What Does a Virtual Receptionist Do?

If you are a small business owner, you may have to wear a lot of hats. One area where you will need to hire eventually is a customer service agent or receptionist. You want your customers to talk to a professional when they call in with a problem or question. Large companies may create a call centre, but small businesses only need a single position. Until you can afford a full-time employee on your payroll, a virtual receptionist may be the perfect option.

What is a Virtual Receptionist?

A virtual receptionist is the first voice your customers will hear. The person acts as a traditional receptionist but works from a remote location. Much like outsourced call centres, a virtual receptionist can be from anywhere, but they represent your company to customers and vendors.

This person may work during your company’s business hours or you may choose to have someone available outside of regular hours. They must have access to certain information and be available to

answer phone calls that come in.

What a Virtual Receptionist Does

A virtual receptionist does many of the same tasks as a traditional front office person. They answer phone calls, which is their primary role. In addition, they may schedule appointments or make reminder phone calls. They may do other basic tasks that involve interacting with customers.

Remote receptionists learn the basic information about your organization to service the customer, while leaving more detailed work for you. They can take messages, leaving you free to respond at a time

which suits you.

The Advantage of a Virtual Receptionist

The primary advantage in hiring a virtual receptionist is that you pay less than for a full-time employee. You can select the hours you need a receptionist, and you only pay for the time they work. You aren’t required to pay for benefits, which can reduce your overall cost.

This is often an optimal solution for companies just starting out. They hire help only when it’s needed. For instance, you may be out in the field on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Those days you can have a virtual front desk person handle phone calls, and you take care of customers on the other days.

Another benefit is you are hiring skilled staff for an entry-level position. Instead of hiring someone with little to no experience, your receptionist is someone who does this type of work on a regular basis. They know how to act professionally and deal with problems while representing your company in a positive light. You have less training and supervision, allowing you to focus on other tasks in your young company.

When hiring a virtual receptionist, you should choose a company with a strong reputation in call centre service. They should be familiar with your industry and be able to make your company look good. Even though they aren’t part of the company, they will be the first voice customers hear when they call in. The real job of the virtual receptionist is to make your company look good and to provide exceptional customer service.

Ashley Meszaros is the Owner/President of We An-Ser Communications in Calgary. We An-Ser Communications provides award winning call center services in Calgary, dispatching, medical answering services, man down services, lone worker support, wireless panic services and more. They service the North American market.

Ashley Meszaros is the Owner/President of We An-Ser Communications in Calgary. http://www.wean-ser.com/calgary-call-centre-services/