Customer support is a critical component for the overall success of your business, and this holds true across domains. Whether yours is a small tech startup or a scaling business, you need to ensure your customers are served on time and accurately. If hiring an in-house team and managing their work seems impossible with the current resources and organizational structure, you are likely to benefit from virtual receptionists. In this post, let’s talk more about the role of a live virtual receptionist and what you can expect.
Role of Virtual Receptionists
A virtual receptionist does the same tasks as an in-house front desk assistant or receptionist. They are responsible for answering calls, responding to queries, and setting appointments. The only difference lies in location. Virtual receptionists work mostly remotely and often in different facilities. It is also pertinent to point out that these virtual receptionists are not chatbots. An AI answering service usually responds to calls based on the knowledge base, while a live receptionist is a real person doing things remotely.
The power of outsourcing
Customers are impatient and don’t want to wait. Each time a call goes into the waiting mode or reaches the voicemail – the caller gets frustrated. People have a limited attention span, and when a business is late or fails to give a response, they immediately look for alternatives. With virtual receptionists, you can avoid such concerns. Your business can remain available and accessible 24/7 without the concern of increasing the in-house team. If the existing staff is busy, calls are automatically directed to the remote team. A virtual receptionist also makes sure your company is around to take calls beyond the usual business hours.
Reasons to Consider Virtual Receptionists
- Firstly, small businesses have small teams and internal resources are often required for critical tasks. With virtual receptionists, it is possible to shift the burden of attending calls to a team of remote professionals who are experts in the field.
- Service providers who offer such solutions hire experienced and known virtual receptionists who are not just available but also active with responses. This often translates into better customer service. Happy customers wouldn’t hesitate to recommend your brand.
- After-hour assistance: Even if you have a customer care team, they are more likely to work for a fixed number of hours. For an international clientele, it is essential to be available at all times. Instead of hiring more people, you can outsource the work to virtual receptionists who do the same thing and handle similar tasks.
How do you choose virtual receptionists?
If you spend the same time hiring virtual receptionists as regular staff, it totally defeats the purpose of outsourcing. Instead, consider using a service provider. Many companies have their call centers and facilities in North America, and the staff includes professional customer support experts. You should check how you are billed and the kind of work the extended team can do.
At the end of the day, you should be able to control the brand’s voice and narrative, and virtual receptionists should work accordingly. We recommend looking at the demo or trying a service for a few days to know whether there is a natural fit. Unless your virtual receptionists can communicate with your customers on the expected lines, the alignment will eventually go wrong. Think of this as an investment for years to come, eventually leading to more happy customers and potential leads.
Final takeaway
As an entrepreneur, you should focus on doing more business and immediate priorities. Consider looking at professional virtual receptionist services that have worked with similar companies and have some experience in your domain and niche.
