Are you a new business owner who’s still trying to get your business up and running? You have lots of ideas to implement but the phone keeps ringing making it difficult for you to get so much done. That can be a frustrating experience for anyone. There’s so much to do and having to deal with calls shouldn’t have to be added to the list.  That’s why we’re going to be discussing who virtual receptionists are and why you need to hire one.

Who is a Virtual Receptionist?

Virtual receptionists provide a cost-effective and efficient alternative to hiring an in-house receptionist. More precisely, virtual receptionists professionally answer all the calls you can’t, routing them to other staff members when appropriate, directing visitors to the right person or department within your organization, and so on. All of this happens from a remote location. Virtual receptionists are also responsible for managing schedules, taking messages, and distributing mail. 

They may even have administrative tasks such as filing emails and arranging meetings outside of normal business hours. One of the best things about virtual receptionists is that they can be hired on-demand without having to worry about any payroll taxes or benefits packages that would come with full-time employees. This makes it possible to hire a virtual receptionist on a temporary basis, such as after having large volumes of traffic for a special event. 

A virtual receptionist can also be hired for just one day to help deal with an overwhelming call volume that requires more than one person to properly handle. Costs are controlled by the number of hours worked and are fixed regardless of how many calls are received or handled.

Are They The Same as an Answering Service?

A virtual receptionist is not necessarily the same thing as an answering service. Answering services handle incoming calls, too, but they also provide other services such as sending faxes and emails, taking down messages for the purposes of delivering them later on, transferring calls to different numbers of individuals within your organization, and much more.

There are tons of benefits to hiring a virtual receptionist, and you’ll find that it’s surprisingly affordable. You would also discover that your calls get answered faster than you thought they would which means your business can move ahead faster than planned. Business owners from all around the City of Lakes like to hire a Minneapolis answering service that provides fast response, professional advice, and a deep understanding of the area. This helps them get a huge load of weight off their shoulders and grow their businesses faster.

Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Receptionist

Improved Customer Service

There is no doubt that providing great customer service is the best way to make sure your business is successful. You can make sure that this happens all the time by hiring virtual receptionists to handle your incoming calls. If you receive lots of calls, it’s impossible to answer them all simultaneously. 

A virtual receptionist lets you keep track of who has called and what they need so that you can address their concerns in a timely manner instead of having to wait for a callback. Just think about the sales you might have lost by not being able to handle a phone call quickly enough!

Easy Scheduling

Virtual receptionists can work on their own time, so it’s easy to schedule them around your business hours and special events. This means that if someone needs to speak with you urgently, you can hire a virtual receptionist to answer the phone and direct them to you as soon as possible. It’s also easy to have a receptionist take messages before or after normal business hours without disrupting your workday.

Increased Productivity

Virtual receptionists provide an alternative way of answering calls so that those who are qualified to handle calls professionally can spend more time doing their best work instead. Other employees are freed from answering the phones so that they can do what they need to do without having to worry about any outside interruptions. This improved efficiency is a huge benefit for your business because it lets you move ahead with your plans and strategies. You’ll find yourself getting more done in less time, making your business more competitive in the marketplace.

You’ll Save Money

Hiring virtual receptionists is more affordable than you might think. There are no payroll taxes or benefits packages to worry about, so your costs are fixed regardless of how many calls get handled during a workday. You’ll also learn that virtual receptionists are much easier to train than full-time employees which means you can replace them if they leave for another job. This reduces the need to spend more money on hiring and training someone new, which is a big bonus considering what you would otherwise have to go through.

They Have More Availability

Virtual receptionists are not restricted by your business hours. They can work during the night or in the morning when other people will be less likely to call, which makes it possible for them to answer even if you are closed for business. There are also times when there is a huge spike in incoming calls, so an answering service would have trouble handling the sheer volume of calls they receive. Virtual receptionists can handle these peaks, too, making sure that your business stays on its feet even when times are extra busy.

Virtual Receptionists vs. Answering Services

If you’re considering hiring a virtual receptionist or an answering service, there are several key differences that you should take into consideration before deciding which option is right for you. Virtual receptionists provide a way to have a live person available to answer your calls all day long without having to pay per minute or lose productivity. 

In addition, virtual receptionists offer multiple language options and the ability to transfer calls seamlessly through your organization so that customers can always reach someone in charge even if they don’t know who is in charge on a given day. Answering services provide several features that are not available with virtual receptionists, such as faxing, emailing, message taking, and transferring expertise. These services also come at a steep price when purchased via per minute or hour charges even though you can pay for them in advance.

Running a business doesn’t have to be so difficult in today’s world. Whether it’s a one-man enterprise or a fully staffed organization, virtual receptionists can help you attend to clients while you run your business. Think of them as corporate freelancers.

Share Article

Follow Us

Return to Previous Page