Provide Better Customer Service With a Virtual Receptionist

As a small business grows, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep up with the fast pace of daily operations. Many business owners struggle to manage the demands of projects, personnel, customers, financials and more. But hiring an onsite assistant is costly and often adds more complication to an already hectic day. So how can you work more efficiently while still providing your customers with the personal service they have come to expect?

Many small business owners and entrepreneurs have found that virtual receptionist services provide the right balance of cost, customer service, and efficient handling of basic service needs. Shifting the burden of reception services from the manager to a virtual receptionist enables them to focus on running their business, overseeing employees and servicing customers. Additionally, it ensures that all inbound calls are answered quickly and efficiently by a live person.

Today’s virtual reception services are smarter than the traditional call center or answering service which offer only basic message taking functions and have no true knowledge of individual business needs. By contrast, a virtual receptionist communicates with customers using specific company language and offers additional services such as call transfers (with the ability to change your forwarding number as you move from your office to your cell), order entry (to take care of customers that want to reorder supplies or services), and appointment scheduling (typically using a real-time, online scheduling software to keep you and the service aware of current entries).

To personalize the service to an individual business, many virtual receptionists work from a script developed alongside a company representative. This ensures that your receptionist service has the information you want presented to your clients and potential customers; whether you want to provide directions, answers to frequently asked questions, or simply have your customers greeted by a friendly voice.

Perhaps the biggest benefit to a small business owner is the affordability of available services. With packages starting at just a few dollars per day it’s hard to argue their exceptional value. Look for providers that don’t require a contract and offer advanced features such as call reporting/analytics (to track call volumes) and message delivery via email.