This is a question that many business owners and managers have grappled with, is it best to have a an automatic telephone queueing system that keeps the caller on hold (with some background music) until the receptionist is available, or outsource the incoming call answering to a virtual receptionist provider? Before we examine these options, let us turn to the caller, and look at the level of service they receive, and if you have ever waited on the end of a phone for a few minutes, you will know how it feels. To be honest, it is likely you would lose customers if they have to wait in a call queue, and with every single call answered within a few seconds, the virtual receptionist ticks all the boxes.
Cost Effective Solutions
You might be forgiven for thinking that a virtual receptionist service would come with a hefty price tag, yet this service is very affordable, as there are many client companies that use the service, and with scripted greetings, you are assured that all calls are answered professionally and promptly, and you can’t get any better than that. To give you an idea, Reception HQ pricing is not only very affordable, there is also a range of packages designed to suit every business, and with such a company in your corner, all your business call communication is taken care of.
Automatic Call Queueing
This was a bit of an innovation when it first arrived, but after a while, the consumer lacked the patience to wait, and with the ability to buy anything online with the swipe of a smartphone screen, today’s consumer is indeed very choosy, and waiting in a queue is simply not an option. It is tough enough to find new customers, and when you have developed a good relationship with all your clients, it pays to ensure that all their enquiries are professionally handled by real people. There is an interesting article called, The Seven Deadly Sins Of Automated Phone Systems, which highlights the reasons to avoid such a system. A large percentage of callers simply hang up and move on to the next supplier, and in this very competitive world, can you really afford to lose any business?
Range of Packages
Virtual receptionist services cover a range of business needs, you might, for example, be a one man show, and would like all your incoming calls answered on your behalf, or you might already have a good receptionist, and in that case, the virtual receptionist can cover when she’s unavailable. We all need that 3 weeks per year to recharge our batteries, and if this is something you dread, your problems are over with a virtual receptionist provider, as the service can begin the very first morning she is away, and end when she returns.
At the end of the day, the automated systems are not consumer friendly, and people do not wish to wait for anything, and with affordable virtual receptionist services, there is finally an alternative to the answering machine.
