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How A Receptionist Could Set Your Law Firm Apart

If you have seen any comedic television shows or movies in the past couple of decades, you can probably remember or envision a scene with a low level, financially strapped lawyer answering his or her phone and pretending to be a receptionist. Generally they answer in some goofy voice, hold their hand over the phone, and then they start talking to the phone again after a few seconds have passed.

The situation is, of course, laughable, but it’s a common trope because we can all recognize why a lawyer would do this. A receptionist gives a lawyer more clout and makes the practice seem more established and professional. What this trope fails to highlight, though, are the many other benefits a receptionist can have for a lawyer or his or her firm. Furthermore, it suggests that a receptionist would be much too expensive. Better to just pretend with some squeaky falsetto, right? Well, not really, but more on that later.

First, let’s discuss the benefits of a receptionist for a lawyer. Like the joke suggests, a receptionist does increase a lawyer’s prestige. It makes a statement to a potential client that the lawyer they might hire is established, responsible, and organized. These are all qualities a potential client would like out of their potential lawyer. And it turns out, those qualities that a receptionist makes a client believe are actually valid. A receptionist certainly implies responsibility and organization. A good receptionist means an attorney need not worry about missing calls from clients. A receptionist means that there’s no chance of missing a court appearance or a conference with court officials. A receptionist also means that a single lawyer running his or her practice alone can take a break from time to time without having to worry about missing a week’s worth of potential work. These are all benefits a receptionist provides for the lawyer, but a good receptionist also provides real benefits to the clients too. Having a comforting, assuring voice on the line to send a pleasant, comforting smile across the phone can put a person calling about litigation or a nerve wrecking, impending case at ease. A knowledgeable receptionist can also answer simple, common questions that clients might have so as to take those small tasks off of the attorney’s desk.

But a receptionist costs too much money, right? They require a wage or salary and probably benefits too. Receptionists might call in sick or take vacation and leave their attorney vulnerable after coming to rely on the receptionist. These are certainly valid concerns. For a lawyer just starting off their practice, the idea of hiring a receptionist can seem costly and daunting. Today, though, these worries are no longer a concern. Virtual receptionist services exist to offer all of the previously mentioned benefits without any of the concerns. A virtual receptionist will never call in sick or take a vacation because there is always more than one receptionist working for you at any given time. Also, you don’t have to worry about the possibly expensive task of having a full time employee. Instead, you simply have to pay for the service, which can provide you thousands of dollars in savings over a single year.

This might seem like it presents its own set of problems though too. A virtual receptionist cannot possibly know the inner workings of your specific law office, and there is no way they could have any knowledge of your clients or how to interact with them. Actually, these aren’t really concerns either. Reputable virtual receptionist services, such as Gabbyville, make sure that the small team of receptionists are fully dedicated to your practice, and they genuinely want to see their clients succeed. At Gabbyville, for example, they make sure that their receptionists know the ins and outs of your office so that they can cater specifically to your clients and provide the same level of service that an in-house receptionist would. Furthermore, their digital connectedness allows them to stay up to date on you and your practice to provide you with scheduling, messages from missed calls, and even setting up conference calls and sending you alerts through text or email when something important is coming up. Now that’s something that even an in-house receptionist wouldn’t be able to do.

So if you’re that struggling attorney covering your phone after faking a sweet old woman’s voice into the phone, or if you are simply an attorney looking to take your practice to the next professional level, consider a virtual receptionist service. You’re guaranteed to see an increase in professionalism and efficiency.

  • Receptionist Tips

Is Your Receptionist Luring Away Your Customers?

Tasked with welcoming your clients and building your company’s image, a receptionist’s job is never easy because of the complexities that are involved in his/her job. As an owner, you need to make sure that you hire someone who possesses the essential traits to perform certain duties with utmost professionalism. Therefore, you need to ask yourself if he/she will lure in potential clients or do the exact opposite.

For reference with regards to the said matter, you can check the Internet since it is full of receptionist horror stories. By going online, you can find countless stories where a customer was turned-off because a receptionist mishandled his/her call. The good news is: these situations are avoidable.

Avoiding such predicament is essential because one employee can make all the difference when signing up a big client or otherwise. Therefore, it would be best to hire a professional who is attentive, patient, and competent because these traits can help you build a great first impression that can increase your chances of landing that “jackpot” client.

Failure to address the above-mentioned prerequisites can wreak havoc to your company because the wrong receptionist can hurt business branding and image. In fact, your company may experience a long and slow demise or a short and fast downfall due to the hiring of unfriendly and incompetent staff.

So, always make sure that your receptionist is well-informed and up to date when it comes to the developments in your company since nothing is more upsetting to a customer than an employee who does not know anything about the business entity he/she works for. Simply put, an employee who cannot even answer a query or work on a request is a major turn-off.

