What is a Virtual Receptionist?

When calling a business, oftentimes the first person we come in contact with is a receptionist who greets us. In some cases, the receptionist may be able to provide us with the information we need. In other cases, the receptionist may be able to perform a service or task to help us with our problem or concern. In other cases, a receptionist will listen to our request and direct our call to the appropriate party within the company.

However, since the advent of the live receptionist who sits at the front desk, there have been considerable advancements in communications technology, one of them being the “virtual receptionist,” often known as the “auto-attendant.”

A virtual receptionist acts like a live receptionist, screening and routing calls to the appropriate party, using IVR technology to analyze the requests of the caller.

What else does a virtual receptionist do?

In addition to screening and routing calls, a virtual receptionist can be programmed to make outbound calls as well by using an auto-dialer to place automated phone calls. Likewise, a virtual receptionist can also be programmed to provide your callers with answers to frequently asked questions, using IVR technology to understand the customers’ needs. For example, a virtual receptionist can be programmed to provide customers with your company address, contact information, hours of operation, website address and more.

Who can benefit from a virtual receptionist?

Any business can benefit from a virtual receptionist by giving their customers a way of communicating with them 24/7. Rather than having customers who call after business hours be routed straight to a general voice mailbox, a virtual receptionist gives your customers the choice to leave a private message for the party they are trying to reach. Moreover, by using “find me” technology, which redirects unanswered calls to multiple numbers to locate the called party, you can increase your number of answered calls, thereby increasing customer satisfaction.

Additional Resources

Ifbyphone Glossary

Ifbyphone Blog

Ifbyphone Services