and maintenance requirements over time.

Pricing Structure

GoodCall offers a transparent, subscription-based model with tiered plans that scale with your business.

They offer three main plans:

Starter - $59 monthly

• unlimited minutes and tokens
• 3 team members
• 3 directory contacts
• 7 days of call & customer details
• 100 unique customers monthly
• *$0.50/customer after 100

Growth - $99 monthly

• unlimited minutes and tokens
• 9 team members
• 25 directory contacts
• 30 days of call & customer details
• 250 unique customers monthly*
• *$0.50/customer after 250

Scale - $199 monthly

• unlimited minutes and tokens
• 50 team members
• 500 directory contacts
• unlimited call & customer details
• 500 unique customers monthly*
• *$0.50/customer after 500

For flooring businesses that experience seasonal fluctuations in call volume (like springtime renovations or post-holiday upgrades), GoodCall's flexible pricing model allows you to scale up or down as needed without penalty, ensuring you're only paying for what you actually use.

Additional 4 Answering Services for Flooring

If you're looking to enhance your flooring setup with professional answering services, here are five excellent options to consider. Each service offers unique features and pricing structures to fit various business needs.

Ruby Receptionists

Ruby Receptionists has been providing virtual receptionist services since 2003 and has served over 10,000 small businesses across the United States. They handle more than 1 million calls monthly and have won multiple service awards, including being recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest-growing companies in America for 12 consecutive years. Ruby employs over 500 highly-trained receptionists who operate from dedicated call centers in Portland, Oregon, and Kansas City, Missouri.

Pricing Structure

• Starter plan: $245/month for 50 receptionist minutes
• Premium plan: $495/month for 100 receptionist minutes
• Pro plan: $995/month for 200 receptionist minutes
• Custom plans available for higher volumes
• One-time setup fee of $95
• Additional minutes charged at $3.95 per minute
• No long-term contracts required (month-to-month service)

Key Features

• 24/7/365 live call answering by US-based receptionists
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) support
• Custom call handling instructions with detailed scripting options
• Sophisticated mobile app with real-time call notifications
• Integrations with over 20 popular CRM and scheduling platforms
• Call screening and intelligent routing
• Outbound calling capabilities (10 calls per month included in Premium and Pro plans)
• Dedicated account manager for Premium and Pro plans

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Exceptional customer service with extensively trained receptionists
• Consistent receptionist team assigned to your business for familiarity
• Seamless Vonage integration with direct call transfer capabilities
• 100% money-back happiness guarantee for the first 21 days
• Industry-specific training for flooring industry terminology
• High-touch onboarding process with personalized implementation

Cons

• Higher price point compared to some competitors
• Additional minute costs can add up quickly during busy periods
• Limited after-hours functionality compared to AI-powered alternatives
• No chat or text support in basic package (requires upgrade)
• May require business to provide detailed call handling instructions

AnswerConnect

Founded in 2002, AnswerConnect provides comprehensive 24/7 live answering services with a presence in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. They serve over 15,000 businesses across multiple industries and process approximately 3 million calls annually.

As an environmentally conscious company, AnswerConnect operates a 100% remote workforce and has planted over 1 million trees through its sustainability initiatives. Their team consists of more than 1,000 virtual receptionists worldwide, enabling true 24/7 coverage across all time zones.

Pricing Structure

• Basic plan: $350/month for 200 minutes
• Pro plan: $550/month for 350 minutes
• Enterprise plan: Custom pricing for 500+ minutes
• Additional minutes charged at $2.50/minute
• No setup fees
• Annual billing discount of 10%
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Volume discounts available for multi-location businesses

Key Features

• 24/7/365 live answering with US-based receptionists
• Comprehensive appointment scheduling with calendar integrations
• E-commerce capabilities with order-taking and payment processing
• Deep CRM integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, and more
• Support in over 12 languages
• Custom call scripts with dynamic branching logic
• Web chat and SMS support are included in all plans
• Custom IVR and auto-attendant options
• Dedicated mobile app for iOS and Android
• Call recording and quality assurance monitoring

Pros and Cons

Pros

• True 24/7 global coverage with no time restrictions
• Eco-friendly business model with remote workforce
• Comprehensive multichannel support (phone, chat, SMS)
• Extensive integration ecosystem with over 30 platforms
• Excellent multilingual capabilities for diverse customer bases
• Transparent minute usage reporting in a real-time dashboard

Cons

• Higher base monthly cost than some competitors
• Expensive overage rates for additional minutes
• No dedicated receptionist teams (different agents may handle calls)
• Some users report occasional inconsistency in call quality
• Limited customization on lower-tier plans
• A 200-minute minimum may be excessive for smaller flooring businesses

VoiceNation

VoiceNation, established in 2002, has grown into one of America's most customizable answering services. Based in Buford, Georgia, they serve over 30,000 clients nationwide and handle approximately 2 million calls per month. Unlike many competitors, VoiceNation owns and operates its proprietary OpenAnswer™ technology platform, giving it complete control over its service delivery.

