The Importance of Live Virtual Receptionists in the Digital Age

In the mid-20^th century, most business offices employed multiple receptionists and telephone operators. That was necessary to answer calls and greet in-person visitors. As technology improved over the years, automated systems eventually replaced many of those human beings. 

Customers calling the business would be prompted to press a key corresponding to their need, and then their call was routed electronically, usually to a digital voicemail box, where they had to leave a message and hope that someone would call them back within a reasonable time.

That was good for businesses in that they were able to reduce payroll and overhead. It was bad for customers in that they were subjected to a cold, impersonal process driven by faceless technology. It’s no wonder customers are pushing back. Today, customers expect something more.

• According to PwC, 73% of customers now say their overall experience is the primary factor when deciding to do business with a company. 

• Zendesk reports that 72% of customers want immediate service, rather than trying to fumble through an automated phone tree and wait for a callback that might never come. 

• The same Zendesk report found that 64% of customers will spend more if a company can resolve their issue where they are currently, and 70% expect anyone they interact with to have the full context of their relationship with the business.

To sum up, customers demand to speak with a live human being when they call, without any runarounds or waiting for days to receive a callback. They also expect the business representatives they speak with to know who they are and the context of their entire relationship with the company. 

That’s a tall order in a day when many offices are remote or follow a hybrid plan, and most businesses rely on automated phone systems. The good news is that live virtual receptionists can deliver the experience today’s customers expect. Let’s take a look at how they do that.

Give them the immediate response they want

When a customer calls your business, they don’t want to be forced to listen to an automated voice walk them through their options. Often, they’re unsure what department they need in the first place. They also hate voicemail. It’s understandable why. The whole thing is so impersonal that it feels like a brush-off. 

Live virtual receptionists ensure that every call that comes in is answered by a human being. That immediately makes your customers feel appreciated and seen. They’re able to talk about their needs with someone who can then route their call appropriately. This immediately improves their overall experience and impression of your brand.

Deliver personalized service

We’ve already mentioned that today’s customers expect anyone they interact with to know their history with the company. Sadly, that’s rarely the reality. If a customer lucks out and manages to speak with an employee rather than leaving a voicemail, chances are high that they’ll be asked for the same information they’ve provided time and time again. It gets frustrating, erodes satisfaction, and increases the chances they’ll go to a competitor.

Again, live virtual receptionists can help. They can see the callers’ past call history with your business, which makes them feel valued. 

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Additionally, they can add new information related to the customer’s current need, ensuring that everyone with access to the customer’s records can get up to speed quickly, without having to ask redundant questions. It's all about delivering the personalized service that your customers deserve while increasing loyalty and increasing the chance that they’ll happily spend more with you.

Fine-tune your marketing with relevant data

When we talk about customer experience (CX), it involves not just direct interactions between the customer and your team. It also includes every other touchpoint, from website visits to the emails you send them as part of your marketing efforts. 

Live virtual receptionists can help you fine-tune that entire experience by collecting important call intelligence and metadata, and then populating it within your CRM. Your team can then access real-time data from a central dashboard, ensuring that every communication with the customer is on point and relevant. Not only will that improve their experience, but it also maximizes your marketing dollars and improves your overall ROI.

Give your business the personal touch with live virtual receptionists

Today’s customers don’t want cold and impersonal interactions. They want to interact with other human beings, not automated phone trees and voicemail boxes. Live virtual receptionists offer the personal touch that your customers want, while simultaneously delivering critical benefits to your company. 

At Smith.ai, our virtual receptionists can offer a broad range of solutions tailored to your needs and your customers’ expectations. Enhance your customer service and retention efforts with accurate call intelligence and metadata added directly to your CRM. Maximize customer satisfaction and loyalty with compassionate, human receptionists who make your customers feel seen and valued. 

Best of all, our virtual receptionists deliver all of these capabilities without increasing payroll or significantly adding to your overhead. And in-office staff will still be able to focus on their key responsibilities, rather than fielding phone calls.

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