Category: Virtual Reception

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Virtual Business Virtual Reception

Engage with me before you sell to me

Recently, I joined a group on Facebook for like-minded business owners. This was purportedly a support group, aimed at business owners, wanting to discuss solutions for their business challenges. This was not a networking or sales group.  I joined this group to gain fresh ideas, as a way to meet other business owners and to see how we might be able to support each other – or so I thought…

I was introduced to the group by the administrator and was, in turn, asked to introduce myself. Happily, I gave my name and offered some personal information; what I like to do in my spare time, how many kids I have, my marital status, that I run my own successful small business (I did not state what type of business this was) and what pain points I was experiencing in my business.  I also made it clear that I had joined this group to understand how other business owners work to alleviate their pain points – I was looking for support.

The aim of my introduction was not to sell my services, it was to present myself as a human being and a fellow business owner. It was to share why I joined this group and discuss the vulnerabilities in my business. I was hoping to speak in a safe place where I could gain support and understanding from others about what works or does not work, for them. A brainstorming group – this is why I joined this particular group.

Given I am big on creating meaningful connections and building robust relationships with people, I was hoping some of the members in this group would build a rapport with me and tell me a little about who THEY are as a person. What I found was quite fascinating!

I had twenty-three people respond and welcome me to the group that day. However, instead of sharing their own experiences or even asking me any further questions, eighteen of the twenty-three participants jumped in straight away, hawking their services and how they could help me.  In fact, two of those eighteen immediately asked to schedule a meeting with me so they could solve my problems.

This was absolutely disturbing to me. These people had no idea who I really was, they did not know what type of business I own and certainly did not notice when I said that I am big on making meaningful connections with people. They simply did not listen nor did they care why I was there – they smelled new blood and smothered me trying to get my business.

I had offers from business coaches wanting to coach me, personal shoppers wanting to shop for me and a nanny agency offering to look after my children.  I even had a fellow Virtual Assistant offer me their services – asking me if I knew what a VA was and advising how a VA could help my business. (Did I mention that I own a Virtual Assistant company?)

I soon realised that this may not be the best group for me.  I needed support from like-minded business owners who have daily struggles in their own businesses.  I was here to see how others put out their fires, how they work with their teams and how they support their own businesses. I pointed out that I felt the majority of people who responded were trying to sell their services to me without even knowing what it is that I do – more sales than support.

On the upside, out of the twenty-three that “welcomed” me to the group that day, five people were interested in who I was.  I was delighted to learn more about who they were and what they do and, happily, they each asked me what I do, which I gladly told them. Their feedback to me was that they enjoyed getting to know me as a person, mother, wife, business owner and someone who sometimes struggles just as much as they do. I seemed open and honest – someone they could learn from.

Personally, I have learned much from these five connections I have made.  We also decided that it would be more beneficial to set up a private chat than to remain in the original group, which I have now left.

The moral of the story; get to know people before you jump in and try to save them. You might be offering to save them in areas they don’t need and may end up just pushing them away. Engage with your connections – you never know what you will learn and where those relationships may lead.

Written by Korryn Campbell

 

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Virtual Business Virtual Reception

The New and Healthy Way of Employing a Receptionist

Who is usually the fist point of contact for your business?  That’s right!; it’s your receptionist – a customer service professional who will provide a positive first impression for your business.

Every business, whether big or small, should think about adding a receptionist to its team.  However, if you are thinking that cost may be an issue, there is a solution – virtual reception and PA services.     You may be surprised to learn that you can still have quality services without the hefty price tag of a hiring full time staff member.

If you are wondering what the benefits of a virtual reception are or if they are the same benefits as hiring an in-house staff member, read on…

Calls are Always Answered

Hiring a virtual receptionist means your calls are always answered – breaks, annual leave and sick days are always covered by a backup receptionist ready to take your calls.

Ensured Customer Service

Virtual receptionists are, in their own right, business owners who understand the importance of professional first impressions.  You can expect quality customer service from the first  ‘Welcome to…’, to the last ‘ …and Thank You for calling’.

Savings

Hiring a virtual receptionist is cost effective because you pay on a per-call basis – you aren’t paying a full time salary during those sometimes slow periods.

Maintain Professionalism

As the saying goes, ‘the first impression is the last impression’!  Hiring a virtual receptionist maintains professionalism – your customers will welcome the fact that they can speak with a knowledgeable, professional team member instead of just leaving a message.

These are only some of the benefits of virtual reception and how it may be beneficial for you business.  If you are still doubtful or have any questions about whether hiring a virtual reception and PA service is for you, reach out to us – you’ll be happy that you did.

 

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Virtual Business Virtual Reception

How a Virtual Receptionist helps improve the Functionality of a Business?

Every entrepreneur expects to run their business effectively and smoothly, not only in the start-up phase but for the life of the business too. The need to carry out countless activities can be helped by hiring a virtual receptionist. They could handle tasks like answering phone calls, scheduling appointments, taking messages and, most importantly, being the first point of contact for new and existing business clients.  Let’s take a look at this a bit closer.

Help Run Business Smoothly!

The prime benefit of hiring a receptionist is that it helps in running the business smoothly. The receptionist is there to field calls, schedule appointments, and answer FAQ’s, they may even be able provide quotations for work, depending on the set up of your business. When the less important tasks are handed over from the shoulder of an entrepreneur to a receptionist, this allows for the team around them to concentrate better on the business tasks ahead.

Increase Productivity

Handing over the business responsibilities to a receptionist helps the business owner concentrate on other important tasks, which will help to expand the business and reach. Receptionists are there to make the team’s life easier – fielding calls so they are transferred to the correct team member.  This means you have a team member who is concentrating on their role and not taking calls that may not be relevant to their specific role.

Maintaining Records

Keeping a track of all records is very important in a business. This is where a receptionist proves to be of great help by collecting information with each call. Calls can be properly handled at the time of call; all contact details can be received and the notes taken whilst on the call can be stored and sent to the relevant person within your business. If you use a CRM, the receptionist can input all new clients straight into the CRM for follow up.

Are you looking at hiring a virtual receptionist?

Categories
Virtual Business Virtual Reception

Virtual Reception Support is Storming the Corporate World

It comes as no surprise that technology is changing the world. For example, currently, businesses are heading towards hiring virtual receptionist services rather than opting for traditional in house receptionists and personal assistants. Interpreting the reason behind this change is really simple – the changing demands of the market and the cut-throat competition. Generally, a virtual assistance or a receptionist is equipped with a wide range of skill set. They are responsible for handling a number of tasks such as customer service, email management, e-commerce management, social media management, and marketing among many other skills.

There are various reasons why different businesses are hiring a virtual receptionist for managing several tasks; they are cost-effective, employ quality service , reduce workload, provide working flexibility, and save money by only paying for the calls/task required and not for downtime during the day etc.

Sounds interesting? Moreover, VOS works remotely, so we don’t require a separate office with all advanced equipment. Things don’t end here, imagine how interesting it would be if you have someone to perform the administrative work in your business, but you need not pay for their health benefits, taxes, lunch breaks and leave entitlements and insurance. Wouldn’t that be great?

Perhaps, all these factors are the root reasons why traditional assistants are also converting into virtual ones. At large, hiring a virtual assistant or receptionist is the best idea for businesses that desire to get professional services without investing a hefty amount.