The company is known for its special focus on small-to-medium businesses and has received numerous industry accolades, including the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies.

Pricing Structure

• Starter plan: $56/month for 20 minutes
• Professional plan: $159/month for 60 minutes
• Enterprise plan: $309/month for 120 minutes
• Custom plans available for higher volumes
• Additional minutes charged at $1.49/minute
• No setup or activation fees
• Month-to-month service with no contracts
• 7-day free trial available
• 10% discount for annual payment

Key Features

• 24/7 live answering with US-based agents
• Highly customizable call scripts with up to a dozen decision points
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) support at no additional charge
• Advanced call patching and warm transfer capabilities
• Message delivery via email, text, or dedicated mobile app
• Comprehensive online portal with real-time call logs and recordings
• Industry-specific solutions for legal, medical, HVAC, and property management
• Custom voicemail boxes and message routing

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Extremely competitive entry-level pricing for low-volume needs
• Proprietary technology platform enabling rapid customization
• No contracts or long-term commitments are required
• Highly specialized industry expertise for contractor businesses
• Transparent billing with no hidden fees
• Superior disaster recovery with geographically distributed call centers

Cons

• Lower per-minute allowances than many competitors
• Limited integration options compared to larger providers
• Basic interface lacks some advanced features
• Can experience longer hold times during peak periods
• Limited third-party software integrations
• Additional charge for advanced reporting features

Abby Connect

Abby Connect was founded in 2005 as a family-owned business and has maintained its boutique approach despite significant growth. Now serving over 2,000 clients nationwide, Abby Connect differentiates itself by assigning dedicated small teams of 4-6 receptionists to each client, ensuring personalized service. Their Henderson, Nevada headquarters houses over 150 receptionists who undergo an intensive 8-week training program before handling client calls.

Pricing Structure

• Starter plan: $329/month for 100 minutes
• Pro plan: $549/month for 200 minutes
• Enterprise plan: $1,089/month for 500 minutes
• Additional minutes charged at $1.79/minute
• No setup or activation fees
• 14-day free trial with full-service access
• Custom pricing available for high-volume needs
• Quarterly and annual payment options with 5-10% discounts
• Shared receptionist plan is available at $249/month for 50 minutes

Key Features

• Dedicated teams of 4-6 receptionists are assigned to each client
• Extended service hours from 5am-9pm PT Monday-Friday (weekend coverage available)
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) support is included at no extra cost
• Sophisticated call handling protocols with unlimited decision trees
• Seamless call transfers and warm handoffs
• Comprehensive appointment scheduling with multiple calendar integrations
• Real-time call notifications and detailed message delivery
• Industry-leading CRM integrations (Clio, Salesforce, etc.)
• Custom-developed mobile app for iOS and Android

Pros and Cons

Pros

• True dedicated receptionist teams who become familiar with your business
• Exceptional personalization and brand representation
• Intensive receptionist training program (8 weeks vs. industry average of 2-3)
• Extended hours covering most business days comprehensively
• Superior call handling for complex businesses like flooring
• Ability to customize call handling for different departments or product lines

Cons

• Premium pricing compared to many competitors
• Limited truly 24/7 coverage (additional fees for after-hours)
• Higher minimum commitment than some alternatives
• Fewer technology integrations than larger providers
• Mobile app occasionally experiences technical issues
• Limited international language support beyond Spanish

Summing Up

Integrating an answering service for flooring with Google Workspace tools means you're not just adding a service—you're creating a communication ecosystem that transforms how your business operates. The connection between professional call handling and Google's productivity suite delivers enhanced efficiency while maintaining a consistent, professional image for your business.

Most exciting is the potential for AI and automation capabilities that can continuously improve your service through machine learning, creating a forward-looking communication strategy that positions your business for ongoing optimization and success.

FAQs

What is the average cost of an answering service?

The average cost ranges from $50 to $500 per month, depending on call volume and features.

What is the best answering service for contractors?

Ruby, Nexa, PATLive, and Smith.ai are the top answering services for contractors.

Do answering services still exist?

Yes, answering services still exist and are widely used for business call management.

What is the best AI answering service?

Smith.ai, AnswerConnect, and Moneypenny offer top AI-powered answering services.