A virtual receptionist is a remote employee that can answer the phone, manage basic customer service requests, and do a variety of administrative duties. While some organizations prefer to use software-based answering services, having a live person in the role can improve the customer experience and increase the company’s overall brand image. Virtual receptionists are more crucial than ever, with 65 per cent of people preferring to contact a firm by phone.
What is the average cost of a virtual receptionist?
Per-minute rate –
It is usually determined by the services people choose and the volume of calls they make. The nominal fee will be determined by the monthly call volume and the amount of time a virtual receptionist spends connecting with clients on their behalf.
Monthly subscriptions –
Some answering services provide monthly subscriptions that contain a pre-paid package of minutes that can be utilized whenever you need them. These minutes, in general, do not expire, albeit this is dependent on the conditions of the agreement that customers sign with a certain service. Monthly minimums are common, and they indicate how many minutes you must utilize to keep their account active.
Other answering services offer tiers of pricing, allowing customers to prepay just for the services they require. They might choose a lower tier if they just want a simple automated menu to divert client calls to in-house personnel. More advanced features, such as a live agent who can answer frequently requested questions, may be provided at a higher price point.
People should read any agreement carefully before signing it because the answering service industry is infamous for incorporating fees and behind-the-scenes upcharges. Some services charge for what’s referred to as agent work time. This refers to the time when an agent is not on the phone but is still working on the account, and it can significantly increase their monthly price.
Incremental billing, which occurs when firms round the minutes to the nearest increment, is another prevalent upcharge. The usual increment for a call is the sixth second, but some organizations round up to the nearest minute. Even if the nominal per-minute fee appears to be low, incremental billing might dramatically increase their monthly payment.
