In today’s day and age, customers expect a higher level of customer service than ever before. In fact, 63% of consumers expect companies to understand their needs, and 58% of consumers will take their business elsewhere if a company’s customer service falls below expectations. Certainly, a receptionist’s timely response to customer calls is essential for creating a positive first impression that promotes customer satisfaction. Suffice it to say, when it comes to customer service, every impression matters. That’s why it’s important to answer customer calls in a timely manner and to provide as much assistance as possible on those calls.
To add to the weight of great customer service, using a virtual receptionist guarantees that important concerns are handled right away. That gives you a competitive edge over other businesses in your industry and even increases your revenue—because happy customers are loyal customers. In addition, hiring a virtual receptionist helps you minimize dissatisfaction from customers and provides you with immediate feedback—both of which are critical for improving your services and maintaining a positive brand image.
Unfortunately, small and mid-sized businesses don’t always have the bandwidth to respond to customer inquiries full-time, especially while also working towards other goals. Businesses like these would benefit from a digital, or virtual, receptionist. Having a virtual receptionist for your small business can provide customers with excellent service while saving you time and money.
How Does a Digital Receptionist Work?
A digital receptionist—also known as a remote or virtual receptionist—works the same as an in-house receptionist, with the only difference being that they are employed by a third party rather than by your company.
A digital receptionist will do the following tasks:
- Answer customer calls or chats
- Take messages from customers to pass on to the appropriate person or team
- Forward calls when a message is urgent
- Provide customers with information on products or services
- Schedule appointments
- Walk customers through making a payment
You simply pay a remote receptionist service for the amount of time or number of calls you receive instead of having to pay a salary for an in-house receptionist—which can cost thousands of dollars more per month. Taking this route also saves you time on training, as many virtual receptionist companies like Berkshire Receptionists have industry-specific team members who answer the phones for you.
What Is the Cost of a Virtual Receptionist?
How much a remote receptionist service costs will vary based on a few key factors. Ultimately, though, they can cost as little as $40 per month up to over $900 per month. Some of the factors that cause virtual receptionist pricing to vary include:
- The service provider you choose. Every providers’ prices will vary depending on how much training they provide their receptionists with, how in-demand they are, and how much experience they have. And a cheap answering service for small businesses, medium businesses, or even enterprise-level companies often doesn’t provide the same level of service as more reputable providers.
- The features you elect to use. If you choose the most basic features, you will spend less money—which might sound good at first. If, however, you want more extensive features, such as thousands of integrations, bilingual receptionists, and personalized greetings like what Berkshire Receptionists offers, you will have to spend a bit more money each month—remember, you get what you pay for! Features like these will personalize the customer experience and make them feel as though they’re talking to someone from your business.
- The amount of support you need from a receptionist. Companies that only offer virtual receptionist services during working hours tend to charge less than those that offer 24/7 support.
- The duration or number of calls you receive. Some providers will charge by call while others charge by minute. Unfortunately, a pay per call answering service forces you to pay for spam calls or wrong numbers. On the other hand, companies like Berkshire Receptionists that charge per minute only make you pay for the time you use them.
You get what you pay for, so make sure to understand what you need before you start shopping around. The best virtual receptionist for small businesses and larger will always offer you top-of-the-line features and integrations, 24/7 support, and reasonable prices. That’s where Berkshire Receptionists excels for your business. You’ll receive the best assistance from our virtual receptionists, without having to worry about the quality service your customers are receiving.
How Do I Choose a Virtual Receptionist?
To choose the right virtual receptionists for your business, ask yourself these questions:
- When do most of my customers call my business? If many customers call outside of business hours, or would if they had a chance, then you should choose a virtual receptionist service with 24/7 support. Doing so will give your customers the opportunity to receive help when they need it rather than having to wait until the next business day.
- Do I have customers who speak other languages? Language barriers can leave some of your customers feeling isolated and unsupported. Choosing a virtual receptionist service with bilingual receptionists will give customers the support they need whether they speak English or Spanish.
- Does my industry use jargon that may confuse customers? Once you’re in an industry for a while, it can be easy to forget that some of the terms you use every day may not translate to customers. Hiring a digital receptionist with industry-specific knowledge gives your business a route to communicate complex information in layperson’s terms.
If you want to offer customers help from industry-specific receptionists 24/7 in both English and Spanish, then you need Berkshire Receptionists.
What Are the Advantages of a Virtual Receptionist?
Businesses can benefit from two distinct advantages when using a live virtual receptionist: higher-quality customer service and 24/7 availability.
In general, live virtual receptionists can help your business improve your customer service, which in turn increases customer satisfaction and loyalty. One reason why is because having a virtual receptionist shows that your business values its customers—by responding professionally to their questions and concerns quickly. Providing such attentive care can set a company apart from other businesses and encourage clients to come back and spread the word. Not only can it help your business’s bottom line and productivity, but it can also help it grow your customer service infrastructure without raising costs.
Of course strong customer service comes with being available at all hours of the day—when customers actually need help. For companies that operate in different time zones or have customers who might need assistance beyond regular business hours, being available around-the-clock is essential. Because of this availability, your business will never miss a chance for interaction or sales using a virtual receptionist—because they’re always ready to answer customers’ calls. Businesses can use their uninterrupted availability as a selling point to show they care about their customers’ needs and want to make them more satisfied and loyal.
As you can see, using a live receptionist for small business—or businesses in general—is an important step to providing outstanding customer service, no matter the time of day. At Berkshire Receptionists, we offer industry-trained professionals who will not only help improve your customer service, but can make sure your customers are taken care of right away. Forget the difficult automatic menus and answering machines—hire a virtual receptionist to help you boost your retention and sales.
Get Quality Service at a Reasonable Price With Berkshire Receptionists
When you work with Berkshire Receptionists, you’ll gain an extension of your team that provides professional, personal customer service. No matter what technologies or applications you use, our team’s platform will integrate with them to make our partnership as seamless as possible. For just $40 a month, you’ll receive:
- 24/7 Live Receptionists
- Call Transfers
- Email Relays
- SMS Relays
- Secure Notifications
- Bilingual Receptionists
- Custom Hold Music
- Personalized Greetings
- Local Number
- Disaster Recovery
- Online Client Portal
- Usage Report
- Dedicated Account Manager
Ready to get started? Click here to experience a world of difference in your customer service.