Your business is growing— that’s fantastic!
Your call volume is increasing and your voice mailbox always seems to be full. You don’t have the time to pick up the number of calls you’re getting, but you aren’t ready to hire another full-time employee. Why not take advantage of virtual technology to help you run your business?
Here are the five most important features to look for in a virtual receptionist service.
Feature #1: Not Automated
If you are looking for a virtual receptionist, don’t settle for an automated service to answer your calls. Taking your business to the next level is about perception. You want your potential clients, not to mention your current clients, to know that you’ve hired a real person to navigate their needs within your company.
Rather than making the client work harder, listening to an endless litany of numbers as they wait for the right one to punch, a virtual receptionist is trained to know how to direct calls within your business.
Feature #2: Price
Naturally, the price is a paramount concern for any service you hire for your business. Bottom line: a virtual receptionist will cost less than taking on another full-time employee. Not only will you not have the employee costs, but you will never have a day where that employee calls in sick, leaving the phones unattended.
Many virtual receptionist services offer monthly subscriptions based on minutes used for a set price. However, when hiring a virtual receptionist, make sure to inquire about other costs that may be involved or incurred:
- Upfront pricing for the training of your receptionists
- Overages on minutes used
- Upcharges for holiday rates or after hours
- Cancellation fees
There should be no hidden costs in your virtual receptionist service. Completely reading your contract before signing it will protect you from any unexpected expenses.
Feature #3: Training
If you’re working with a quality virtual receptionist service, there will be multiple receptionists assigned to your business. This will ensure that all phone calls are answered promptly. Your service will work with you to build a training package for all of the receptionists so there are no gaps in knowledge; the service will be seamless.
Your virtual assistant should be able to answer basic questions and direct your clients or prospects to the places within your business they need to go. There should never be any confusion for your clients— better yet, they shouldn’t even be able to tell you have a virtual receptionist. It should seem like an employee is in your office.
Feature #4: Hours of Operation
When your business is open your virtual receptionist service needs to be open, too. When looking for a service, make sure they are located in the same time zone or offer the times your business needs.
If you do business internationally, you may want to consider not only your time zone but the time zones your clients are in as well.
Feature #5: Services Offered
Your company may need more than just someone to answer the phone, so inquire with your virtual receptionist service what else they offer. Some common services are:
- Answering the phone and informing you who is on the line
- Transferring calls to correct employees
- Transferring calls to correct voicemails
- Connecting calls even if you are out of the office via cell phones
- Taking detailed messages
- Scheduling appointments
Not all virtual receptionist services offer all of these, so make sure you’re getting everything you want before you sign any contracts.
Reliable Receptionist provides businesses with dependable receptionists. Call us today at (925) 259-3771 or schedule a free demo online to further the quality of customer service your clients receive.
Contractors aren’t known for spending time in the office. Instead, they’re on the job at build sites, running supplies, or meeting with clients wherever they happen to be. But spending so much time on the road and away from your desk can create communication problems, particularly if your company has a high call volume and no one in a good place to field those callers. Overloaded contractors often miss messages or fail to follow up on calls that could otherwise have led to new business and new opportunities.