February 6, 2024
You may have a colleague or friend that’s talked about using virtual receptionists, or maybe you’ve read some information online. If you’re wondering why some companies use virtual receptionists instead of in-house receptionists, this blog post should answer your questions.
There are a ton of benefits of going virtual with your front desk and hundreds of our clients have given us their unique reasons for deciding to go virtual over the years. We’re discussing the top 10 reasons companies use virtual receptionists below.
1. Requires no office space
To hire an in-house receptionist, you’ll need an office with a reception area. More than half (52%) of businesses operate online these days, so many business owners don’t have the option to hire an onsite receptionist. Virtual receptionists solve that problem by requiring zero office space and accomplishing the same tasks remotely.
2. Ensures no calls are missed
Receptionists take breaks, sick days, vacations, holidays, and handle tasks in addition to answering calls, which means some calls will be missed even with someone working the front desk. Virtual receptionists are always available during the times you’ve scheduled them and their sole duty is to cover your phones and appointments, meaning you’ll never miss a call.
3. Costs much less
An in-house receptionist is a hefty cost for a small company. Expect to pay around $35,000/year for a receptionist salary if you’re hiring onsite. But a virtual receptionist costs much less, and Conversational’s virtual receptionist plans start at just $209/month. That’s a tiny fraction of the cost of hiring onsite.
4. Offers more flexibility
Virtual receptionists can provide more flexibility because you can hand-pick their availability and what days and times they will cover your phones. If you decide to take the afternoon off, Conversational can easily cover your calls for you, even at the last minute.
5. More bang for your buck
A virtual receptionist doesn’t get paid for downtime when the phone isn’t ringing like an in-house receptionist does. You are only billed for minutes your virtual receptionist actually spends on the phone. That means more bang for your buck!
6. Increase your ROI
The small expense of hiring a virtual receptionist pays for itself over and over in the number of captured leads and complete eradication of missed calls and opportunities. Increase your ROI by making sure someone answers every call and that you can respond to every lead that comes your way.
7. Consistent, branded customer experience
You might forget to answer the phone professionally with your business name or to mention a promotion you’re running, but a virtual receptionist never will. You can ensure a consistent, branded customer experience when you use the right virtual receptionist.
8. One-up the competition
You can get ahead of the competition by having a professional answer every customer call. If other companies in your industry are not providing great customer service over the phone or are missing lots of calls, you can really stand out with a virtual receptionist.
9. Project your promotions further
If you’re running a promotion, deal, or discount, you can have your virtual receptionist magnify the effect by telling your callers about it. Simply instruct Conversational’s team that you’d like them to tell callers about your promotion and for how long, and our team will promote it for you at no additional cost.
10. Money back guarantee to get to know the service
Some virtual receptionist providers offer a limited money back guarantee. We allow for a full 30 days to allow you to get to know the service and see the time-saving benefits of a virtual receptionist.
The possibilities are endless with your virtual reception service at Conversational. Call today and ask us how we can help your business!
