Going it alone is daunting enough. The thought of starting something new without any physical staff present. Who is going to ‘greet’ your customers? Now imagine having someone to represent you without actually being there. Having a virtual presence could be the answer to all of your problems.
A virtual receptionist is a huge benefit to a remote business, from a cost- effective perspective down to their flexibility.
The whole point of going remote, is to be remote. By cutting out the middleman you want to be able to work wherever you want and when you want.
Becoming your own boss is a great opportunity.
At some point in your life you may have felt overworked and undervalued being employed by someone else, but now you have a clean slate to make your own rules.
Technology has a massive input on this as it allows you to work remotely from sitting at a new office space at home or taking your laptop to the local coffee shop. You can work in a space that suits you, which ultimately causes a somewhat stress-free environment.
In addition to this, is to really embrace technology in all its glory. As exciting as starting your own business can be, it can be hard work going it alone. So, why not get yourself a virtual receptionist?
What is a virtual receptionist?
Even though it says virtual, a virtual receptionist is in fact a real person, but who receptions through a computer-based programme. They still do the usual such as taking calls and enquires whilst giving the same professional, empathetic approach as a real-life receptionist.
However, they probably go that extra mile as they could also be remotely working like yourself. Say a customer is calling your business line, instead of going directly to you, it will go to your virtual receptionist. The receptionist will have the details of your company flag up, along with any greeting you wish for them to use. They have the options to forward the call to yourself or any other parties you may include in your details.
This is a huge benefit to your new remote working style, as it’s basically like having an assistant, but without the hassle of actually employing an assistant.
As the first interaction of your company, you can trust that the collective of virtual receptionists available to you come with exceptional customer service qualities, alongside commercial qualities to suit your business. These include:
Communication skills- not only with customers but with yourself
- English speaking- No language barriers
- Knowledgeable- Of your services
- Industry experience- General and specific experience
- Initiative- How to deal with issues/ frustrated customers
- Flexibility- Always on hand
- Professionalism- Customer service skills
- Adaptability- To an arrange of clientele
- Friendly- Warm approach, able to build rapport
You can find out more about our Virtual Receptionist Services by clicking here.
24/7 Services
Alongside having an impressive skill set, one of the main benefits of a virtual receptionist is that they are literally available at all times. Just because your business hours are closed, shouldn’t mean your customers have to miss out. The virtual receptionist community work round the clock to ensure your business is continuously flowing. If one virtual receptionist is already currently taking a call for you, this will just be passed to another colleague, which means your customers will never be sent to voicemail, if you don’t want them to be.
You can tailor your experience to what best suits your remote needs. In this sense, you can choose what hours you wish for your receptionist to be on call and whether you want a voicemail in place, the flexibility really is in your hands.
With the magic of technology, you can also determine the likes of call screening, call transferring and forwarding of emergency calls. The possibilities are endless with benefiting your remote business.
The advantages
As already mentioned, having a virtual receptionist can offer great potential in organising your business. By having a style guide in place, you can set out a criteria for your virtual receptionists to follow, so every time they take a request, it is handled in a similar manner. Customers appreciate consistency, even if this is being greeted in the same way or to have their queries dealt with an equal level of standard each time.
This can also be said in the terms of feedback, as by setting out your receptionist criteria to encourage feedback, this can help any improvements when starting a new remote business.
But one of the biggest advantages, is the cost. With different plans available and an unlimited contact point of staff, you can really modify your receptionist to suit your needs. You may be new in the remote working world and only have limited funds to spend, which makes this an ideal option. You don’t have to worry about paying a full-time member of staff a salary, but instead you can choose as and when you want your receptionist to work.
Having a virtual receptionist really is the way forward in the remote business world.
Related questions
How much does a virtual receptionist cost?
This can really depend on what you wish to use your receptionist for, in terms or availability etc. However, it should be noted that it is considerably less than a real-life receptionist. A typical receptionist can earn on average, £18,000 per year, whereas a virtual receptionist can cost you half of this, but again depending on the conditions you wish them to perform. Something to also take into consideration is that you won’t be paying holiday or sick pay to a virtual receptionist.
Message Direct are able to offer a Free Trial on our virtual receptionist services.
Does a virtual receptionist work from home?
This can really vary depending on the role. Some can work in offices for larger companies, and others can work remotely. If you have a specific receptionist, you may have more contact in person if needs be.