If you want your business to build a favorable and lasting impression, train your receptionist in customer handling because some tend to be apathetic when interacting with clients and potential partners.

In case the mentioned precautionary measures don’t work, consider hiring a virtual receptionist instead of an in-house one. Such move is ideal because you can be sure that you’ll employ a professional who is always ready to take calls and maintain high standards along the way.

A live virtual receptionist who is an expert in voice answering services is a worthwhile choice because you can rest assured that your calls are handled with utmost expertise at any time of the day. In time, this can help your company develop a first impression that lasts.

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Common Misconceptions Regarding Virtual Receptionists

Many business owners are reluctant when it comes to hiring a professional receptionist because it takes expert skills to handle calls and customer service tasks on a regular basis. Such aspect makes the whole thing complicated because this post is a permanent one, which means that interested parties need to pay a premium to address the need. Sad to say, though, some of them are unwilling to pay up.

A number of companies counter this issue by employing a straightforward strategy: hire virtual receptionists. These experts can play significant roles when it comes to improving customer service, saving time, and lessening effort, among other office essentials.

On the other hand, many are apprehensive to invest in this corporate breakthrough because of the misconceptions that surround it. Some of the most common ones are elaborated below.

  1. Businesses need to use them on a permanent basis

One of the most common misconceptions is the said receptionists are hired to serve permanently. This is unnecessary and they can be hired on a temporary basis and then pay the service provider according to hours that were rendered. There are different packages out there that come with specific timetables and it would be best to thoroughly review each one before signing up.

  1. Problem with multi-tasking

Many business owners are reluctant to turn to live virtual receptionists because they feel that important tasks will take time due to the fact that the mentioned professionals don’t know how to multitask. This is not true because they can multitask with utmost ease and proficiency.

It should be noted, though, that apart from answering calls, the mentioned professionals can also appoint schedules, customize call greetings, take detailed messages, and initiate conferences, among other tasks that businesses, especially start-up and middle-sized ones will find handy.

  1. Expensive salary package needs to be given

Businesses owners, especially those with limited funding, immediately cancel out the said service off their priority list because of the belief that service providers charge enormously high rates.

On the other hand, if the overall expenses are summed up, though, it can be concluded that savings can actually sky-rocket because business owners don’t have to pay for bonuses, taxes, and employee benefits.

 

  • Receptionist Tips

Four Surprising Reasons How A Virtual Receptionist Can Help Your Business Grow

Financially-speaking, a live virtual receptionist is a better option compared to a full-time employee who sits in the office for forty hours a week, whether or not, there are calls coming in. If this advantage is not enough to make you sign up, then you should read the rest of this article because it might help you with the decision-making process.

Your Personal Touch Is Not Personal Enough

As a business owner, you want to be on top of the customer relationship management process and personally speak to your customers or potential ones when they try to reach out.

Although that’s a very worthwhile and admirable move, chances are, there will be times when you just can’t entertain all of them. This is where the services of the said professionals will become handy. He/she will make sure that all calls will be answered in a calm and friendly manner and ensure that operations will push through as planned.

A Virtual Receptionist Is As Much A Professional As You Are

A professional receptionist is skilled at handling callers (no matter how irate they may be), scheduling appointments, customizing call greetings, and so much more! Simply put, a virtual receptionist has what it takes to professionally and courteously handle complex tasks.

She Makes You Look Successful

When calls are answered by a dedicated small business answering service provider, individuals on the other end make the impression of a well-run office that is made up experts. Furthermore, this will allow you to concentrate on important priorities and increase your productivity. In the long run, this can help create an overwhelming impression of success that is beyond question.

Conclusion:

To top it all up, no matter what type of business you are running, hiring a virtual receptionist can help your company process things faster and smoother. As we all know, an efficient and effectively run office is almost sure to grow. So, go ahead and give it a try because this is the simplest and best thing that you can do.

  • Receptionist Tips

6 Common Misconceptions About a Virtual Receptionist

As the digital age grows bigger, a lot of companies are now utilizing the benefits of virtual receptionists. However, some business owners are still reluctant with this kind of service.

Misconceptions and misinformation are the usual norm whenever there is a new form of technology.

Various answering service companies, such as GabbyVille strives to provide crucial information on what implementing a virtual secretary is all about.

1. They Can Only Do Few and Simple Tasks – On the contrary, besides answering live calls; they can also take detailed messages and send it via email. Return personal calls on your behalf, create multi-conference calls, give appointment reminders and even play your favorite “on hold” music.

2. It’s Expensive – The main reason why majority of small to medium-size business owners prefer virtual answering services is that it’s more affordable than hiring an in-house receptionist. You only pay for the minutes you have used and do not require you to pay for employee benefits.

