A virtual receptionist does more than simply answer calls for you. With the advances in technology that make phone calls cheap and efficient, a virtual receptionist can do more than just take messages. Virtual receptionists provide a wide range of services to enhance your company’s ability to handle incoming calls from clients, adding an extra layer of professionalism to user-facing communication.
Auto-attendant systems also referred to as telephone auto-attendants, allow a user with a smartphone or mobile device (such as a Blackberry or iPhone) to answer calls and place and take messages from their computers or other devices.
Users interact with a virtual receptionist through an online interface, using voice commands to conduct several important functions, from placing appointments to picking up items and loading luggage.
Some auto-attendants can even turn a person’s phone into a touch-screen device, thereby performing tasks not possible with a keyboard and mouse. For businesses operating on a tight budget, these services can provide a great deal of help.
Auto-attendant services can be particularly useful for small businesses, which often have limited or no IT staff and little in the way of digital infrastructure to run a call center.
By giving their employees free access to their smartphones, businesses can ensure that they’re able to continue running their day to day operations, even when their own telecommunications systems are down. In addition, small businesses can use their virtual receptionists to respond to incoming calls and transfer information to their computer systems when necessary.
While traditional call centers can provide callers with voicemail or email options to leave a message, these options can be inconvenient and time-consuming, since it takes a trained employee to answer each call. With a virtual receptionist service, a business can give its customers the option to leave a message conveniently, whether by fax, voice mail, or email.
