Virtual receptionist services can be a tremendous solution for companies looking to streamline their phone coverage, but it’s important to note that each provider is different. To really get the most out of your service there are some important questions you need to ask your provider first.
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What are your hours of operation?
It’s important to know exactly when your lines will and will not be covered. Some services offer 24hr call answering, while others take a more tailored approach, or stick to the standard business hours of their region or time zone. You should look for a service that covers not only your full hours of operation, but also the business hours of your clients and customers—which can diverge wildly when it comes to international customers or those residing in different regions of the US.
How do you answer callers?
Virtually all services will allow you to customize the greeting their staff use, but when you are trusting an outside source with your customers and clients, it’s important to be absolutely sure they’re getting it right.
Do you understand what we do?
Again, your virtual receptionists will be your first line of contact with customers, clients, and vendors. That’s why it is so important that your service understands, intimately, your business, product, or offer. They should know names, have a list of FAQs, and be able to speak intelligently to your callers before transferring them along to the correct department.
What caller info do you / can you collect (phone / email / scheduling)?
A good service picks up the phone. A GREAT service picks up the phone and also takes steps to make sure that your company is ready to follow up. Whether that means making a simple transfer, informing clients that a staff member is out and getting their callback info or email address, or actually entering an appointment into your schedule just like a traditional receptionist.
How many rings do you allow?
When you’ve recruited a call answering service, your customers should never have to wait more than 4 rings to reach a real person.
How many receptionists will be on my account?
Some services use model where your call goes to the first available employee, who reads from a script on their computer. Here at Reliable Receptionist we use a better model, one in which each account gets set with a small, distinct team of receptionists (4 or 5) who acquaint themselves with your company and who can answer callers naturally and comfortably, without robotically reading from an electronic script.
How flexible are your service terms?
It can take a few months before you really focus in on the right service package for your business. Fortunately, good receptionist service gives you the ability to change your terms until you are comfortably meeting your month-to- month call volume without extra expense.
To learn more about Reliable Receptionist’s new approach to call answering and digital receptionist services, check out our homepage now or call us at (925) 627-4200.
