There is no getting around the fact that, as a business owner, you have a gigantic mountain of work and tasks to do on a daily basis. While this is what receptionists are for, there are some instances where their downfalls outweigh their positives. Let’s talk about several benefits of hiring a virtual receptionist for your business.
1- Saves You Money
Paying in-house receptionists is expensive. This isn’t even taking into account the payment of benefits, overhead expenses and recurring taxes. Even a few years into the business, you’ve undoubtedly learned that these costs add up faster than you can say Jack Robinson.
2- Emergency Back Up
Virtual receptionists rarely go on breaks or vacations. At least as nearly much as in-house receptionists do. This means that virtual receptionists will always “be at the desk” to answer phone calls and respond to emails during your business hours. An added bonus— even if you have in-house receptionists—is that you set scheduled times to divert communication lines from your in-house receptionist to your VR. This is a handy maneuver during lunch times and during any unscheduled emergencies.
3- Peace Of Mind
When was the last time you went on vacation? Did you have a difficult time convincing yourself that your employees were fine? Were you constantly checking your messages, social media and email, half-expecting to hear reports about the building burning down, or a massive loss of clients (or worse: missed client calls). Virtual receptionist services provide you the peace of mind you need. They can even forward the most important personal and business calls to you while you’re away.
4- Availability
A virtual receptionist offers is taking your calls for you while you’re away from your desk or office. This is particularly beneficial for freelancers and self-employed workers, who may not have a traditional office or an on-site receptionist. A receptionist that can be reached, no matter where you are, at virtually any time of is worth the money.
5- Extensions
Many VRs offer extended service hours. This means business owners, looking to extend an extra dose of courtesy to their customers, can keep open their communication lines longer during the day and even during weekends. This added layer of customer service, as a consume, makes me feel like the company truly enjoys servicing customers and helping people. Don’t you feel more satisfied with your bank, compared to other banks, is open on weekends? VRs give your customers the same satisfaction.
6- Improve Brand Image
As a business owner, you understandably know the importance of calls and email being responded to in a prompt and professional manner. This makes your business look reputable, respectable – and a business that is respectable can’t help but make good. Virtual receptionists with ISO 9001 accreditation. This is gold for you if your business is online or if you’re in an industry that doesn’t require a physical office.
7- Business Productivity
With your calls, emails and notices being handled by a virtual receptionist, imagine the levels of freedom at your disposal. Instead of being at the beck and call of customers (and their unending questions), you can spend more time sourcing products, generating leads, meeting current clients and work on upgrading your business strategies.
Conclusion
As you’ve seen, hiring an in-house receptionist full-time is costly. In addition to the benefits we’ve discussed, many VRs also handle administration responsibilities such as invoicing, client scheduling, faxing, etc. Any thing a receptionist can do, a VR receptionist can do for the fraction of the price.
