By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
A couple of years ago I started offering freelance commercial writing services. Not surprisingly, much of the work I do is in the answering service industry: commercial marketing, blog posts, website content, and marketing materials.
As I research and write for my clients in the TAS industry, one theme reoccurs. I am struck with the realization that there is a great opportunity ahead of us. Though these opportunities aren’t readily apparent, they do exist. It takes visionary leaders willing to try new things. Some initiatives fail and some succeed. We learn from failure and build upon success.
These opportunities often mix great staff with exciting technology to spark creative service offerings. And of course, promotion and marketing are now more critical than ever.
Ours is a resilient industry. Yes, it is changing. Consolidation continues. Our vendors innovate like never before, producing technology that provides us the means to offer exciting new services. Clients expect more and that helps us get better.
The bad players are being bought out or go out of business. The good players compete and grow and make money.
While there may be less answering services to do the work, I believe there is more business awaiting us than ever before.
I am so excited about the future of the TAS industry, and I hope you are, too.
Learn more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s book, How to Start a Telephone Answering Service.
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of TAS Trader, covering the telephone answering service industry. Check out his books How to Start a Telephone Answering Service and Sticky Customer Service.
