The Ultimate Guide to Virtual Reception
If you google 'virtual reception', approximately 161,000,000 results will display. Where do you even begin to find the right company to outsource one of the most important functions of our business?
To save you wasting time, energy and money, here are the 5 most important things to look for and ask when engaging a virtual receptionist.
1. What is Virtual Reception
The term 'virtual reception' typically refers to established businesses that specialise in handling inbound phone calls. Virtual Receptionist businesses may specialise in or offer different things such as:
Greet, transfer calls and take messages
Act as a receptionist to provide information about your business and collect lead details
Act as a receptionist to book appointments and handle diary-related requests
2. How does virtual reception work?
Most virtual reception providers will give you a phone number for you to forward your calls to. Even if your provider doesn't answer calls 24/7, you can usually keep your calls diverted permanently as the receptionist will have a dedicated voicemail box for your callers to leave messages. If your business number is also your personal number, your receptionist can also field personal calls and either take a message or advise the caller when you're available.
Typically when a call is received, the receptionist will handle the call in accordance with your set or agreed-upon procedures and policies. Depending on the type of service your receptionist provides, they will either take a message, transfer the call, enter details into CRMS, book appointments or change appointments. Some providers can even take payments.
3. Per call vs Per Minute
When hiring or outsourcing, one of the main factors is cost. Virtual Receptionists generally charge either per call or per minute. If you tend to have long and involved calls, opt for a 'per call' plan; however if your calls are typically under 3 minutes, opt for a 'per minute' plan. We always advise to choose a package or plan higher than you anticipate to help avoid any nasty billing surprises. As a guide, 'per call' plans range can range from $2.80 to $5 per call, and 'per minute' plans can range from $1.60 per minute to $3 per minute.
“Choose a virtual receptionist that meets your business needs”
4. Extras
Virtual Reception companies tend to promote great pricing, however, it can quickly blow out if you don't choose the right package or plan for you. Ask for exactly what is included in your monthly fees, what is considered 'extra', and how they manage your account if you grossly go over your package or plan. Some virtual reception companies charge extra to manage your diary or make outbound calls, default to much higher rates when you go over your plan, send messages and so on. Few things are worse than signing up for an exciting new support service only to find out that some tasks aren't included and getting end of month bill shock.
5. Capability
Some virtual reception companies serve all kinds of businesses and industries whilst others are specialised in one type of business or industry. When researching providers, check if they have multiple receptionists that understand your software program(s), that they know of, or can quickly learn important aspects of your business type/ industry and what level of detail they require from you to get them ready to handle your calls competently and efficiently. Remember, you are paying per minute or call, so the more experienced and specialised the company is, the more efficient their call handling tends to be.
6. Team Structure and size
Inevitably, outsourcing your reception will mean multiple people will be handling your calls to ensure appropriate coverage for your calls throughout the day. A good virtual reception company will structure their receptionists in smaller, manageable teams so your callers can come to know who might answer their call. They should also give you details of who to contact and how when you need to ask a question or assign a task.
7. Reporting
The Reception function can provide invaluable data about your business. When choosing a provider, ask if they provide any reports or stats about your calls. Some ideas include:
How many new clients called and how many were converted
How many calls were received in a particular period (around a special promotion or advertising campaign)
How long are calls and why
Why did a client call (for example, did they wait too long for an email response; or was the website chat unattended?)
Missed calls are missed opportunities
Having your calls answered professionally and handled with confidence and expertise gives your business a fantastic first impression. If your calls are currently going to voicemail, or there are large gaps in your reception coverage consider engaging a virtual reception service.