10 Business Problems AI-Assisted Virtual Receptionists Can Solve

Every business faces challenges. That’s particularly true when it comes to customer communication. Sometimes, just answering phone calls can seem like an insurmountable hurdle. Of course, you can’t take a “wait and see” approach here, not with the importance of making the right first impression and delivering the outstanding experience your customers want and deserve. 

The good news is that AI-assisted virtual receptionists can help. In this post, we’ll discuss 10 business problems Smith.ai’s virtual receptionists (assisted by our industry-leading AI) can solve.

1. Missed opportunities 

Every time a call goes to voicemail, it’s a missed opportunity. Too many missed opportunities, and your business will suffer. AI-assisted virtual receptionists ensure that you never miss another call, whether your team is busy helping other customers or the call comes in after hours. With 24/7 answering and human receptionists to empathize and connect with your customers, it’s easier to build a thriving business and create satisfied clients.

2. Endless repetition

Playing telephone hot potato is pretty frustrating for your clients. Their call is answered by a receptionist, to whom they give their information. They’re then transferred to someone else, and they have to give those details again. This can happen multiple times on the same call, and each time, your customer’s satisfaction level drops. With AI-assisted virtual receptionists, that’s not a problem because all the customer’s information is available to the receptionist at the time of the call, including name and contact details, history with your company, and more.

3. Improved lead qualifying accuracy

Are you struggling to qualify leads? You’re not alone. It’s a challenge for most businesses. It’s also a time sink because every call that doesn’t convert into a customer is essentially time that your team could have better spent doing something else. With AI-assisted virtual receptionists, the lead qualifying process is streamlined and automated, ensuring that your people can handle mission-critical tasks while professional receptionists vet callers and move them through the funnel.

4. Keep track of clients 

How often do you lose track of your clients in the everyday chaos of doing business? We get it. It happens. But it doesn’t have to happen to you (or your customers). Losing track of your clients can erode trust and send the message that the client or potential client doesn’t really matter to your business. With AI-assisted virtual receptionists, you never need to worry that you’ve dropped the ball again. With 24/7 call answering, follow-up communication, automated communication by text, phone, and email, and payment collection/processing capabilities, we keep the customer front and center.

5. Handling appointment setting and reminders

How long does it take your team to set an appointment with a customer? It seems like such a simple process, but it can take a surprising amount of time and a lot of back and forth. AI-assisted virtual receptionists can handle appointment setting, ensuring that your clients have the flexibility they need and your team can do what they do best. What’s more, our virtual receptionists can also send appointment reminders to ensure that your customers never forget the date and decrease late arrivals and no-shows.

6. Focus on the most important clients

While all calls can be important, they don’t all have the same value. Some clients are calling to confirm appointments. Others want answers to basic questions. Yet others want to learn more about your business. AI-assisted virtual receptionists help separate these calls so that you can focus on the ones that matter most to your business while ensuring that every call is answered and every customer feels valued.

7. That much-needed human touch

Automated phone systems are great time savers for businesses. However, they’re not so great for your customers. They’re impersonal and send the message that your team is too busy to handle the volume of calls you’re receiving. Some customers may even hang up rather than deal with an automated system. AI-assisted virtual receptionists give your business that much-needed human touch and ensure that every call is answered by a real person who can answer questions, provide information, and empathize with callers.

8. Improved call transfer accuracy

How often do customer calls go astray? When a customer calls and is then transferred to the wrong party, it can damage the relationship. In some cases, it might even lead to them going to a competitor. With AI-assisted virtual receptionists, that’s no longer a problem. Human receptionists can leverage things like call history, customer information, and details about your team’s composition to ensure that every call is transferred to the right person. That delivers a better customer experience, improves satisfaction, and leads to improved profitability and better customer retention.

9. No more spam calls

Spam calls are a problem for every business, regardless of industry or size. They’re also huge sources of lost time. AI-assisted virtual receptionists stand between your team and spam calls, wrng numbers, and sales calls, ensuring that you never lose another minute of valuable time. Not only does that help your team become more productive, but it can also reduce security risks – some of those calls could be phishing attempts. 

10. Handle multiple communication channels

Today, you cannot count on customers only trying to communicate by phone. There are simply too many other communication channels. Your customers may prefer to reach out by email or use your website’s chat feature instead. Trying to cover all those channels with only your in-house staff is virtually impossible. AI-assisted virtual receptionists can do it easily, though, ensuring that customers can communicate in the way they prefer and that your team doesn’t have to juggle multiple channels.

As you can see, AI-assisted virtual receptionists can solve some of your business’s most pressing problems. At Smith.ai, our North American agents have deep customer service experience and are empowered with AI to better serve your clients and support your team. From 24/7 answering to appointment scheduling, lead intake, spam filtering/blocking, and email/chat/text follow-up, we can help you build a thriving business. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation or reach out to hello@smith.ai.

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