Top 7 Best Virtual Receptionist Companies in Northern California 2020

We know finding the best virtual receptionist in Northern California can be difficult, so we put together this detailed list of the best of the best so you can make your choice wisely.  Each Virtual Reception Company has a large variety of services and specialties you should be aware of so you can make your choice wisely. This list of amazing locations is ever-changing and expanding, so please check back often. If you find another location that should be listed here - or one that should be removed - please let us know!

What Services Does a Virtual Receptionist Offer?

A virtual receptionist is someone outside of your business who answers phone calls, schedules appointments and takes messages on behalf of your business.

A virtual receptionist is very much like an on-site receptionist—the administrative person typically located at an organization’s front desk—with the main difference being their location. Unlike an on-site person, a virtual receptionist works remotely, and for multiple companies. This gives businesses greater flexibility and affordability: trained, high-quality customer service professionals are available when needed, on-demand and at a reasonable price!

This allows businesses to ensure calls are answered when they can’t afford a full-time receptionist or it frees up their front desk receptionist to take breaks or focus on other tasks!

What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?

In general, a virtual assistant (commonly abbreviated to VA, also labeled a virtual office assistant) is self-employed and offers skilled administrative, technological, or artistic (social) assistance to clients remotely from a home office. Since virtual assistants are independent contractors rather than workers, clients are not responsible for any employee-related taxes, insurance or benefits, except in the sense where those indirect costs are included in the VA fees. Companies often escape the logistic issue of supplying extra office space, facilities, or materials. Clients pay for 100 percent efficient work and may collaborate with virtual assistants to fulfill their exact needs, either individually or in multi-VA companies. Typically the virtual assistants work for other small businesses. Yet it can also support overwhelmed executives. It is estimated that, globally, there are as few as 5,000 to 10,000 or as many as 25,000 virtual assistants. The career progresses with "fly-in-fly-out" employment activities in clustered economies. Popular correspondence and data distribution methods include Internet, e-mail and telephone conferences, electronic workspaces, and fax machines. Digital assistants are gradually making use of technologies such as Skype, Slack, and Google voice. Professionals employed on a contractual basis in this industry, and long-term cooperation is normal. In such roles as executive assistant, office manager / supervisor, clerk, legal assistant, paralegal, legal advisor, real estate assistant, and information technology, usually 5 years of administrative experience in an office is required.

What Does a Digital Assistant Do?

Digital assistants have also made their way into many traditional companies in recent years and it has become possible to provide a virtual assistant with the introduction of VOIP services such as Skype that can answer the phone remotely without the knowledge of the end user. This helps many organizations to incorporate a personal touch in the form of a receptionist without recruiting anyone at the extra cost. Virtual assistants consist of individuals as well as organizations who operate remotely as an independent contractor, supplying both businesses and customers with a wide variety of goods and services. Digital assistants perform many different positions including traditional secretarial jobs, editing blogs, social media marketing, customer care, and many other remote tasks. The virtual industry has dramatically changed as it brings new people into the market.

Digital assistants come from a number of business backgrounds, but most have received several years 'experience in the "actual" (non-virtual) business world, or several years of online or remote work experience.

A designated virtual assistant is anyone under a firm's management working in the workplace. The business provides the equipment and internet access, as well as preparation. The virtual home-based assistant has worked either in the office sharing community or in their house. The general VA is also called an online administrative assistant, personal online assistant or sales assistant. A virtual webmaster assistant, a virtual marketing assistant and a virtual content development assistant are unique professionals who are typically seasoned business environment workers who have started setting up their own virtual offices.

A virtual receptionist job may have networking opportunities depending on the industry in order to progress to certain roles within a particular sector. Some people can use this type of job as a way of becoming acquainted with office work, or learning about other roles or positions within a company. Some people consider receptionist work as a way of earning money while seeking more educational opportunities or other career interests like in the performing arts or as authors.

Although many receptionists continue to be in this role throughout their careers, some receptionists may progress to other administrative positions, such as a customer service agent, dispatcher, interviewer, manager, production assistant, personal assistant, or executive advisor. In smaller firms, such as a doctor's office or an attorney's office, a receptionist can also be the office manager tasked with a variety of middle-level company operations.