Reuben Singh: The Man With All The Answers

The telephone answering service alldayPA handles more than 24,000 customer calls every day for businesses across the UK. CEO Reuben Singh built the company from nothing to a workforce of 275 staff and a £5 million headquarters in Salford, Greater Manchester. The service manages everything from customer service inquiries to appointment booking and emergency call-outs for facilities management companies. Singh says a client speaking with an agent who works for alldayPA would never know the difference, as the agent is effectively working inside the client’s own business.

Singh launched alldayPA in 1999 after running a successful women’s fashion brand called Miss Attitude. He noticed that small business owners often struggled to manage their communications while trying to grow. The initial client base consisted of one-man bands looking to appear larger and more established. As those clients grew, they began hiring alldayPA for their own operations, which created a market among small and medium-sized enterprises. Singh has handled over 160 million calls since the company started.

The business model relies on charging only for the minutes spent on the phone, rather than a flat monthly fee. This pay-as-you-go approach appeals to companies that want to avoid the cost of a full-time receptionist. Singh argues that while local competitors can offer a basic message-taking service, national providers face high barriers to entry. Building a £15 million technology base and maintaining a highly trained staff requires substantial capital investment.

Modern call centers have shifted from relying on outbound sales calls to handling more complex inbound queries. To meet this demand, alldayPA has invested heavily in staff training. The company runs an intensive six-week academy for all new hires, focusing on soft skills and customer service rather than previous call center experience. Regular reviews and ongoing training help maintain high standards and contribute to the company’s high staff retention rates.

Managing growth and debt

Singh says mistakes are an inevitable part of building a business, but some errors carry more risk than others. Early in the company’s history, he trusted investors who knew how to raise money but lacked a deep understanding of the industry. This led to commitments that the business could not fulfill, forcing a restructuring. Singh learned to scrutinize the fine print of any investment offer and to resist accepting funds that do not align with the company’s long-term goals.

Managing a rapidly expanding company requires difficult decisions about delegation. Singh started alldayPA from the ground up and understands every aspect of the operation. He admits that convincing others to believe in his vision is one of the hardest challenges for a founder. However, retaining staff who have been with the company for more than 15 years has provided a sense of continuity and stability that many other businesses struggle to achieve.

For startup founders, Singh suggests that failing sooner rather than later can be beneficial. He argues that recovering from a mistake removes the fear of failure and allows for a stronger comeback. When errors do occur, admitting responsibility and apologizing can help repair relationships with suppliers, clients, and staff. Singh notes that holding grudges ultimately costs a business money and hinders progress.