The landscape of how we interact shifted in a matter of months. Now that the world has settled into its new virtual reality the opportunities for business owners to scale up are limitless.
What is meant by “scale up”? It is the concept of building out a businesses infrastructure so that it can run without the owner involved. It is the idea of creating a revenue generating asset that the owner doesn’t actively participate in on a daily basis.
Never before has there been a better time to build a virtual infrastructure than now. Today’s technology today has put everything we need right at our fingertips.
The only question is: are you ready to let go in order to scale up?
When I say ‘let go’ I do not mean throw mud on the wall and hope it sticks. I mean put your trust in experts who specialize in an industry you may not be fully familiar with.
Here at Smiledog we are experts in virtual reception (VR) and appointment setting services. We have been shaping this business for 15 years and fully understand the importance of a great first impression.
As business owners you wear many different hats so successfully making a consistent, engaging first impression is a challenge. This is where Smiledog can help. Your clients are your livelihood so let’s make sure you’re always taking care of them when they call.
Having a professionally trained team ready to provide services like answering clients’ questions, helping with directions to the store, or booking appointments are small things that make a huge difference – especially when done consistently.
You’re creating a customer experience your clients can rely on and trust. Let’s take a look at the ways a virtual receptionist can help you better deliver to your clients.
They act as an extension of your business
As a business owner wearing every hat, it’s just a matter of time before aspects of your business begin to suffer.
Usually the first to feel the repercussions are your clients. By having a dedicated customer service team ready to capture your client’s calls and answer their questions, you eliminate interruptions throughout the day and keep your clients happy.
A virtual reception service gives you more time to focus on growth and building your business instead of consistently putting out little fires. Specifically, a designated customer service team gives you:
- A designated staff always there for your clients
- The appearance of a larger legitimate business
- A chance to immediately connect on a human level.
Oh, and hear that? That’s the sound of silence as the constantly ringing phone has finally stopped, allowing you to get back to business.
They are much more cost effective
If you do a cost comparison of hiring someone to answer the phones vs. a virtual reception service, you’ll be wondering why you haven’t always had a virtual team at your side.
The savings alone justify the choice.
The most important thing to consider here is what you will do with the additional cash flow in your monthly budget. It could go to:
- Additional inventory
- A higher marketing spend
- A business development course you have been pushing off.
The other factor to consider is the time investment for getting an in-house team member up to speed. You’re looking at 1 to 3 months of continuous hands-on training for them to get to the needed skill level, whereas a virtual receptionist, if they have the proper systems in place, should be ready to go within 5 to 7 business days.
They help you capture all new opportunities
Every business owner has had the unfortunate experience of calling a potential client back only to find out they have already called another company. That alone is a huge barrier to growing your business.
It’s a fact that 75 to 80% of callers who reach a voicemail message, hangup. Today’s consumers have an abundance of choices, making it absolutely crucial for any business owner to ensure they answer the first time.
There is a huge misconception that technology fully solves this problem—that automated telephone answering software is the solution to capturing all incoming calls.
This is far from the case.
There is nothing more frustrating for a client than calling a company and navigating a complex phone tree, when a virtual receptionist can do what they need more efficiently.
What we have actually experienced is that a balance of both truly wins. Having a winning combination of dedicated people on deck to answer the phone and technology that supports them in doing this ultimately leads to a warmer experience for your customer base.
They take the Human Resources out of your hands
When thinking about a VR service, all the hiring and training of the receptionists is done by them. There is no need to worry about:
- Creating job ads
- Interviewing candidates
- Creating an onboarding manual
A reception service has that handled and done for you. You can also stop worrying about staff not showing up or calling in sick, as well as the added expense of a salary.
But even with everything mentioned above, the most important aspect is that you are bringing on a service expert who specializes in virtual reception—an industry you are likely not fully familiar with. A VR Service will help guide you in determining the best practices for how to get the most out of such a service. This step forward is the true added value because you’re now thinking like a business owner who has shifted their vision to scaling up.
Wrapping up
In the end, whether you go with hiring in house or a virtual receptionist, both are great options because you’re making the choice that is right for your business and both help you grow.
Ultimately it’s about finding what works best for you, but keep in mind that as you scale your business you will need to rely on other experts to get you where you want to go. This is why a virtual receptionist is a great first step in getting your business to the next level and ensuring your customers always have a friendly voice to talk to.
If you would like to get some advice on whether or not a virtual receptionist is a good fit for your business, we would love to chat with you. Book a call with Smiledog today.