November 10, 2022

The Costs of Hiring a Virtual Receptionist vs. an In-House Receptionist

Virtual Receptionist on the phone

Running a business means having teams of people attend phone calls, messages, appointments, and everything in between. Without a team to do all of these tasks, you might be at your wit’s end.

That’s when virtual receptionists’ services come in more than handy. Of course, some businesses prefer hiring an in-house receptionist. Namely, there are over 1,689,745 receptionists in the U.S. alone, which means the industry is pretty competitive.

Hiring an in-house receptionist might be a stretch for a small-sized business, which is why many small and medium-sized companies turn to virtual receptionists to handle calling, scheduling, and messaging at an affordable cost.

Read on as we compare the costs and benefits of using in-house and virtual receptionists.

The Cost of Hiring an In-House Receptionist

On average, a receptionist in the U.S. makes $36,750, which may be out of reach for a small business. 

Per the job description, an in-house receptionist will be responsible for answering calls, taking messages, scheduling appointments, and matters. A full-time in-house receptionist is expected to work eight hours a day, that’s more or less 40 hours per week. 

The Cost of Hiring a Virtual Receptionist

Unlike in-house receptionists, a virtual receptionist is not a full-time employee. You don’t have to pay a monthly salary for a virtual receptionist, as most answering services offer packages where the price depends on the number of service hours. 

On average, hiring a virtual receptionist costs roughly around $28,836, which is $7,608 less than what you would pay an in-house receptionist annually.

Virtual receptionists do everything in-house receptionists can, like schedule meetings and appointments, collect lead data, take messages, process orders, and organize your databases

In-House Vs. Virtual Receptionist: The Value

In a head-to-head comparison, virtual and in-house receptionists do the same job, yet virtual assistants often add more efficiency and value for your money.

Virtual Receptionist

In-house Receptionist

  • Available 24/7
  • Cost-efficient
  • No onboarding
  • No sick days
  • Available during business hours
  • Budget-burdening
  • On-boarding needed
  • Sick days included

 

As you can see, virtual receptionists trump in-house receptionists in more ways than one, making them a good fit for small businesses with a tight budget. However, you’re not paying a lower price for a low-quality service — you actually get more for less!

Never Miss Another Call With Always Answer

Serving clients since 1975, our team of professionals at Always Answer is at your disposal to help your business stay afloat whenever you need them! 

We are the people you need answering the phone for you – our customer services include virtual receptionists, employee screening, emergency dispatch, and more.

Get in touch with us and trust Always Answer to handle your business calls with the utmost care and dedication – we won’t let a call go unanswered.