Can anyone recommend a good USA based answering service (that can do more than just take a message)?

As you are looking for a ready-to-use solution to create yur own Fiverr like marketplace. I would suggest you to explore YoGigs ( www.yo-gigs.com ). YoGigs is the most feasible option to develop a marketplace like Fiverr. It is a readymade solution with built-in features and functionalities to emulate Fiverr’s business model and deal with various use cases. For example, just like Fiverr, YoGigs lets freelancers create multiple service packages and sell them on the platform. It also has an internal messaging system to ensure smooth communications. To manage payments, Yo!Gigs has both split payment and eWallet management systems. Furthermore, as the marketplace admin, you can create as many service categories and subcategories as you want. You can book a free one-on-one demo of Yo!Gigs to get more detailed information on how it works.

All 3 options. That way the users can choose which is more convenient to them.

Hi, Allan here. I have been leading our market research team for the last 3 years. I would say that market research is very essential in setting up your business. You need to know the demographics, people flow, availability of physical location, etc. I want to help you further so please let me know if we can talk. Thank you very much!

2 different categories come to mind. H&R Block or other tax preparation services. The second is restaurants. This may seem like a product more than a service but I think it truly falls into the category of service, especially if you look at the national chains. Think Applebee's, TGI Fridays etc. The reason people go to these places is because of the experience they receive. The franchisors have created a system that generates nearly identical results nationwide. The first thing you need to do is figure out what makes your service superior to others out there, then you need to figure out how and why this is the case. From there you need to document it and make sure that you have a mechanism in place to ensure compliance. Granted that is a huge amount of work, but the basic premise is quite simple. You want all of the people you hire to do things more or less the way you would do them.

Quick answer on this one: talk with somebody who has already succeeded in this field (built similar product or company). He/she will be able to quickly get you on track and avoid common pitfalls of your industry. If this person can't help you 100%, he/she will certainly be able to point you other people to talk with among their network.