Have you ever thought about what you could accomplish with your time if you didn’t have to spend it answering and returning phone calls or scheduling appointments? 

You could focus on expanding your business, completing projects, or even spending quality time with family and friends. For entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses of all sizes, the need for a virtual receptionist is growing. With the same skills and abilities as a traditional in-office receptionist, and at half the cost, more companies are hiring virtual receptionist services to help them with daily tasks. 

After deciding to utilize virtual receptionists the next question is, “Which service is the best for my business?” As the first point of contact, your potential and existing customers will encounter it is important to make the right choice. Here are some qualities you should be focusing on when browsing virtual receptionist providers. 

1. Friendly

The first impression your callers have will be of your receptionist, the “voice” of your business. Therefore, it is incredibly important to use a service that has professional, friendly, and well-trained receptionists ready to take your calls.

Your customers will immediately feel welcomed and more comfortable if they are speaking with a kind individual who truly shows that they care about helping them with their inquiry.

Here’s an extra tip: after starting your trial period with your service, make a couple of test calls to your company and see for yourself the level of service that will be provided to your callers. 

2. Cost vs. Quality

Investing in a quality virtual receptionist service will give you more time to focus on growing your business. Different service providers will be able to offer you different plans to suit your needs and budget.  It is important to consider your company’s call volume so that you are getting the best bang for your buck.

And while hiring a virtual receptionist service can save you money, it is important to remember that the cheapest option isn’t always the best one.  Focus more on finding a cost-effective service that can handle all your requirements, which should make for a better return on investment in the long run. 

3. Availability

Simply having your business hours advertised on your website and Google does not guarantee your customers will always call in during those set hours. Therefore, having a virtual receptionist’s provider that is available 24/7 365 days a year will ensure that you never miss a potential sales lead again.

Whether it’s 8:00 at night or a holiday weekend, your customers will still be able to speak to a representative for your company, which can make all the difference. Being able to gain new leads after office hours will be a game-changer for your business. 

4. Bilingual

Turning away potential customers due to a language barrier is easily solved by hiring a service that employs bilingual receptionists that can communicate with callers in both English and Spanish.

If you have Spanish-speaking employees, having a bilingual virtual receptionist can free up some of their time so they will only handle qualified leads. And if you don’t have any Spanish speakers in-office, a virtual receptionist can let your callers know they will need to provide their own interpreter for further interaction. 

5. Scheduling Services

What’s better than having a full appointment book? A full appointment book that you didn’t have to fill yourself. Virtual receptionist services extend past just answering calls, they can also schedule appointments for qualified prospects and clients.

They will gather any important preliminary information, choose a date and time with your client based on your calendar availability, and then directly send you the appointment details. That way you can focus on the client or task in front of you at any given time without being interrupted by the phone.

Finding and choosing the right virtual receptionist for your growing business is a process and this article is a good starting point for your search. Now that you are equipped with some of the essential qualities to be looking for, you are well on your way to finding the best service for your business. Here’s another tip: providers like Posh Virtual Receptionists can provide everything listed above and more. 

Read Also:

• Benefits of Using a Virtual Phone Number for Your Business
• Should you Invest in a Phone System for your Business?