Don’t Make These Mistakes When Searching For The Right Virtual Receptionist To Help Upgrade Your Business’ Customer Service.
Taking the step to hire a virtual receptionist can be a great move for your business. Leveraging the power of professional call center team can free up your staff’s time and energy to focus on current customers, and it also helps position your business as one that is always accessible and responsive. However, choosing the wrong virtual receptionist can actually damage your brand and leave your callers with a bad perception of your company. To avoid this and make sure you are partnering with a quality live receptionist, we’ve put together a list of common mistakes you definitely don’t want to make when choosing your live receptionist service.
- Limited Availability. When you hire a professional call center to serve as your virtual receptionist, it’s best to go with a company that can offer 24/7 service. If you choose a service with limited availability, you’ll just find your business backed into the same corner you were in before you made the choice to get help with your calls. The goal is ease and accessibility for your customers–find a quality call center that will provide just that. Don’t limit your availability or miss another opportunity.
- Standardized Scripts. Trusting contracted employees to represent your business well is much easier when both you and the virtual receptionist service can agree on a few customizable scripts to handle your most common customer calls. If a virtual receptionist service only offers a standardized script with no room for customization, you’ll be compromising your ability to truly communicate well and meet your customers’ actual needs.
- Poor Communication Process. There’s nothing worse than finding out a customer’s message didn’t get to the intended recipient or a call was routed to the wrong person. Before confirming a virtual receptionist’s role in your business plan, be sure that they have a clear protocol for delivering all messages and transferring necessary calls. This way, you can be sure that you are offering truly seamless communication instead of creating headaches for your staff and wasted work time tracking down important messages.
- Scheduling Snafus. If you want a virtual receptionist to be able to schedule appointments for your current or new customers/clients/patients, great! Just be sure that the company you choose can seamlessly interface with your chosen scheduling systems your business. It’s all too common to let an inexperienced off-site receptionist accidentally double book your business, which leads to a stressed out staff and disappointed customers. Avoid this mistake and ensure a positive experience for everyone involved!
- Inconsistent Messaging. An excellent virtual receptionist should be totally clear on all the ins and outs of your business. From hours of operation to services performed or products sold, every person who answers the phone for your business should be able to provide clear, consistent information about what you and your staff do. Customers who call to speak with someone directly want clear information that’s consistent with official business policies, and nothing less. Callers who dial once and hear one thing and then something completely different the next time they call are going to become frustrated and lose faith in your business quickly.
Taking note of these tips and avoiding these common mistakes when hiring a virtual receptionist to handle your business’ calls will ensure a smooth transition that will be beneficial for both your business and your customers! Careful selection will put you in great shape to start growing your business, building customer loyalty, and giving your staff more time to focus on what matters most. For more information on how to choose a truly professional virtual receptionist service that will elevate your company to its highest potential, contact MAP Communications today for a free 7-day trial!
Here are some related articles you might be interested in:
What is a Live Virtual Receptionist?
Incorporating a Virtual Receptionist into Your Business Strategy
