The first point of contact between a customer and a business will be the customer service department.  However, many small businesses cannot afford to have a full-time customer service agent and receptionist.  This is where a virtual receptionist will step in as they offer businesses a cost-effective and secure method of getting better customer service.  There are 5 main ways that a virtual receptionist will be able to help your business and your customers.

In Business Hours Calls Will Always Be Answered

When you have a virtual receptionist service you never have to worry about the receptionist going on vacation or on a break and the phones will always be answered during business hours.  Many small businesses find that their phones are not always answered during business hours because staff go on lunch and breaks.  There is also the fact that you would need to hire a temp to cover for your receptionist when they go on holiday. 

Using a reliable virtual receptionist service will take care of all these problems for you as they are always available when you need them.  If your receptionist is on holiday then you can redirect your call to the virtual service.  This can work for both planned and unplanned leave.

Always Get Great Customer Service

If your on-site receptionist is not in the office you can be assured that your calls are answered by a professional and knowledgeable person when you use a virtual receptionist service.  A virtual receptionist can be trained and briefed on how you want your calls to be handled to ensure that your customers are always presented with a seamless service.  When you offer your customers great customer service they are more likely to remain loyal to you and this can give you the competitive edge over other businesses in your market.

You Can Manage Your Time Better

If you do not have a receptionist in your business then you will find the use of a virtual receptionist leaves you with time that could be better spent elsewhere.  Instead of being tied up with customer calls you could have someone takes the calls for you and provide the same information.  You will receive messages throughout the day telling you about the calls which have come through and who you will need to contact. 

This will also provide you with time to focus your attention on other issues that you have to resolve.  You can better prioritize your work and ensure that those you have delegated work to are completing it.

Maintain A Professional Image

Giving your customers a good impression of your business could be as easy as having the phones answered quickly and professionally.  A virtual receptionist will answer the phones with your company name and will either take a message which is passed to you or direct the customer to the correct person to speak to within your business.  Many virtual receptionists will have ISO 9001 accreditation which ensures that they meet a high standard and they bring professionalism with them to the job.

Save Money On Customer Service

Instead of having a full-time on-site receptionist to handle your calls you can hire a virtual one for a fraction of the overall costs.  The money that you save on the receptionist could be better spent on furthering your business or completing some expansions that you have been waiting to do.  If you have busy call times you will not have to worry because virtual receptionist services will be able to handle them. 

Each and every caller that comes through to your company phone will be answered by a professional and get the same amount of attention.  These services will drastically lower the chances that a call is not answered or that people have to be placed on hold.  You also will not have to worry about paying for sick days or other payroll considerations that come with an on-site receptionist.  This makes the service the ideal option for any small or big business as it removes the office space needed as all the calls are taken care of off-site/