{"id":10074,"date":"2023-03-28T09:25:16","date_gmt":"2023-03-28T08:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/?p=10074"},"modified":"2023-03-28T09:25:17","modified_gmt":"2023-03-28T08:25:17","slug":"small-business-virtual-receptionist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/","title":{"rendered":"In-house vs virtual receptionists: The ultimate small business guide to hiring a receptionist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You shouldn\u2019t underestimate the importance of a good receptionist. As the first port of call for visitors and customers, they\u2019re crucial to making a good first impression. But in a globalised world where hybrid working is increasingly popular, does the old model still make sense? If you\u2019re thinking about hiring a new receptionist, it might be a good time to think about doing things differently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll look at the pros and cons of hiring an in-house or virtual receptionist<\/a>. We\u2019ll also discuss some of the things you should be thinking about when making this surprisingly important hire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a virtual receptionist?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A virtual receptionist is a person or service that sits outside of your business but acts just like a receptionist inside your business would. They act as an extension of your business, answering calls and taking messages. They then forward any important messages or notes to the relevant person in your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Virtual<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Location<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you hire someone in-house, you\u2019ll be able to keep a close eye on them and they\u2019ll become a familiar face. However, your choice will be limited to candidates who live nearby. If you\u2019re in an expensive city, you\u2019ll also have to pay higher salaries to cover their living costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to choosing a virtual receptionist, the world is genuinely your oyster. Modern digital technologies make it possible to work with a receptionist on the other side of the world. However, there are some things to be mindful of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wage arbitrage<\/a> means that workers in some developing countries are cheaper, which makes them a good choice for cost-conscious businesses. However, customers can quickly become frustrated with receptionists who don\u2019t understand local colloquialisms and accents. Ultimately, you need receptionists capable of communicating in the same way as your customers. They also might not be as extensively trained as someone in-house. It\u2019s also important to work with receptionists who operate in the same time zone as you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Virtual<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, there\u2019s a solution that covers all bases. With the right provider, you can work with trained virtual receptionists who won\u2019t drive customers mad. They\u2019ll be available 24\/7, but cheaper than someone in-house. And your customers will never know the difference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scope of work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Different businesses want different things from a receptionist. For some, it\u2019s essential to have a person who can sit by the front door and greet visitors. Many businesses also combine receptionist roles with that of an office assistant, employing one person to cover both jobs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That means one individual is able to provide a wide range of support in the office. These can include taking calls and messages, organising travel, managing supplies and ensuring the office is well-ordered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you need only need someone to answer your calls and emails, a virtual receptionist could be more efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Virtual<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Working hours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Receptionists are human and, like all of us, they can only work so many hours in the day. Historically, receptionists would work during a business\u2019s office hours, then clock off. However, in today\u2019s world, few businesses stop all activity at 5 pm. With clients and suppliers based around the world, it can be a disadvantage to be unreachable in the evenings and weekends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your business needs a 24\/7 solution, then a virtual receptionist service could be for you. With a follow-the-sun model<\/a>, someone on the other side of the world can take your messages while you\u2019re fast asleep. Alternatively, UK receptionists working in shifts can deliver the same service without the potential for cultural misunderstandings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tenure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you have the right receptionist within your office, they can be a valuable part of the team. They\u2019re usually the first person you greet walking in, and their central location makes them a hub of gossip.<\/a> However, like all employees, if you hire the wrong one it can have a devastating impact. As the saying goes, one bad apple really does spoil the bunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But frustratingly, it can often be hard to get rid of an employee or long-term contractor who\u2019s a bad fit. However, with a virtual receptionist, you\u2019re not tied to working with the same person day-in-day-out. Is your new virtual receptionist not working out? No worries, just speak to your supplier and ask to switch them with someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Virtual<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Team compatibility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you have a receptionist, they need to work well with your team. That\u2019s easy enough to do in the office, as you\u2019re all there together. But does it work as effectively in a hybrid working world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, with a virtual receptionist, it\u2019s easy to integrate them into all of your tools. Most virtual receptionist services offer their own scheduling and communication tools, but will also integrate with common software like Calendly<\/a>, Google Calendar<\/a> or Microsoft 365<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specialist knowledge\/expertise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re thinking about hiring a receptionist, you might also think they need specialist expertise. For example, is there specific software or hardware that your business uses that will require training to use properly?