I’m not currently using or ever used an answering service.To me the biggest challenge would be, how many pages of info would I have to give them or would I want to have their phone # to call them back to answer their questions. How comfortable would I be letting someone set my schedule? Concerns… travel time, time on each job, etc. Now, if the corporate office had a call center, with properly trained people answering questions and viewed computer generated travel time etc. I would be more inclined. Cost? Can’t help you there.
Customers setting their own appointments on line? I feel I would have medical problems. Concerns, same as above. Also, I couldn’t have an open day and say, “I think I could fit you in around 2pm. Does that work for you?” In this scenario, I could work on a couple of things in my wife’s “Honey Do Novel”, do my monthly report, and have lunch at school with my kids or Grand kids and still meet my weekly totals!
I don’t mean to be critical. I just feel these are legitimate responses to your questions. I wish I had better answers.