A phone rings in a small business office, but the busy office manager can’t answer it. The phone rings again, but the business owner can’t stop the meeting to answer it. In situations like these, the small business owner faces two options: hire an expensive full-time receptionist, or, the cheaper option, opt for a remote receptionist.
There two main options when choosing a remote receptionist: an auto attendant or a remote live receptionist.
- An auto attendant is a system of voice recordings that prompts certain questions to the caller, so that the caller is directed to the right department.
- A remote live receptionist is a live receptionist who works in a remote location, away from your central office.
An auto attendant is a great option for a large business with many departments and extensions. Auto attendants are often included in digital phone services. A remote receptionist is a great option for a small or medium-sized business that wants to maintain the small business feel of a real person who answers the phones. A live receptionist gives your company a face and a personality for all incoming callers.
The remote live receptionist is trained by the small business so that he or she knows all about the procedures and products of the small business. In essence, the remote live receptionist becomes a member of the small business team, and can answer calls, take messages, and transfer calls to the right office extension.
Cheaper than an In-House Receptionist
Small businesses only pay for the calls that go to the remote receptionist, instead of paying for the hourly wages of a full-time assistant. This considerably cuts down the price of hiring an in-house receptionist.
Outsourcing receptionist duties also means that small businesses don’t have to rely on other employees taking up phone call responsibilities, which can eat up valuable productivity time. When there is a remote receptionist taking care of the company calls, the small business owner and the limited employees have more time to spend on growing the business.
Remote Working
Some small businesses don’t have physical office locations, and so don’t have a place to house a receptionist. A remote receptionist has a dedicated place at a call center where he or she greets and screens callers. This allows small business employees to work away from an office, but still have receptionist assistance.
Full Assistant Service
Remote live receptionists often provide more services than just answering phone calls. Many remote receptionists will help the office by:
- Scheduling appointments
- Responding to general inquires
- Processing business orders
- Collecting survey data
No matter what kind of assistant work the small business might need, a remote receptionist will help support the business in the most efficient way possible. All remote assistance is seamless and invisible to the caller. The caller will think that there is live receptionist in the office, when in fact, the small business is saving money by outsourcing their receptionist work.
Professional Appearance
What a remote receptionist really does for a small business is provide an image of professionalism for the company’s customers. A receptionist gives customers and clients a real identity and voice for the small business. This can set the small business apart from other small businesses that don’t provide personal receptionist service for their customers.
Also, you are much less likely to have calls go to voicemail when using a live receptionist. This will improve customer experience when trying to call your business. And if you need to conduct any kind of customer feedback survey, you don’t have to get any in-house employees tied up in conducting the survey.
Freelance Small Business Owners
Remote live receptionist service is perfect for freelance small business owners. A receptionist creates the image of a bigger company. Even if the small business is comprised of just one or two workers, a receptionist gives the company a feel of importance when the caller rings up the small business. No matter if the business owner is off-site at a job, or simply enjoying some time in their own backyard, all calls are given respect and personal care.
When it comes to standing out and saving money, a remote live receptionist is a great option for small businesses. A live receptionist gives small businesses the image of professionalism that they need and the courtesy that customers deserve, all while saving small business owners the cost of a full-time assistant.
Jennifer Cuellar is a writer based out of California. She covers the latest news about top VoIP providers and phone solutions for small businesses.
