May 2004 - Armchair Answercall

“I realised I had to take control of my own destiny” were the words Gina Gower-Jones, of Armchair Answercall, opened with to explain how she had become involved in the business.

More than 30 members of Andover Women in Business Club, then heard how the call-taking service offers businesses the opportunity to be more efficient and effective when dealing with a client’s telephone contact.

Gina explained to her audience how she had started her working life expecting to follow the pattern of many young women. Her thoughts had been of work, then marriage, then children and, by her own admission, Gina expected her life to follow a similar pattern, particularly after meeting and marrying the man of her dreams.

However, circumstances changed and Gina became the main breadwinner. She soon realised she would have to develop a career in order to make enough money to live on. To the astonishment and concern of her family and friends, Gina decided to throw in her office job and moved into direct sales, working initially in private health cover.

The work suited her and she enjoyed it. Then, a chance meeting with a stranger, who talked of starting his own business, changed Gina’s life. The man, who she came to know as Neil Murphy, is now Chairman of Armchair Answercall Limited.

Armchair Answercall began in Andover in 2000 and has shown a 400% growth since, having a current turnover of £1.3 million, “but it’s still growing”, smiles Gina enthusiastically. A bubbly, enthusiastic and positive thinking woman, Gina is also an articulate business woman, who demands high standards from her staff.

“We only employ the best”, explains Gina. “Our new staff undergo at least three interviews before we take them on, to ensure that their standards of literacy, numeracy and above all, customer care, are of the highest.” With staff retention of 95%, owing to excellent management/staff relations, Gina believes that the Company offers its staff the right mix of involvement and job satisfaction.

With a current overall staff of 44, taking around 3000 calls a day, life can get very hectic, explains Gina. “When a customer launches a new offer, we can be inundated for days!” The service offered by Armchair Answercall, based at the Walworth Enterprise Centre, offers clients the facility to have their calls answered quickly and professionally, with messages being taken or orders dealt with. Lost calls become a thing of the past and there is always a human voice at the end of the telephone.