Ever wonder what business growth sounds like?
It’s the sound of a phone ringing.
Every day, millions of people call businesses in the hopes of buying products or services, booking appointments, and getting their questions answered. Too often, the organization on the other end doesn’t pick up—not because they don’t want to, but because they can’t. They’re busy, unavailable, or unable to provide the personalized service their callers expect.
Smart businesses overcome these limitations by taking advantage of live virtual receptionist services.
Live virtual receptionists can help your business grow by strengthening your customer service reputation, reducing overhead expenses, capturing leads, and maximizing revenue opportunities. They’re trained, professional human beings available on-demand to represent you and your business over the phone. They do it all—from answering and transferring calls live to taking messages, scheduling appointments, handling FAQs, placing outbound calls on your behalf, and more.
Live virtual receptionist services are the modern evolution of the in-house receptionist function of yesteryear. Cloud computing and advances in telecommunications technology have made it possible for receptionists to handle calls remotely, if and when businesses need them to. This gives organizations like yours greater flexibility in meeting caller demand.
For prospects and customers, meanwhile, live virtual receptionist services are indistinguishable from speaking to someone located at a company’s physical office.
It’s a win-win for callers and businesses.
Here are just a few ways live virtual receptionist services fuel business growth:
What are live virtual receptionist services?
Live virtual receptionist services involve trained professionals who answer calls, manage scheduling, and handle customer inquiries remotely. These services make sure that businesses never miss a call—even outside of standard business hours.
Key features of live virtual receptionist services
Live virtual receptionist services are packed with perks to keep your business running smoothly and your customers smiling.
Personalized call answering
Appointment scheduling
Lead capture
24/7 availability
Integration capabilities
Key features include:
- Personalized call answering: Every call gets a friendly, professional touch, perfectly tailored to match your brand’s personality.
- Appointment scheduling: Handling client bookings and keeping your calendar updated without a hitch.
- Lead capture: Snagging potential business leads so you can follow up and seal the deal.
- 24/7 availability: Always on, always ready—because business doesn’t stop after hours.
- Integration capabilities: Playing nice with your existing systems to keep everything running like clockwork.
Benefits of live virtual receptionist services
Running a business usually involves countless tasks, but live virtual receptionists can help lighten the load. These services do more than provide a cost-effective and reliable alternative to hiring full-time staff. They also help you:
Save money.
Outsourcing receptionist services is often a lot cheaper than hiring a full-time employee. Unlike an in-house receptionist, which involves expenses for salary, benefits, and training, live virtual receptionists offer a scalable solution that fits your budget. Businesses save on the overhead costs of office space, equipment, and utilities, creating more opportunities for financial flexibility and investment in other areas.
Improve the customer experience.
With 24/7 availability, your customers can get consistent support, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Professional handling of calls reassures clients that they are valued and that their needs will be met—day or night. This means better engagement, higher retention rates, and more five-star reviews.
Boost productivity.
Delegating call management to live virtual receptionists frees up your in-house team to concentrate on core responsibilities, improving overall productivity. This division of labor allows staff to focus on the important tasks and projects, without getting sidetracked.
Keep a consistent brand reputation.
Live virtual receptionists are trained to align with your company’s brand voice and values. This way, each customer interaction upholds your brand’s reputation and builds trust. By delivering personal, warm customer experiences, your business will stand out in a world filled with AI and chatbots.
Types of businesses that benefit from live virtual receptionists
Not all businesses need a full-time receptionist—but almost every business can benefit from having one. They’re the perfect solution for companies that want professional, reliable customer support without the cost of hiring in-house staff. From law firms to medical practices to e-commerce stores, virtual receptionists offer flexibility, 24/7 coverage, and a polished first impression.
Businesses that benefit the most
Live virtual receptionist services can be invaluable to many types of businesses that need reliable, high-quality customer support without the overhead of full-time staff. Here are some examples:
- Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs): These often have limited resources and can’t justify the cost of an in-house receptionist, but still require consistent phone coverage.
- Law firms: They benefit from professional call handling and appointment scheduling, which allows lawyers to focus on their cases and clients.
