The switchboard was one of the first pieces of equipment used by original owner Gayle Roberts and much of our original staff.

We have evolved with technology to include (however are not limited to) live operator answer 24/7, automated customers assistance with operator option, text with reply confirmation and HIPAA compliant secure texting.

Do switchboard operators still exist?
Short answer: yes. The job just looks much different than it used to. Today’s telephone operators are specialty agents, working directly in customer service to manage large volumes of phone calls in facilities that may have their own internal phone systems. Instead of manually placing calls, today’s telephone operator is likely juggling multiple lines, performing triage on incoming calls in a call center or other multi-line phone operation. They’re also employed in emergency dispatch centers and other places where a human voice and expertise is needed to route calls quickly and efficiently to the right place.

Original owners, Donald and Sharon Cortez (along with Gayle Roberts, not pictured) started their first answering service on August 27, 1985 and are now part of the parent company Tel-Com (which they acquired on May, 17, 2000).

Don Cortez is from the Oakland Bay Area.  He earned his master’s degree from San Francisco State University in 1973 and went on to coach college football.  Don brought his family back to the Bay Area in 1985, became a licensed real estate agent and founded AA Professional Communications in Hayward California.  After growing the business with his partner from 4 clients to hundreds, Don began acquire answering services from the Bay Area to Reno, NV.

Don and Sharon continue to find new and innovative ways to serve business owners.