Receptionists are often the first person your customers, vendors, and clients speak to when calling your business. They set the tone and provide the first impressions callers receive about your operation. It is important to ensure you have the best person answering your phone calls, in order to make good and lasting impressions.
Finding the ideal person can be challenging for owners of small- and medium-sized businesses. You have to take out an ad, schedule interviews, and make sure to choose the job candidate you feel will be the best fit for your business. In addition to the hiring process, you have to consider the short-term and long-term costs, including:
- Salary
- Health Insurance
- Unemployment Insurance
- Workers Compensation
- Paid Time Off
- Sick Days
- Vacation Days
- Training
Further, an actual receptionist will only be able to handle a specific call volume during specific working hours. There are risks the receptionists will not be available to take all of your calls if call volumes are too high, or they are away from the phones for meetings, breaks, and time off work. Any calls that come in after hours would also go unanswered and result in voice mail messages to listen and respond to the next business day.
With a virtual receptionist from our phone answering service, you also get an real person to answer your phones. However, you do not have to worry about interviewing or training, or the other costs you experience when you directly hire someone. Rather, you are only charged for the phone calls the virtual receptionist answers, not an entire 8-hour workday.
