Can You Outsource Receptionist Work? Yes, But Follow These 6 Management Tips

Receptionists are a crucial part of modern business. Although many SMBs and startups forego using a professional receptionist to field their calls until they’ve grown to a point where they “need it,” there’s a lot to be said for making sure that your receptionist-related duties are handled by someone with the right expertise. 

We know what you’re thinking—you can’t possibly afford to hire a receptionist, so how are you supposed to give your audience the dedicated attention that they deserve? That’s where outsourcing comes into play. Since the average employee will cost you about 1.25-1.4 times their annual salary for training, benefits, overhead, etc., outsourcing could be done for a fraction of that cost and give you a lot more solutions for your money. 

If you are going to outsource, however, there are some things that you need to keep in mind. Although your exact needs will vary a little, some general guidelines can help everyone. Here are six management tips to help you get started making the most of your outsourcing. 

1. Choose a virtual receptionist that can integrate with your CRM (and other tools)

The last thing that you need to worry about is the back-and-forth of working with an outsourced receptionist that can’t integrate with your tools. When you have a team that integrates with your CRM, you will get all the information about sales calls and other communications that take place, including things that require your attention. You’ll even have access to reporting tools to help you evaluate how your outsourced receptionist service is doing. 

It takes more off your plate and streamlines more of your day-to-day operations, too, which adds to the value that you’re getting with outsourcing. If you’re going to make the investment, you might as well make the best one possible. That includes choosing a virtual receptionist to outsource with that makes it easy to streamline things by integrating with your tools. 

2. Don’t outsource everything 

A virtual receptionist service can handle just about everything that your business needs when it comes to fielding calls, handling admin tasks, etc. However, they’re still not part of your company. At some point, you should talk to customers and others who need your attention. Make sure that you choose a company that offers warm transfer services so that you can field the clients that want to speak to you. 

Take the time to evaluate what you can gain from outsourcing. If something is going to be more of a hassle to outsource, keep it in-house. If you find a dynamic virtual receptionist that can handle most of your communications and admin needs, take advantage of that but still pay attention to where you want to draw the line and let your team pick up the ball. 

3. Choose a solution that suits your business needs

There are several different options out there today for outsourcing receptionist work. They aren’t all created equally. Take the time to look at traditional outsourced services, digital and automated receptionist solutions, and even overflow answering services. You can find all kinds of options but it’s usually going to be most effective to choose a service that has an all-in-one solution. 

By taking the time to research the options and evaluate what’s available compared to what you want from a virtual receptionist, you’ll ensure that you choose a company that’s aligned with your ideals. They’ll also be more likely to deliver the solutions that you need because they have similar processes and mindsets, in some cases. 

4. Maximize the flexibility offered 

The best virtual receptionists will offer tailored solutions that will allow you to get exactly what you need from them without paying for things you don’t need or having to find another service for some of the assistance you seek. The whole point of virtual receptionists is that you’re getting a flexible solution to assist with incoming and outgoing calls. If you aren’t taking advantage of that, you’re missing the point in a big way. 

When you’re checking out virtual receptionist services, make sure that you take the time to ask about what kind of customization and flexibility they offer in their solutions. If they give you room to help them come up with the ideal strategy, even better. The bottom line? Use the flexibility you’re given because that’s where the real value lies here. 

5. Get to know the partner you outsource with 

The only way that you’re going to maximize the benefits of outsourcing is to build a strong relationship with your partner from the beginning. Make sure that they understand the mission and ideals of your business and they know how to represent you professionally. Establish a good rapport from the beginning and ensure that your relationship is strong. 

The better your relationship, the easier it will be for your customers to believe that they’re talking to your company when they call, no matter who answers the phone. That’s a great way to improve your operations without letting your customers know that you outsourced part of the work. It will always make the working relationship easier, too. 

6. Choose the dedicated team at Smith.ai for all your receptionist outsourcing needs 

Forgive us for a little shameless self-promotion, but when you partner with our 24/7 virtual receptionists, you’ll be able to ensure that the first five tips are taken care of automatically. We’ll help you craft a tailored solution for all of your outsourced needs, from things like fielding after-hours calls and live website chats to lead intake, scheduling, and even outbound sales and support. 

Plus, we’ll integrate with all of your tools, handle warm transfers so you get the calls that require your attention, and so much more. Schedule a consultation to discuss what the 24/7 virtual receptionists at Smith.ai can do for your business. You can also give us a call at (650) 727-6484 or drop an email to hello@smith.ai.