5 small business needs a virtual receptionist will answer

It’s a sure sign your business plans are working: that office phone never stops ringing with new enquiries.

• But who’s there to answer them?
• And is there enough time to nurture all those new leads?
• Are you capturing all the opportunities that are trying to get through?

Success as a small business can present new challenges. A virtual receptionist can ease these strains. They will ensure that the first point of contact is always a positive one for your customers, and that no new leads are lost on an unanswered call.

1. Does your first impression always count?

In business, first impressions count.

And your team are already juggling many balls to make your business grow. Having them answer incoming calls will only mean two things:

• They take their eye off the balls and drop them
• They offer poor customer service in an effort to get back to the many tasks in hand

A virtual receptionist ensures you always portray a professional image and offer outstanding customer service. And this will grow your sales, as this FT report shows. More than this, they will also ensure you gain a critical edge over the competition.

2. Do you have time to concentrate on growth?

A virtual receptionist can free up the time you need to drive your business forward. They allow you to focus on your core business strategies and develop your sales.

They help you deliver growth – without calling on those crazy 60-hour weeks. And without your time being taken up at the front line you can concentrate on the all-important bottom line.

With less disruption to your daily tasks it’s truly amazing how quickly you can get them done. Just take a look at the effect of constant disturbances from phones on your productivity.

3. Do you deliver excellent customer service consistently?

When you hire a virtual receptionist, you hire a professional who is:

• Fully trained
• Experienced in customer-facing roles
• Often certified with industry-recognised qualifications
• Flexible in their approach
• Able to quickly understand the needs of, and key personnel in, your business

And customers will be much happier to learn when someone is actually available – it beats having to listen to a ringing phone or speak to your voicemail.

4. Is the cost of another member of staff too much for your business?

As this study shows, hiring a virtual receptionist can save you money.

Hiring a full-time in-house receptionist is expensive, and for many small businesses, it may not actually prove cost-effective. The costs of recruiting, training and maintaining a full-time member of staff may simply not stack up for you.

Yet, a virtual receptionist can give you all the benefits without these costs. They can even be employed on an ad hoc basis, if there are times of the year when call volumes are particularly high.

5. Can you afford to miss opportunities?

Getting that phone to ring is a challenge for small businesses. But it’s converting that call into an opportunity that really makes all the difference.

A virtual receptionist ensures you never put a hot lead through to voicemail or leave an enquiry lost listening to a ring tone.

Each caller will receive the red-carpet treatment, rather than being left in the dark.

How will a virtual receptionist transform your business?

• Do you struggle to offer customer service and answer all the calls you receive?
• Does the phone distract you from the task at hand?
• Does the cost of another member of staff prevent you from employing a receptionist?
• Do you want to save time and money so you can grow your business?

If you want to start welcoming customers professionally every time, and give yourself the edge over your competitors, get in touch with our team today for further information.

Posted by Gemma Harding

As Head of Client Services, Gemma is an expert in the customer service industry. With over 20 years of experience in the call handling process she will guide your organisation to an improved customer service strategy. Hobbies include all thing equestrian.

View other posts by Gemma Harding