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With an in-house receptionist, it\u2019s simple to offer hands-on training. But did you know it\u2019s possible with a virtual receptionist too? If you choose the right provider, it should be no problem to customise their service for your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Female<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Technology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re thinking about hiring a receptionist, it\u2019s important to think about any additional requirements you might have. For example, if they need to handle sensitive data<\/a>, will they have the training and tools to do it securely? If you\u2019re using a virtual receptionist service, it\u2019s important that their account manager is aware of your needs. Do they take security as seriously as you do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing the right virtual receptionist service for your business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thinking about a virtual receptionist service for your business but have questions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Book a call<\/a> with our team today and we\u2019ll work with you to find the best solution for your needs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Should you choose to hire an in-house or virtual receptionist? That all depends on which is best for your small business…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":9044,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,15],"tags":[37,251,213,138],"class_list":["post-10074","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-answerconnect-services","category-business-tips","tag-customer-service","tag-in-house-receptionist","tag-virtual-receptionist-service","tag-virtual-receptionists"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Ultimate Small Business Guide to Hiring A Virtual Receptionist<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For small businesses, it's not easy choosing to hire an in-house or virtual receptionist. So which is best for your business?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Ultimate Small Business Guide to Hiring A Virtual Receptionist\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For small businesses, it's not easy choosing to hire an in-house or virtual receptionist. So which is best for your business?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"AnswerConnect UK Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-03-28T08:25:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-03-28T08:25:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/answerconnectbloguk\/1\/2016\/02\/Help-Desk1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"621\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"474\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ben Graham\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ben Graham\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/\",\"name\":\"The Ultimate Small Business Guide to Hiring A Virtual Receptionist\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/answerconnectbloguk\/1\/2016\/02\/Help-Desk1.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-28T08:25:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-03-28T08:25:17+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/867099749447b9a134aa448a91833a7b\"},\"description\":\"For small businesses, it's not easy choosing to hire an in-house or virtual receptionist. So which is best for your business?\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/answerconnectbloguk\/1\/2016\/02\/Help-Desk1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/answerconnectbloguk\/1\/2016\/02\/Help-Desk1.png\",\"width\":621,\"height\":474,\"caption\":\"Virtual Receptionist transferring call via a headset and call forwarding technology\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"In-house vs virtual receptionists: The ultimate small business guide to hiring a receptionist\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"AnswerConnect UK Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/867099749447b9a134aa448a91833a7b\",\"name\":\"Ben Graham\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ded63a59e83a4fdd2a2d75462c5151f9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ded63a59e83a4fdd2a2d75462c5151f9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Ben Graham\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/author\/ben-graham\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Ultimate Small Business Guide to Hiring A Virtual Receptionist","description":"For small businesses, it's not easy choosing to hire an in-house or virtual receptionist. So which is best for your business?","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Ultimate Small Business Guide to Hiring A Virtual Receptionist","og_description":"For small businesses, it's not easy choosing to hire an in-house or virtual receptionist. So which is best for your business?","og_url":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/","og_site_name":"AnswerConnect UK Blog","article_published_time":"2023-03-28T08:25:16+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-03-28T08:25:17+00:00","og_image":[{"width":621,"height":474,"url":"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/answerconnectbloguk\/1\/2016\/02\/Help-Desk1.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Ben Graham","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Ben Graham","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/","url":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/","name":"The Ultimate Small Business Guide to Hiring A Virtual Receptionist","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/answerconnectbloguk\/1\/2016\/02\/Help-Desk1.png","datePublished":"2023-03-28T08:25:16+00:00","dateModified":"2023-03-28T08:25:17+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/867099749447b9a134aa448a91833a7b"},"description":"For small businesses, it's not easy choosing to hire an in-house or virtual receptionist. So which is best for your business?","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/answerconnectbloguk\/1\/2016\/02\/Help-Desk1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/answerconnectbloguk\/1\/2016\/02\/Help-Desk1.png","width":621,"height":474,"caption":"Virtual Receptionist transferring call via a headset and call forwarding technology"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/answerconnect-services\/small-business-virtual-receptionist\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"In-house vs virtual receptionists: The ultimate small business guide to hiring a receptionist"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/","name":"AnswerConnect UK Blog","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/867099749447b9a134aa448a91833a7b","name":"Ben Graham","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ded63a59e83a4fdd2a2d75462c5151f9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ded63a59e83a4fdd2a2d75462c5151f9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Ben Graham"},"url":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/author\/ben-graham\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10074"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10074"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10074\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10076,"href":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10074\/revisions\/10076"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9044"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}