February's Featured Manager: Pat Scott

Scott's Advice: Believe in Yourself, Learn from Others

Name and title: Patricia Scott, president of A Better Answer, Inc. (ABA) an answering service in Bel Air. The company has received the Association of Tele-Services International (ATSI) Award of Excellence for four consecutive years.

Personal background: Scott grew up in Baltimore City attended the University of Baltimore on a scholarship and did graduate studies in public relations at American University. She was married to Charles Scott, who died in 2005, for 48 years. Her son Richard joined ABA after retiring from the Baltmore County Police Department. Her other son Brian began working for the business while a student at the John Carroll High School and has been there 22 years.

Professional background: While in college Scott worked for Helen Delich, later U.S. Representative Helen D. Bentley, who was maritime editor at the Baltimore Sunpapers.
Scott also worked on a local TV show Bentley produced, The Port That Built A City.
Scott worked at Bata Shoe, at Westinghouse and, after moving to Harford County in 1968, had a public relations firm representing credit unions, banks and land development. ABA began in 1979 with 13 clients. Its first billing was $470. Scott is a past president of the Atlantic States Telephone Answering Association and past ATSI board member.

Keys to success: The recipient of the 2007 Harford County Athena Award attributed success in part to information provided through contacts in the ATSI, but gave the primary credit to her staff. One will celebrate her 25th anniversary with the answering service in 2010. Another marked 21 years with the company last year.

Goals: Scott said, “We strive for excellence daily, respond to the challenges of each client and their callers and maintain a respected place in the community 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If we can continue to do that I am happy.”

Advice: “Believe in yourself, learn from others, hold your head up high and follow your dreams,” said Scott.

What could be done to make business more successful: “Some would say successful means lots of money,” observed Scott, adding, “Others, including myself, would say success is going to bed each night knowing that you have been fair and done the best that you can do for those around you.”