How A Virtual Receptionist Can Help Your Business

Not every business can afford to hire a full time receptionist regardless of how badly they need one. A virtual receptionist can help to fill this gap particularly for smaller businesses and start ups.

We recently asked our clients as part of a Customer Feedback Survey to answer the following question: “What do you see as the key benefit to your company in using a Virtual Receptionist Service?” The following were the 5 key benefits which our customers identified of using a Virtual Receptionist Service.

#1. Always Open

Businesses small and large can struggle to ensure that all calls to the business are answered promptly. A business which is open from 9-5.30pm Monday to Friday can struggle to have someone answer the phones during the receptionists breaks. In addition, when the receptionist goes on holidays a problem arises as to whom is diverted from their work to answer the phones. Some companies employ temporary staff to fill the gap but this in itself can cause problems as the temporary staff are not familiar with the companies products, services and staff. A Virtual Receptionist Service successfully addresses these problems.

The company which uses a Virtual Reception service on an ongoing basis is always open for business. The landline can simply be diverted to the Virtual Receptionists during the breaks and during times of leave whether planned or unplanned.

#2. Excellent Customer Service

Using a Virtual Receptionist service on a regular basis ensures continuity of customer service in the event that your onsite receptionist phones in sick or needs to take time off. Virtual Receptionists should be trained and briefed in the same way as your staff and in doing this your callers will enjoy the benefit of a seamless customer service experience no matter who is handling your calls. After sales customer service is an area which can give added value to your product or service and it may well be a selling point which competitors may struggle to match.

#3. Time Management

Our clients mentioned to us that they greatly benefited from having their time freed up due to using our virtual receptionist service. They mentioned that this helps them to focus on growing the business. Because they continue to receive messages throughout the day, they can stay in touch with what is happening and decide which issues are urgent and which can wait. This adds value to their business as they are spending most of their time on the matters which need their attention most and they can delegate other messages to the most appropriate people within the organisation.

#4. Professional Image

Our clients have remarked to us that their clients have been impressed by the speed and professionalism with which their calls were answered. The Virtual Receptionist answers calls in your company name and can either take a message or can transfer the call to the relevant person within your company. We have recently been accredited with the ISO 9001 accreditation and we are proud to have achieved this standard and the benefits this can bring to our customers.

#5. Cost Effective

The cost of using a Virtual Receptionist service is a fraction of the cost of hiring a Receptionist in your company. During busy times the Virtual Receptionist facility can handle a number of calls to your company simultaneously giving each caller the attention they need and avoiding the chance of a missed call or callers being put on hold. The cost of sick pay, holiday pay and other payroll overheads are eliminated making it a very cost effective solution for companies both large and small.   The cost of providing office space can also be avoided by diverting calls to the Virtual Receptionist service.