Dear Friends,
What a winter! Its hard to remember when we have had so much violent change, so many extremes, as we have had this year. No matter where you live in the country, you have experienced headline producing storms, ugly floods, huge snow drifts, closed roads, multiple car pileups, and blustery winds. Today the sun is shining and everyone is experiencing a feeling of relief. Perhaps more is coming, but this respite is very welcome.
Last week a long-term customer called around mid-day and asked us to take their phones for the afternoon. Of course, we were happy to do so – that’s why you have us. But this client went on, “Our phones haven’t stopped ringing all morning! I can’t take another minute of it.” He went on, “I can’t thank you guys enough for giving us the peace of mind to actually get some work done when our receptionist is out!” Again, THAT is why you have us.” We’ve got your back! Thank you for trusting us to help build your business
With Appreciation,
Herb Chinoski
Chat Bot? AI Agent? Other?
Bot – is a Robot
Chatbot – is a Talking Robot
AI Agent – is an Educated Chatbot
→ All three are beginning to have
a role in telephone answering service
Bots are not conversational; they follow precise rules. The Bot at your bank may say, “You can talk to me, say something like, “What is my balance?” If you say the right words you’ll get your answer.
Bots can also provide automation for a task, like sending you to another Bot that is programmed to accept your payment.
A Chatbot “converses” with you in a very limited fashion. You can ask it a question – it hears specific words and responds with a scripted answer. If you don’t use the right words, it can’t help you. For instance, it may be programmed to give out your bank balance, but if you don’t ask correctly, it simply repeats its programmed directions. (And this explains why, even though you scream “Talk to a person”, it can’t respond and just repeatedly explains your options.) Chatbots respond – they do not resolve.
Chatbots simulate human conversation and can be beneficial when information must be gathered or given out. Often used on websites, they are designed to encourage feedback from callers, as well as collect, retrieve and disseminate information.
(Coming in the May issue – AI Agents and AI Assistants)
Good Things Have Unintended Consequences
In August 2025, a bipartisan bill designed to curb the offshoring of U.S. customer service jobs, the Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025, was introduced in both chambers of Congress with bipartisan support. The legislation, designated as H.R. 4954 in the House and S. 2495 in the Senate, is receiving strong support and increased momentum in the current Congress. In addition, there has been increased federal attention to offshore call centers, the growing use of artificial intelligence in customer service, and the need for greater consumer transparency.
With this in mind, several members of our industry took part in a Hill Walk last month to meet with key legislators to ensure they understood that our members operate small to mid-sized businesses – often family-run – with fewer than 50 employees. While much of the bill is protective of our small industry (Answering Services as opposed to behemoth Call Centers) we worked to ensure carveouts for those of us with smaller budgets and more select services.
Our conversations focus on proposed legislation and regulatory initiatives that have the potential to affect our small businesses if not clearly and carefully defined. We provide critical support to emergency responders, healthcare and essential service providers, entrepreneurs, and other small service and business support teams.
These distinctions are significant and must be clearly reflected in any final legislation. Vague definitions and overly broad language create the risk of unnecessary federal reporting and oversight, which would be devastating to our small business owners, and our customers.
It pays to stay informed about small business legislation. While this issue may influence how we provide service to you, other changes may affect your business more directly. Staying informed is one of the best ways to stay ahead—and we’ll continue to do that alongside you.
