Centratel HQ building, Bend, Oregon
11/14/2024
We hear you. Always have.
We’re 100% U.S.-owned and operated, with a 40-year one-owner history.
Back in early 2020, after the near destruction of the traditional answering service industry due to government-mandated COVID 6-foot-distancing rules, we’re one of the few home-grown independent answering services remaining in the United States. While we were able to quickly adapt, most of our competing small to medium-sized services could not move fast enough and their stranded customers were quickly bought up by three mega-services (two of them foreign-owned). And now these huge operations, often retaining the original local answering service’s name but processing calls elsewhere, dominate the market.
You may be one of their customers. If so, is the quality of your service not what you expect? Does the cost seem too high? If so, and you are charged by elapsed time rather than by the call-unit, there lies the problem. (See item #6 on this page.) Note that OVER 90% of our newest customers have come to us after bad experiences with their previous service.
Behind the scenes we’ve always been on the technical cutting edge and yet we don’t use gimmicky artificial intelligence nor do we off-shore calls. The agents* who field incoming calls—and our administrators—are mature, highly paid, drug-free,** long-term career professionals, many with tenures of over ten years, some with over twenty, and in a couple of instances, exceeding thirty.
Like you, we believe that human-to-human communication is best…and with this focus we are statistically the highest quality answering service in the industry.***
Technically, we rank in the top one percent: Our telephony and IT systems are fully redundant, with two separate outside hosting sites (one in Oregon and the other in Texas). In these perilous times, no matter the external disruption, your service will continue uninterrupted.
To test our quality and to get an estimate of monthly cost, we’ll give you a unique-within-the-industry, no-obligation 30-day free trial. You can keep your current answering service while you give us a try…In these post-COVID years of across-the-board marginal quality customer service, you will love working with us!
Yes, our prices are competitive. Perhaps a 6 on a 1 to 10 scale. No long-term contract is required. We can have your free trial up and running within 48 hours. (And to start the trial, we don’t ask for a deposit.) Contact us today!
-Sam Carpenter, owner and president
*We’re a meritocracy. Decidedly not “Woke,” in our hiring practices, we are proponents of MEI (“Merit, Excellence and Intelligence”). And yes, with this, we are an equal-opportunity employer in the truest sense of the phrase. Interestingly, a breakdown of our 50-member staff closely matches national census statistics for race, national origin, religion, etc. The exception? As of October 1, 2024, 90% of Centratel’s front-line and executive staff are female. From Sam Carpenter, Centratel’s owner and president: “Centratel’s ‘diversity’ is the natural byproduct of our uncompromising merit-based hiring policies.“
**Here in late 2024, and across a multitude of industries, chronic drug abuse, particularly cannabis, is a major factor in less-than-satisfactory employee performance.
*** Our most recent Customer Reported Error Rate (July through September, 2024) was 1 customer-reported error for every 6,077 message transactions processed. That’s a statistic far superior to any other answering service in the United States.
100% Fail-Safe Service
Rare for an answering service, we have a fully redundant operation. In these days of uncertainty, the reliability and continuity of service is bullet-proof.
No Long-term Contract
This is a philosophical issue. If your telephone answering service is a good value, you will choose to continue each month. Some of our clients have been with us for four decades.
100% U.S. Based Operations
All of Centratel’s Telephone Service Representatives (TSRs) are located in the U.S.
“For 40 years we’ve been delivering superb quality call-capture and message dispatch for select professions and businesses.”
— Sam Carpenter – Founder, President
Business Specialties
Medical
Nights, weekends, after-hours, holidays, or the middle of a busy weekday, Centratel’s professional agents will provide HIPAA-compliant call coverage for emergencies as well as administrative backup.
Home health and Hospice
For decades Centratel has provided highest quality, professional, and compassionate assistance to hospice patients and family members all across the U.S. Our service is 24/7/365 and fully HIPAA-compliant.
Veterinary
Centratel has a long history of servicing the veterinary industry, handling overflow, daytime, after-hours and weekend calls with the utmost compassion, professionalism, and accuracy.
HVAC
Heatwave or snowstorm, our agents will provide your HVAC business with the highest quality phone coverage, 24/7/365. In no time at all and at minimum cost, we’ll become a trusted part of your operation.
Property Management
With 24-hour support, Centratel agents will handle incoming calls with zero-defect, forwarding urgent calls to your on-call people while screening less important inquiries for later follow up by your office.
Trade Service
Centratel provides call-capture and emergency dispatch for trade service companies such as plumbers, electricians, emergency restoration businesses, and many more. Never again will an urgent call be missed!
24/7 Business
Give your callers the same quality of service they receive when speaking directly to your office staff. Centratel will be an extension of your office.
Disaster Restoration
For four decades Centatel has been processing urgent calls for the disaster restoration industry. We understand the critical importance of precisely accurate messages delivered instantly.
Plumbing
24/7 Centratel agents will process your calls with zero-defect, all the while enhancing your company image to customers and potential customers.
Public and Private Utilities
Our Telephone Service Representatives can expertly classify and coordinate each service call.
Testimonials
Dr. R.C., pathologist,
Portland, Or.
“Terrific. Every contact I have had with (Centratel) staff has been absolutely professional – a ‘ten’ in my book. I have used medical answering services for 15 years and this is the best experience I have ever had.”
Veterinarian, Manistee, Mi.
“I’m very impressed with your operation. Our last answering service (which was our second bad service) was such a disaster I thought I’d never again feel comfortable with an answering service. But with Centratel we feel very confident our rotation will be handled properly. Thanks so much.”
J.R., owner, property management company, Pepperpike, OH
“Fantastic! You have taken a huge weight off my shoulders. Thanks everyone!”
S.H., owner, HVAC company,
Gurnee, Il.
“Since switching to your answering service seven months ago, we have not encountered a single problem or complaint from even one customer. All operators are extremely polite and professional. It’s a pleasure working with you. Keep up the good work!”
