Per-minute billing for calls: what the bill includes and how to check it
Sado AI team · · 4 min read
In short
With per-minute billing you pay only for the time the operator actually talks to a customer. With Sado that is 800 so‘m a minute, whatever the call length, with no monthly fee, no setup fee and no monthly minimum. A number that doesn’t answer and a month without calls cost nothing, and the price doesn’t change at night or on holidays. You check the bill in the portal, where every call shows its length and cost. When comparing other providers, ask about rounding, minimums and surcharges.
What per-minute billing means
With an ordinary call center you pay for people’s time, whether calls come or not. With per-minute billing you pay only for conversations. A busy month means a bigger bill, a quiet month a smaller one, and a month with no calls costs zero.
Sado has one price: 800 so‘m per talked minute. A quick answer and a long consultation cost the same per minute. There are no separate rates for incoming and outgoing calls.
This model suits seasonal businesses especially well. For example, a training centre is busy in August and September and quiet in July. Staff get the same salary every month, while with per-minute billing the July bill shrinks on its own.
What is in the bill and what isn’t
| Item | With Sado |
|---|---|
| A talked minute | 800 so‘m |
| Monthly fee | none |
| Connection and setup | free, done by Sado’s team |
| A number that doesn’t answer | not charged |
| A month without calls | 0 so‘m |
| Nights, weekends and holidays | the same 800 so‘m |
| Recording, transcript and outcome in the portal, Bitrix24 connection | included |
For example: in a month, incoming calls took 2,400 minutes and reminder calls 900 minutes. The bill: 3,300 × 800 = 2,640,000 so‘m. These numbers are only an example.
How to check the bill
- Open the Calls section in the portal: every call shows its date, length, cost and outcome.
- Pick the period you need and look at the total minutes.
- Download the list to Excel and compare it with your telephony report.
- Find the longest calls and listen to a few recordings: you’ll hear why they ran long.
- Look at outgoing campaigns separately: how many minutes and what result each one brought.
You can also ask the portal’s assistant, Yordamchi, for example which days last week had the most calls.
Three pricing models
- Per minute: only for talk time. It suits businesses whose call volume changes month to month, because a quiet month doesn’t cost extra.
- Per call: every call at one price. Easy to count if calls are short and alike; with many long calls, the provider sets the price higher.
- Monthly package: a fixed sum and a bundle of minutes. Unused minutes often expire at the end of the month, and minutes over the bundle cost more.
- Your own staff: salaries and desks, whatever the number of calls. A detailed comparison: AI operator vs call center.
What to ask any provider
- How are minutes rounded: by the second, or does a started minute count as a whole one?
- Is there a minimum charge per call, or a monthly minimum?
- Are ringing, waiting and unanswered calls charged?
- Is there a surcharge for nights, holidays or outgoing calls?
- Do connection, setup or script changes cost extra?
- Where can I see the bill call by call?
Prices and examples: Sado pricing. The calculator works it out with your numbers. To hear the operator, try it live or call 78 778 01 23.
Questions
Is a long call charged at a higher rate per minute?
No. With Sado the price per minute is the same for a call of any length: 800 so‘m. A long call costs more only because it has more minutes.
Do incoming and outgoing calls cost different amounts?
No, both cost 800 so‘m a minute. Answering a customer’s question and an appointment reminder are charged the same.
How do I avoid a surprisingly large bill?
Give outgoing calls a daily limit and calling hours, and check the minutes in the portal once a week. The stop button halts a campaign at any moment.