A virtual receptionist is an answering service that can handle your inbound calls for you. The setup is extremely conducive for small businesses or professionals that may not need or want to hire full-time or even part-time staff. The service is there when you need it, and not when you don’t.
Most virtual administrators can handle all of the duties of an in-person receptionist without ever setting foot inside your office or place of business. They often use unique, tailored software for your particular business so they can tap into your phone line and, if necessary, use your computer applications. They can take messages, schedule appointments, and perform a wide variety of other tasks.
Benefits of Using a Virtual Receptionist
The most appealing aspect of using a remote receptionist service is the flexibility. You can use the service to cover specific break times or lunch hours, holidays, or during a job search. Other significant benefits include:
Cost Savings:
For small offices, you can use this service as your only receptionist to cut down significantly on costs and avoid the hassle of employing someone to take calls. It may not make sense for some businesses to employ a receptionist when the business may only receive a few calls per day, which is becoming more and more common in today’s age of e-mail, texts, and social media.
Attracting and Retaining Customers:
A staggering number of potential clients or customers will simply hang up if they hear a voicemail instead of a person when they call your business. Having someone to answer the phone is invaluable for customer attraction and retention. Don’t miss opportunities just because you were not there to answer the call!
Having a live person answer your phones also makes your business seem more “legitimate” to outsiders. Some customers will assume that if you do not have staff, you are too small to fulfill their needs—which is often not the case. Having a virtual receptionist can give very small businesses the illusion of a big-business feel, without the added cost.
Addressing Unique Call Demand Situations:
A remote receptionist can also handle customers when call volumes are high as well. This can reduce clients’ wait times, without sending customers to an overflow voicemail. This often results in happier customers overall.
You can also take calls at all hours by using a remote answering service. This gives you much-needed down time. It can also be more cost effective than employing someone to sit around in case the phone rings.
These services can also work great as a backup plan if disaster strikes. If your physical building and equipment are hit by a tornado or flood, you still have a way to communicate with your customers and keep the business moving.
A virtual receptionist can be a great resource that is specifically tailored to your needs. Contact us today for more information about how you can set up remote receptionist services.
