2020 was a very unusual year. The COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world and forced millions of people to work from home. Despite all the questions regarding security and productivity, this enforced experiment in remote working has been surprisingly successful. So successful that multinational corporations such as Twitter have stated that they will allow many of their employees to continue working remotely for as long as they choose.
Regardless of whether or not you are part of a major corporation or a small business, first impressions count. For this reason, as remote working has gained traction in the last 18 months, so has the interest in digital receptionists, also known as “virtual receptionist” or a “telephone answering service”.
A digital receptionist is similar to an in-house receptionist, but the service is outsourced to another company and works from that company’s office. A digital receptionist will usually answer all of your business calls, route them to the correct people and filter out unwanted spam or sales calls. They will also take messages from callers and forward them to the appropriate people, usually via text, email or an online portal. The digital receptionist may also answer basic and frequently asked questions from callers and book appointments.
Whether you work remotely or from an office, there are many benefits to hiring a digital receptionist. When using a digital receptionist instead of an in-house full-time hire, there is no need to spend time recruiting and training a receptionist. You will not need to endure handling lots of legal paperwork, permanent contracts and employee benefits packages.
A digital receptionist can help you to scale a business whilst mitigating financial risk. With a professional digital receptionist or telephone answering service like the one provided by Moneypenny, there are no lengthy contracts. This flexibility is ideal for seasonal businesses or businesses experiencing a sharp increase in phone calls which may only be temporary. In addition, a digital receptionist service from Moneypenny costs as little as £5 per day. According to totaljobs.com, the average salary for a full-time receptionist in the UK is just under £19,000 (at the time of writing). With Moneypenny, you can enjoy the benefits of an in-house receptionist for a fraction of the cost.
In addition to the flexibility in terms of contracts, there is no need to invest in expensive office furniture and computer software with a digital receptionist. You will usually pay a set monthly fee without any setup costs. In addition, Moneypenny provides a seven-day free trial, so you can try and evaluate the benefits of a digital receptionist before you commit to any ongoing contract.
The impact of distractions and interruptions are often overlooked or at least downplayed. According to many reports, remote working has resulted in increased productivity, which is thought to be due to a significant decrease in workplace interruptions.
Interruptions such as unwanted scam calls or sales phone calls are not only frustrating and annoying, but research shows that they can lower both the quantity and quality of work completed in a set time frame.
Not only do interruptions such as unwanted phone calls decrease productivity, but they are also shown by scientific research to increase the number of errors you are likely to make and the level of stress and anxiety that you are likely to experience. In one study, for example, error rates tripled when subjects were interrupted.
With a digital receptionist or a telephone answering service from Moneypenny, you can update your status on the Moneypenny mobile app to “Do not disturb”, and your digital receptionist will ensure that only emergency calls are routed through to your phone.
With the number of unwanted sales and spam calls increasing in recent years, this can drastically enhance your productivity. In addition, you won’t need to listen out for your phone constantly whilst you are focusing on the task at hand, which in turn can help you enter a “flow state” with your work – making it more enjoyable and productive.
We know how important your business is to you, and we understand how crucial it is to make a good first impression. When you hire an awarding winning, professional digital receptionist provider such as Moneypenny, you can rest assured that your receptionist will “wow!” all of your callers with his or her professional attitude and tone.
Each Moneypenny receptionist is highly trained, and we match each business with a specific receptionist based on his or her experience and skillset. Your receptionist will also take the time to get to know your business and you and your colleagues so that he or she can answer your business calls exactly as a full-time in-house receptionist would.
Even if you are working from home, with a highly professional UK-based digital receptionist, your business will be based in an office as far as your callers are concerned. Even though remote-working is accepted as a legitimate business practice since the pandemic, it can still be perceived as more professional to work from an office. You also don’t have to worry about answering the phone whilst the next-door neighbour’s dog is barking or they’re mowing the lawn! Even if you only have a mobile phone with Moneypenny, you can choose a local or even toll-free number as well.
With Moneypenny, all of your business calls are answered promptly, and with an out of hours, 24/7 answering service, you will never miss a business call, day or night!
With the number of people working shifts increasing in many areas of the country, taking advantage of a 24/7 answering service is a great way to go above and beyond and provide an excellent level of customer service.
In addition to shift-workers, many individuals prefer to call businesses outside of regular office hours. For example, a busy parent may find it easiest to contact a company during the evening, after work and after the children have gone to bed.
If a potential client or customer attempts to get in touch and the call goes unanswered, they are highly unlikely to leave a voice message and are highly likely to call a direct competitor.
Ensuring that all of your calls are answered promptly, regardless of of the time – will make your callers feel valued and important, creating a great first impression. An unanswered call will leave your potential customer feeling frustrated and annoyed.
As mentioned earlier, interruptions can significantly increase levels of stress. Not only that, but constantly listening out for your business phone or mobile phone, day and night, can prevent you from enjoying whatever else it is you might be doing. You can never completely switch off from work.
With a digital receptionist service, you can relax, safe in the knowledge that all of your calls are being taken care of. This can allow you to focus on the work at hand, and with a 24/7 service, you can relax and enjoy your recreational time after a hard day at the office. With an out of hours answering service, you can capture calls and generate leads, even whilst you’re asleep!
One of the start-up costs related to starting a business is installing a phone system. In some instances, this can cost several thousands of pounds. With Moneypenny’s telephone answering/digital receptionist service, you can effectively turn your mobile phone into an office phone system.
You can choose a professional business number, such as a local or toll-free number, which can help to create a great first impression.
A local landline or toll-free number can also enhance your company’s brand when it is listed on your website, business cards and company literature.
The Moneypenny app also makes it easy to route calls to specific telephone numbers and in a particular order. You can check your call history for easy reference and designate specific numbers as VIP callers.
In addition, you can use the Moneypenny online portal to review a number of reports, including the number of calls and your busiest times of the day and week.
With Moneypenny, we handpick a receptionist to be a seamless addition to your team.
You can also enjoy a high level of flexibility with a tailored digital receptionist service. You can have your business calls answered by a Moneypenny receptionist all of the time, when you are busy, or as part of an overflow service. You can also opt for a 24/7 service to answer all of your calls no matter what day of the week or time of day it is.
With Moneypenny’s receptionist service, you can also enjoy a seven-day free trial without any obligation to sign up and without providing any payment details. During the free trial, you can experience the service and its benefits for yourself. You will also be able to speak to your Moneypenny receptionist and brief him or her on your business and your specific requirements when it comes to answering calls.
To find out more and to sign up to a free trial, please visit our telephone answering service page
12 Feb 2024
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