Should Small Businesses Hire a Virtual Receptionist?

Since small businesses are vital to the economy, it’s important to help them grow in any way possible. They make up a large percentage of the production for any country in the world. Small businesses also employ a large number of people.

As a small business owner, you have plenty of decisions to make. Often, it’s a balance between saving money and getting the things you need to provide customers with what they need. A virtual receptionist can fit right into this formula and help your business grow to the next level.

What is a Virtual Receptionist?

In a world quickly becoming dominated by outsourcing, a virtual receptionist is one of the most important people you can use to outsource an important task. A virtual receptionist takes over your phones and provides a live person to answer every time a customer calls.

This person works from a remote location and provides a priceless service you need for your small business. Since they work remotely, you don’t have to pay them nearly as much as you would an in-house receptionist. They are also highly trained, very professional and provide a friendly voice on the other line for customers.

How can a Virtual Receptionist Benefit your Small Business?

As a small business owner, one of your largest expenses is salaries. Adding someone to your team can cost thousands each month. However, with a virtual receptionist, you can add a vital team member for a fraction of the cost. The best part is that the money saving benefit is only one of many benefits. Other benefits of virtual receptionists include:

  • Use your time more wisely – With a virtual receptionist on your team, you will have more time to handle important tasks. No longer will you be bogged down with answering phone calls, scheduling appointments and handling other tasks. Your virtual receptionist can handle the phones, order taking, scheduling and so much more.
  • Expand your business hours – A virtual receptionist service will provide more than one person to cover your phones. This means you can expand your business hours to match the hours they are available. This benefit alone could mean you gain more customers every day.
  • Never miss another call – Have you ever wondered how much money your business misses out on when a call is sent to voicemail? About one-third of those going to voicemail hang up and most that leave messages still call another company afterwards. You could be losing thousands of dollars a week due to missed calls. With a virtual receptionist, this will never happen again.
  • Build a better reputation – In a world where posting an online review is easy and can be seen by thousands of people rather quickly, it’s important to protect your reputation. A virtual receptionist is highly trained and can help you gain a better business reputation.

These are just some of the obvious benefits your small business will gain. They don’t even begin to describe the tremendous benefits that will come as you and other employees are able to work in a distraction free environment, without worrying about the phone ringing.

What Would you do with More Time?

How much time do you spend answering the phone, scheduling appointments, taking orders and handling things that are simply not your specialty? Most small business owners would be shocked at how much time they dedicate to the phones.

Imagine if you could get that time back each week. Whether it’s just an hour a day or several hours a day, how much more could you get done? Could you finish your work on Friday instead of Saturday? Could you actually be caught up and not stressed out when you are with your family?

When you turn your phones over to a virtual receptionist service, you may gain benefits you never thought were possible. No longer do small business owners have to work 15 hour days, six days a week, just to survive. With the right team members, you can cut down to a normal work week, spend more time with family and still see your business grow.

Since a virtual receptionist can handle appointment scheduling, order taking, most customer service issues, taking messages and much more, you won’t have anything to worry about. You will know that if the phone actually does ring, it’s an important call you need to take. This will free up your time and eliminate workplace distractions for you and your entire staff.