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Sales and Billing FAQs

1. What plans does Appletree Answering Service have available?
2. What are your rates?
3. How much do your services cost for a small to medium-sized business?
4. How can I change my service plan?
5. Can I change my plan anytime?
6. What am I billed for?
7. Am I billed per message?
8. What's the usage charge and what is included in that charge?
9. Can I pay my bill online?
10. Do I have to sign a contract for your telephone answering services?
11. What is my account number?

What plans does Appletree Answering Service have available?

Appletree has an array of plans that are based on your individual usage and scope of work that we provide you.  We custom tailor rate plans for each customer based on their specific needs, features and whether you need Call Center Services or traditional Answering Services, etc.  Plans are typically designed with a fixed number of included minutes covered by a base rate with an overage rate should you exceed your included minutes.  Our billing plans are on a month-to-month basis providing a flexible solution to varying call volume.  Contact Appletree Answering Service to learn more about the plan that is best for you.   

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What are your rates?

Rates vary by type of answering services or call center services that are selected, desired number of included minutes and a variety of other variables.  Our lowest rate plan includes 60 minutes of operator usage for as low as $2.42 per day.  That is a small price to pay for 24/7 coverage. 

Appletree has a flexible host of plans that are based on your individual usage and scope of work that you plan for us to provide.  Contact Appletree Answering Serivce to learn more about the plan that is best for you.

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How much do your services cost for a small to medium-sized business?

It depends on how much call volume your business generates.  Our charges are mostly usage based, so the higher the usage the higher the cost.  The average Appletree customer spends under $10 per day. 

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How can I change my service plan?

Our Customer Service team is available to assist with plan changes any time.  Simply call us and we can review your usage history and make recommendations for the upcoming month.

Coming Soon: You will be able to view your invoices and call volume online.   

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Can I change my plan anytime?

Most customers are on a month-to-month basis with us.  Therefore, we can adjust your plan for the upcoming month at any time.  Just let us know.

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What am I billed for?

Nobody likes surprises on their invoice.  Therefore, you will not find any hidden line items on your invoice.  Our billing structure is simple and straightforward.

Your main item is call center agent work time.  Agent time is calculated as all time spent working on the account.  This includes all talk time and wrap up time (occurs when we are finalizing a message once the call is disconnected) and dispatch time when our agents are trying to dispatch your calls.  Dispatch time does not include durations between calls, such as if we wait 10 minutes in between steps. 

All call center agent time is billed in per second increments.

Appletree answering services and any of our call center solutions also offer additional optional features such as call patching, voice mail, web enabled appointment calendar, and fax to email services.

There will also be a one-time programming and training fee assigned per account.  The standard fee is $50 but can vary based on the scope of the work.  A quote will be provided once we have reviewed your instructions with you. 

Coming soon: You will be able to view your invoices and call volume online. 

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Am I billed per message?

Our rate structure is based on call center agent work time.  Therefore, if a call only lasts 6 seconds, it is billed at 6 seconds.  There is no base charge per call. 

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What's the usage charge and what is included in that charge?

Each Appletree billing plan includes a base amount of included agent minutes and then usage if you exceed the base plan.

Your main item is call center agent work time.  Agent time is calculated as all time spent working on the account.  This includes all talk time and wrap up time (occurs when we are finalizing a message once the call is disconnected) and dispatch time when our agents are trying to dispatch your calls.  Dispatch time does not include durations between calls, such as if we wait 10 minutes in between steps.

Coming soon: You will be able to view your invoices and call volume online.

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Can I pay my bill online?

Yes, you can pay your bill online by visiting our Bill Pay Online Service.
Its safe, fast and secure.

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Do I have to sign a contract for your telephone answering services?

Traditional Telephone Answering Service customers do have to sign an agreement with Appletree that discusses the terms of service, fees, etc., but it is an at will agreement with no term commitment.  Some enhanced call center services carry a term provision in the agreement as well.

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What is my account number?

Your account number is the number we use to identify all interactions between your company and Appletree Answering Services.  It will be provided to you in your welcome packet.  It can also be found in the upper right portion of your monthly invoice.

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Customer Service Sales and Billing Technical

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