Similar to many things that have become commonplace in recent years, the technological revolution offers a cutting-edge solution to handle call traffic. This type of service is known as a virtual receptionist, and it works by directing your calls over the internet. Below are some more details on how a virtual receptionist service can benefit your business:
1. No employees needed
Hiring employees to sit in an office and answer calls becomes a thing of the past with a virtual receptionist service. This service fills that gap by routing incoming calls to either a person working remotely an automated voice or to the correct person within your business, depending on the service. By adding a virtual receptionist to your customer service arsenal, you also eliminate the cost of hiring and training your own call center staff. Consider the full cost of initiating and then scaling up your own staff as call volume increases for your business, it is generally less expensive to use a virtual receptionist service.
2. Available 24/7
Another benefit of having a virtual receptionist is that your business can take calls at any time. Customers who call after hours will still receive quality service without having to change their schedules, which will likely boost their morale and their regard for your company. Additionally, customers no longer have to wait in long lines to receive assistance with simple issues.
3. How to Analyze Data
Virtual receptionist services automatically record significant data about the calls they handle for record-keeping purposes. You can easily repurpose these records for data analytics. Online reports are generally available. Here are some examples of the data a virtual receptionist generally records:
- Length of call
- Frequency of calls
- Topic of call
- Messages or voicemails received
Businesses can use this information to assess their call flow needs and their customers’ needs. Using that data, you can devise solutions to those problems without ever collecting them. With a virtual receptionist, the process of collecting this data is usually automated or logged by a real person!
4. Enhance your reputation with customers
The fourth benefit of using a virtual receptionist is that you avoid most of the risk associated with hiring your own receptionist. Often it is the small details that make a lasting impression on customers, and they feel that customer support is an extension of the business. Traditional receptionists have a bad day and can mistreat a customer, which tarnishes your image in the eyes of that customer. Impressions are often made by the smallest details. You can make your business seem responsible and like it cares for its clients by being available 24/7, being friendly, and using a customer-oriented attitude, as well as minimizing the time callers spend in call queues. In turn, this makes them feel good about doing business with you, making them more likely to come back or refer you to friends, family, or colleagues. Therefore, a virtual receptionist may actually generate more business for you.
Briefly, a virtual receptionist is software that provides a new way to manage call traffic. Often, they have a hint of duality, since virtual receptionists have the potential to generate business as well as to grow in call handling capacity with the business. They also help build a business’s reputation and make it available to customers on a consistent basis. In comparison to the traditional method of hiring their own call center team, virtual receptionists are cost-effective, convenient, and efficient. To hire a virtual receptionist, one must usually contact them either online or over the phone. As soon as your virtual receptionist is up and running, you can concentrate on the things that matter, knowing that every call made to your business is being handled and attended to the same way you would!
