How do I find a call centre or answering service for sale in Canada?

Owners of call centres and answering services often prefer a quiet sale. Clients and staff may worry if they hear the business is on the market, so many sales run through private contacts. That makes the search a mix of public listings and personal outreach. Set your criteria first, such as size, the kind of calls handled and whether you want a business that runs on contracts or on small accounts.

Where these businesses are sold

Check business-for-sale listing sites under call centre, answering service, outsourcing and service headings. Brokers who handle service businesses may hold listings they do not advertise. Contacts in the telecom and outsourcing trade sometimes know an owner who is thinking about leaving. Keep a log of every conversation so you can follow up.

Reading a listing

Listings tend to describe contracts, seats and systems in a few lines. Read for how the work is won, how much depends on a few clients and which software and phone systems the business uses. Ask whether the systems are owned or licensed, and in whose name. A short description is a prompt for questions, not an answer.

First questions before an NDA

Before you sign, ask what you will receive afterwards, such as client contracts, staff details, system records and financial statements. After you sign, treat everything as confidential and use it only to assess the business. The checks that follow are in what to check before buying a call centre.

Brokers and direct approaches

If a broker is involved, ask whom the broker acts for and verify the summary yourself. If you approach an owner directly, a short, polite note offering a confidential conversation is usually enough. For a smaller cousin of this business, see what to check before buying a telephone answering service.