- Medical practices: Receptionists can manage appointment bookings, patient inquiries, and handle sensitive information with discretion, improving the patient experience.
- Real estate agencies: They rely on timely communication to capture leads, set up showings, and manage client interactions efficiently.
- E-commerce stores: Live virtual receptionists help with customer service, order questions, and managing return processes, enhancing the overall shopping experience.
How live virtual receptionists contribute to business growth
Increase customer retention.
Strengthen customer service reputation.
Reduce overhead.
Gain business opportunities.
Capture missed opportunities.
Boost lead conversion.
Live virtual receptionists do more than answer calls—they help businesses grow by enhancing customer experiences and streamlining operations. With prompt, professional responses, they improve customer retention by making clients feel heard and valued. Plus, they can help save money and time, while maximizing opportunities and boosting lead conversion rates.
Increase customer retention.
Live virtual receptionists help create a positive customer experience by personally handling all calls and inquiries. When customers feel valued and receive quick, professional responses, their trust in the business grows, making them more likely to stay loyal and keep coming back. Who wouldn’t want that?
Strengthen customer service reputation.
Consistent, high-quality service provided by live virtual receptionists elevates a business’s reputation. When customers consistently interact with knowledgeable, courteous receptionists, they perceive the business as reliable and professional, which strengthens overall brand trust and customer loyalty.
Reduce overhead.
Outsourcing receptionist duties cuts down on expenses related to hiring full-time staff, training, office space, and equipment. This reduction in overhead allows businesses to allocate resources to other important growth areas while also improving customer service quality.
Gain business opportunities.
Live virtual receptionists help businesses never miss a call or an opportunity. Immediate responses to customer inquiries and leads help capture potential business that might otherwise be lost to competitors.
Capture missed opportunities.
Missed calls can mean lost opportunities, whether from potential customers or business partners. Live virtual receptionists answer every call, so that every inquiry is addressed, and no business prospect is overlooked.
Boost lead conversion.
Skilled virtual receptionists know how to chat it up with leads, delivering just the right info to make it click with potential clients. Their personalized touch turns curious leads into loyal customers, giving your business the boost it deserves.
Strengthen your customer service reputation.
Live virtual receptionist services can turn your business into the customer service superstar everyone’s talking about. Survey after survey shows that the majority of consumers prefer to contact businesses over the phone.
Those callers hope—and increasingly, expect—to speak with a live, human representative:
- Roughly 76% of callers will hang up without leaving a voicemail if their call isn’t answered.
- Approximately 67% of callers will hang up if they reach an automated system.
Rather than seeing heightened customer expectations as a challenge, consider this an opportunity to stand out. All you have to do to outperform your competition is pick up the phone.
Consider the fact that 72% of consumers will share their positive experiences with others. That figure has a direct impact on your bottom line.
- Did you know that online reviews influence purchase decisions for a whopping 93% of consumers?
- How about the fact that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know over any other form of advertising?
Reduce overhead and supplement existing resources.
Live virtual receptionist services allow you to boost your customer service results and tap into the power of word of mouth—without burdening your business with unnecessary expenses.
The average annual salary for an in-house receptionist is $36,000. That doesn’t include benefit packages, training costs, or potential severance. Many business owners, particularly owners of small businesses, can’t justify the costs of hiring, onboarding, and training someone on-site to answer calls full-time.
Fortunately for those organizations, live, virtual answering service receptionists are available for a fraction of the cost.
Even for businesses that can afford an in-house receptionist, 40 hours a week doesn’t always cut it. Prospects and customers frequently call during non-business hours. Other times, they don’t get through because lines are busy or staff members are on break.
Virtual receptionists, on the other hand, are always available–from midnight to lunchtime to peak hours.
Best of all, with live virtual receptionist services, there’s no investment to make in new hardware or software, and no errors or growing pains associated with implementing a new platform in your business. It’s all virtual. The change to your business is minimal or nonexistent. Some services (including ours) will even allow you to keep your existing business number, so you can forward calls to your virtual team with zero friction on the caller’s end.
“For five years Ruby’s professional and friendly receptionists have done an amazing job of treating our clients just how we want! Better than anyone I could hire in house and our clients constantly rave about ‘our’ receptionist!”
