It’s crucial for businesses to keep up with their customers’ increasingly dynamic needs to have a competitive edge in their industries. As a business owner in the customer-centric landscape of 2023, you must ensure that customer service calls you receive are answered promptly and professionally. This personal touch with customers is essential to ensure they have a satisfactory experience with your business.

However, with a high volume of incoming calls and messages, it can be challenging to respond to them while also tending to your business’s day-to-day operations.

Virtual reception services offer a cost-effective and reliable solution to manage incoming calls, route them to the right person or department, and promptly address customer inquiries and concerns. If you want to create a more professional image for your business and improve customer satisfaction, keep reading to learn more about our virtual reception and phone answering services at The Global Messaging Network.

The Benefits of Virtual Reception Services

81% of customers agree that a good customer service experience increases their chances of purchasing again from the business. And 36% of customers prefer human representatives to automated customer service responses. As a business owner, employing an effective and cost-effective customer service solution is a great way to improve customer trust and satisfaction.

Before we get into what virtual reception services are and how they would work for your business, let’s discuss why you should be interested in this service.

Here are some of the key benefits of using a virtual reception service:

1. Improved Customer Experience: When a customer or a potential customer contacts your business for support, it can be off-putting for them if the call goes unanswered or if they are made to wait on hold. Virtual reception services can help your business be prompt and professional when answering calls, showing your customers that you care about their needs and value their time. Additionally, our virtual receptionists at the Global Messaging Network are trained to provide excellent customer service. This can help improve your customer satisfaction levels and help you boost customer retention and loyalty.
2. Cost-Effectiveness: Our virtual reception service is a cost-effective solution for your phone answering and customer service. Using the virtual service saves you money on hiring and training a full-time reception team. And you don’t have to worry about providing office space, equipment, or benefits for a full-time receptionist. With The Global Messaging Network, you receive 24/7 reception service, so your customers can receive the support they need anytime. And, you only pay for the service you need, with no additional expenses.
3. Increased Flexibility: Virtual reception services offer increased flexibility for your business. You can customize the service to fit your specific needs, whether that be forwarding calls to your mobile device or having messages delivered via email or text message.
4. Reduced Workload for Internal Teams: Virtual reception services can also reduce the workload for your internal teams. Outsourcing receptionist duties allows your team to focus on their core responsibilities without interruption. This increases productivity and efficiency, boosting your business’s bottom line.

A virtual reception service can help you ensure your full-time employees can focus on their core competencies instead of juggling tasks while answering customer calls and queries. And having a professional and friendly voice to answer the phone can give your business a competitive edge in the market.

How Virtual Reception Services Work

Before you dive into hiring your virtual reception services, it’s essential to understand how virtual reception services work. Given that this is your first point of contact for customers, you want to ensure the service provider you choose understands your business values and operates in line with your existing business systems.

What is a virtual reception service?

A virtual reception service is a cloud technology that businesses can use to manage and answer incoming calls and messages. Typically, with a virtual reception service, you can enjoy features like call answering and forwarding, message taking and delivery, appointment scheduling, and customer greetings. Our virtual receptionists are trained to handle customer inquiries and frequently asked questions. They can share basic information about your business with customers and direct calls to the appropriate person or department if needed.

The best part about this technology is that it’s easy to integrate with other business systems. This ensures seamless service for your customers. For example, by linking your virtual reception service to your customer relationship management (CRM) system, virtual receptionists can provide a personalized experience for your customers. In addition, this system can also integrate with your appointment scheduling software, so your virtual receptionist can schedule appointments for you.

A virtual reception service caters to the needs of established organizations that receive a high volume of incoming calls and small businesses with limited office space that are eager to grow in their industry. This useful tool is fit for businesses of all sizes and can boost customer satisfaction levels while reducing the workload for your internal teams.

Virtual Reception Services vs. Traditional Receptionists

How should you decide which would benefit your business more- a virtual reception service or a traditional receptionist? Let’s compare the two based on key factors like cost, expertise, and availability.

Cost:

Virtual reception services are typically more cost-effective than traditional receptionists. With a virtual service, you save on the cost of hiring and training a new employee. You also save money on benefits like health insurance and overheads like office space and equipment.

With a virtual reception service, you only pay for the needed service. You can choose the number of hours you want to use the service or the number of calls you want to be answered each week based on your budget and requirements, which means you get exactly what you pay for. Learn more about our pricing plans here.

Expertise:

A traditional in-house receptionist might have more specialized knowledge of your business and industry as they are a full-time part of your team. Virtual receptionists, on the other hand, receive general training and might not have detailed knowledge about your business.

While both can be trained to answer specific questions that callers frequently ask, your traditional receptionist might be able to provide a detailed guide to the customer, whereas a virtual receptionist can provide a more general level of support.

Availability:

Your in-house receptionist will likely work the traditional 9-5 and answer calls only during those hours. However, our virtual reception service answers calls 24 hours a day, which might be useful if your customers are spread across different time zones. This allows customers to receive support even when your business is closed, like over holidays or weekends.

Both traditional and virtual receptionists have their pros and cons. If you’re looking for a cost-effective customer service solution, want your customer calls answered beyond traditional work hours, or don’t have the office space to hire a receptionist, virtual reception services are definitely worth considering. However, if you’re looking for an in-house receptionist with detailed business knowledge, a traditional receptionist might better suit your needs.

Ultimately, the decision between virtual reception services and traditional receptionists will depend on your business’s specific requirements and budget.

Best Practices for Implementing Virtual Reception Services

Virtual reception services can help your business stand out for excellent customer service and retain existing customers, which is essential for growth. Here are some tips and best practices for implementing virtual reception services in your company:

1. Choose the right service provider: Research potential providers and read client testimonials and reviews to ensure you choose a reliable and trustworthy provider. Consider the service provider’s reputation and experience level, and compare prices to find the best fit for your needs.
2. Clearly define your requirements: Clearly define your requirements for the virtual reception service. Determine the types of calls and messages the virtual receptionist might receive, how they should be answered, the operating hours you want, and any other requirements unique to your business.
3. Establish clear protocols: Establish clear protocols and workflows for how calls and messages should be handled by the virtual receptionist. This includes protocols for transferring calls to specific departments or individuals, taking messages, and responding to frequently asked questions. This way, you can ensure the service aligns with your brand image and values.
4. Train your internal teams: Ensure that your internal teams are trained to provide a seamless collaborating experience with the virtual receptionist. Provide clear instructions on what changes they can expect and how to work with the virtual receptionist to schedule appointments or provide other services.
5. Make adjustments if needed: Set up metrics to measure the success of the virtual reception service, such as the number of calls handled, response time, and customer satisfaction. Use these metrics to make adjustments as necessary and improve the service over time.

By following these best practices and partnering with a reliable provider like Global Messaging Network, businesses can leverage the benefits of virtual reception services to reduce the workload on in-house teams and provide a superior customer experience.

At Global Messaging Network, we offer businesses a cost-effective and efficient solution to manage their incoming calls and messages. We have a team of highly trained and experienced receptionists who can handle your calls and messages 24/7, ensuring that your customers receive prompt and reliable service.

Contact us to learn more about our virtual reception services and how we can help your business succeed.