In-House vs. Virtual Receptionists: Pros & Cons

A receptionist is the ideal support system when your organization confronts a busy phone line every day. While in-house receptionists have been an office staple for decades, hiring a remote receptionist has become the more modern approach to call answering. Learn about the differences between these roles and how you can start managing your busy phone lines. 

Live Virtual Receptionist vs. Full-Time Receptionist: The Shift to a Modern Solution

Virtual receptionist services are on the rise, with more companies opting for this type of service than ever before. Small businesses up to large corporations find advantageous ways to leverage virtual receptionists for their offices. The perks of an answering service include:

• Virtual receptionists act as extensions of your business while operating remotely.
• Filling the role with a virtual receptionist can reduce overhead costs while helping organizations maintain and expand their service capabilities. 
• Remote receptionist services are customizable and scalable. 

Organizations across industries turn to virtual receptionist services for these benefits, from law firms to medical offices to real estate agents and much more.

What Makes a Virtual Receptionist Different From a Traditional In-House Receptionist?

The receptionist answering your company’s calls is important for satisfying customers, raising brand awareness and keeping your business organized. Traditional receptionists have a seat in your office to answer the phone and greet callers.

A virtual receptionist accomplishes the same duties, but in a way that’s more practical. These professionals are available to answer calls 24/7 — even on holidays and weekends. Working with a virtual receptionist also saves your organization the time and money required to hire someone in-house.

Advantages of Choosing a Live Virtual Receptionist 

A live virtual receptionist can be an excellent option for your business, ensuring you answer every call, every time.

Cost-Effective

Businesses spend thousands of dollars on each internal receptionist they hire. You’re responsible for salary, benefits, vacation days and sick time. For some organizations, these expenses are more than they’re prepared to spend.

Hiring a live virtual receptionist service is often much more cost-effective since you only pay for the services you use through a monthly plan.

Skilled Customer Support

Virtual receptionist services can help support your staff with skilled call answering professionals. Their experience and training ensure your callers are greeted with the utmost care and professionalism. Many virtual receptionist services offer advanced skills or specialties, including familiarity with your industry’s regulations and standards. 

Like in-house receptionists, virtual receptionists can also support brand awareness for your callers. With a customized greeting for your business, callers will know exactly who is on the other line when they call. 

Bilingual Call Answering

Choosing a virtual receptionist service can unlock access to professionals with unique skills. For example, AnswerHero™ exclusively hires bilingual receptionists. A bilingual phone answering service can be a game-changer for businesses that want to expand their customer base and tap into new markets. 

After Hours Availability

A critical benefit of outsourcing phone answering to a live answering service is the guarantee of 24/7 support for your customers. This is especially important for companies that operate on a global scale or have customers in different time zones.

With a live answering service, there will always be someone to answer a customer’s call, even outside of standard business hours. That means no missed calls, no missed leads and no frustrated customers who will turn to your competition when your business isn’t available.

Front Office Scalability

Virtual receptionist services offer greater flexibility as your needs change.

For example, a growing healthcare facility may require more virtual receptionists as its patient base expands. A property management firm specializing in beach houses on the East Coast may scale back its receptionist staff during the offseason when inquiries and guest service requests are less frequent.

Answering Service vs. In-House Receptionist: Which Is Right for Your Business? 

There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to hire a traditional receptionist or a live virtual receptionist service for your business. As you weigh the pros and cons, consider these perks of virtual receptionist services:

• Cost-effective and scalable as your call demand fluctuates — with no contracts
• Available after hours and on holidays
• Includes responsibilities like appointment setting, call routing and message taking

Learn More About Virtual Receptionists With AnswerHero™

At AnswerHero™, we offer live call answering and experienced agents who are available around the clock to answer your calls in both English and Spanish. Feel free to customize your virtual receptionist services to fit your specific needs and budget. Schedule a consultation to get started with our fast onboarding process.