How A Virtual Receptionist Can Change Your Business
Customer service can be a great differentiator for many businesses, especially those in saturated industries. If you can respond to queries quickly and professionally, a customer is more likely to stick with you than go to a competitor, even if you charge a higher price.
When your phones are ringing off the hook, you need someone to pick them up quickly to avoid lost customers. You also need someone who is well experienced in the role.
For big companies, this is easy as they have the budget to throw into hiring permanent employees, but for small to medium sized businesses, hiring permanent staff may not be possible.
Fortunately, all is not lost. If you’re a small company and still want to differentiate yourself with effective customer service, consider a virtual receptionist.
Why a Virtual Receptionist?
It cannot be denied that although technology is moving at a rapid pace, people still prefer the human effect. They don’t want to feel like they’re speaking to a robot or a machine, and they prefer to interact with someone who has a brain to answer their questions. Hence why businesses are looking to create smart chatbots that can speak to customers as if it were another person speaking to them.
A Virtual Receptionist can help you to keep the human touch at a cheaper cost. They are independent contractors who generally combine many years of experience with an entrepreneurial flair.
As the name suggests, Virtual Receptionists typically work from their homes or on the road. They are not fixed to one location. They also bear all the costs of setting up their workspace, so if you hire one, they will probably have all the tools necessary to complete their work.
Their training ensures that they are polite, professional and kind over the phone. They are also trained to adopt a brand’s voice and style to keep things uniform.
A Virtual Receptionist will only charge you for time worked, another benefit of hiring this type of employee. If they are not working, you don’t pay them. If your office is experiencing a slow month you can put your receptionist on hold and then restart once you’re busy again.
Lastly, in an office environment, when an employee is absent the work doesn’t get done. Virtual Assistants usually form part of a larger network and have teams that are ready to fill in for someone who is not able to work.
Ready to hire your first Virtual Receptionist? Contact us!