Offices Go Virtual and Get Good Reception

Have you ever gone into an office, only to find the front desk unattended? Maybe you waited for a few minutes, or saw a sign that said “Out to lunch” and had to come back later, or call and leave a message. Perhaps you wandered down the hall, hoping to find someone to answer a question.

Those days may be over. Now it is possible that even if you see an empty chair, the front desk is not empty after all. It may be that there, smiling in front of you, is a virtual receptionists.

Virtual receptionists are now being used for many different reasons. Offices can have coverage for staff absences, or to cover days and times when they are closed. Some small business owners and other professionals are now using only virtual receptionists. It gives them the benefits of having live answering services without the expense of hiring full time staff.

For many years, calls that need to be answered immediately were handled by telephone answering services. Answering machines and voice mail were fine for things that were not urgent, but the telephone call answering services were more efficient and added a more personal touch. Virtual receptionist services are taking that a step further.

Generally, people would rather talk to other people instead of to machines. Hearing a human voice on the other end of a phone is good. Being able to see the person you are talking to is even better.