– Jamie T., Client Relations Manager
Gain more business opportunities—and increase revenue.
The many benefits of live virtual receptionist services add up to more opportunities for your business. Let’s run down the big ones:
You’ll maximize your chances to connect with every prospect and customer. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: missed calls are missed opportunities. Live virtual receptionists are able to answer most—if not all—calls that come into your business. Plus, they’re available when you need them, and are never sick, late, or on vacation.
Better customer service means greater customer lifetime value (LTV). At the risk of sounding obvious, customer service has a direct impact on LTV. The better you can serve your callers, the more likely you are to convert and retain them.
You’ll also learn more about your audience. Live virtual receptionists can collect call data and key details about your customers, and prospects: names, contact information, reasons for reaching out, the best times to follow up, sentiments about the business, and so forth. These insights can inform marketing and sales efforts, reveal gaps in customer experience, shape product and/or service offerings, and more.
(PS – The benefits of virtual receptionist services aren’t limited to phone calls. This can all happen via live chat as well.)
What happens when a live virtual receptionist takes a call?
Virtual receptionists answer calls from US-based offices, greeting callers with a personalized message, e.g.: “Thank you for calling Dr. Smith’s offices—how may I help you today?”
From there, receptionists route callers according to call-handling instructions tailored to fit the unique needs of your business. Specific types of incoming calls can also receive their own treatment. For example, a prospect can be immediately connected to your office while solicitors are offered voicemail.
In a typical live virtual receptionist service arrangement, a receptionist will…
- Greet your callers
- Dial your phone line
- Offer to connect you with the caller, if you are available
- Take a message or offer the caller voicemail, if you are not available
- Send you an email, text message, or app notification with your caller’s message or voicemail
The process is up to you. When and how you use virtual receptionists, along with what they say to customers and prospects, are your calls to make. No pun intended.
How to choose the right live virtual receptionist service
Picking the right live virtual receptionist service can make all the difference for your business. So, let’s go through what you should keep an eye out for when you’re reviewing your options.
Key considerations
- Service availability: Find out if the service has your back 24/7 or just during certain hours. Being available around the clock means you’ll never miss a chance to wow a customer or snag an opportunity.
- Industry experience and specialization: Pick a provider who knows your industry like the back of their hand. You want pros who get your business and speak your lingo.
- Integration with business software: Make sure the receptionist service plays nice with your current software—like your CRM and scheduling tools. When everything clicks, you’ll enjoy hassle-free workflows and smooth sailing for your day-to-day operations.
- Multilingual capabilities: If your business serves a diverse customer base, look for a service that offers multilingual receptionists. It’s a game-changer for connecting with non-English-speaking clients and making everyone feel right at home.
Red flags to avoid
- Unreliable service providers: Watch out for companies with a revolving door of staff, weak training programs, or sketchy reviews. High turnover means calls are handled like a game of telephone. Not the best look for your business.
- Hidden fees: Don’t get caught off guard by sneaky charges! Choose a service that lays it all out upfront—your budget (and sanity) will thank you.
Live virtual receptionists at Ruby
Ruby is a proven industry leader in live virtual receptionist services. Every day, thousands of businesses across the US trust us to pick up the phone on their behalf. We take pride in helping our customers grow their businesses. Take it from them:
“Ever since we signed up with Ruby Receptionists we’ve been able to recover 10-15% of our inbound leads and over $1,600 in marketing costs per month. That’s a huge return for our investment with Ruby and we’re just getting started!”
“For five years Ruby’s professional and friendly receptionists have done an amazing job of treating our clients just how we want! Better than anyone I could hire in house and our clients constantly rave about ‘our’ receptionist!”
“Ruby’s extended hours translated into a boom for my business. I did not realize how many potential clients moved on to someone else when they got my after-hours voicemail. Now with Ruby one the line, even if I cannot pick up, many more potential clients are sticking around to become actual clients.”
Discover how our live virtual receptionists can help you grow your business. Try Ruby risk-free with a free 14-day trial. Talk to a friendly Ruby at 844-311-7829 or chat with us to get started.