3. You Would Not Know What’s Going On – One common concern the owner has is that he would not be up to date to what is happening since virtual assistants are not physically in the office. Here’s the thing, even though you’re virtual employee is not in your office, you will still be up to date with all that is happening with your business. From calls coming in to messages left by your clients.

4. It’s Just an Automated Voice – Contrary to the popular notion that they are just androids, here  in GabbyVille, our virtual receptionists are live and actual people is answering your client’s calls. The only difference is that, instead of working in your office, they are located from our headquarters.

5. The Responses Are Scripted and Generic – Another misconception. Although they are well-trained to stick to a script, they can still adapt their talking skills from person when needed. Also, the scripts provided are customized to reflect your preferred handling of your client’s calls.

6. It Requires You To Sign A Long Term Contract – Employing a virtual assistant only requires you to pay for the minutes you are using. Depending on your preferred package, you avoid the hassle and technicalities, you only pay for what the minutes you need.

To conclude today’s blog entry, misconceptions arise when dealing with a new process or technology. But as they say, these queries can be handled and solved if enlightened.

  • Receptionist Tips

How Virtual Receptionists Handle Irate Customers

One way or another, we all have encountered customers that are hard to handle. Clients, especially the angry ones make some transactions a little complicated than the usual.

Of course, handling them is also just as hard, so a lot of you are looking for answers on how to handle irate customers. However, encountering an angry one can also be a learning experience.

Whether you are a customer service representative, a virtual office assistant or an on-site receptionist that are handling these kinds of clients, here’s some easy-to-follow tips on how to handle them.

  • Listen – As they say, you have to learn how to listen. Let the customer say all their grievances, concerns and questions. As they talk, assure them that you are listening by giving them an appropriate response. It’s important to let them say their concerns as it also gives them the chance to calm down.
  • Be Professional – Maintain your professionalism. All through-out the call, your number one weapon against an angry client is to be professional. Business answering services just calmly responds to customers when they start spewing offensive words.
  • Let Them Give Their Opinion – Give them the benefit of laying it all out. Not just their grievances, but also their opinions regarding their concern. Let them express what they think without giving judgment.
  • Use Words That Offer Solution – Words such as, “I can do it sir”, “Definitely” or “Sure” can give a big impact on your caller. It shows them that you are willing to do anything possible to help them resolve their issues.
  • Contain The Problem – As much as possible, make it a point to remedy the issue just by you. Although there are times that your superior needs to be involved, fixing the problem by yourself will show that you can handle the pressure.
  • Deliver An Apology With Grace – It does not matter if the customer’s complaint is valid or not. The key to making your customer stay in your service is through a sincere, well-thought and graceful apology. Besides an apology, also offer a promise that by next time, your company will get it right.
  • Show Some Sympathy and Empathy – More than just listening to their plight, you also have to show the customer that you understand what they feel. Also show the customer that you can feel what they are going through.
  • Solve The Problem – Lastly and most importantly, nothing calms an irate customer than solving their problem. It’s the main reason why they called so attending their concern surely trumps whatever anger they have felt.
  • Receptionist Tips

Benefits of a Virtual and an In-house Receptionist

Receptionists are usually the first person your client ever meets. They are your first contact to your customers and they give the impression your company wants to project.

Live receptionists are the norm for many companies. However, as technology develops, new trends are employed and company offices are advancing to adapt technology on their daily tasks. Nowadays, small to medium-sized businesses adapt in the use of a remote receptionist.

Although both have its valuable benefits, below is a detailed comparison of an in-house secretary to its virtual counterpart:

Virtual Receptionists

  • Work Hours Are Maximized Providing more than just plain answering services, an online secretary provides exceptional service by always answering calls during work hours.  No breaks and no vacations, a virtual receptionist will maximize every hour you’re paying for.
  • Remains Professional They still maintain that professional aura with your clients. With calls answered attentively and quickly, your company’s image greatly benefits from it.
  • Skills & Expertise With matching speed, attentiveness and proficiency, your customers are assured to be well-taken care of.
  • Consistent Consistency is also one of their biggest key traits as they are always available and will strive hard to get the job done.
  • Cost Efficient The biggest benefit of a virtual receptionist lies in its affordability. Reliable and highly efficient, their service does not require additional budget and incentive, such as healthcare & overtime pay. You only pay for their actual hours of work.

In-house Receptionists

Live actual receptionist can still provide something its virtual counterpart cannot. Although the virtual ones can carry task between calls, tasks that require a more complicated process can also be suited to an actual human staff.

  • Can Be Given Extra Tasks They may also be given additional jobs that a virtual one can also do, such as clerical tasks like copying files, arranging schedule and working as your assistant on urgent matters.
  • Fluid and Natural It is also interesting to add that you and your customers can interact with live actual receptionists. Conversations can be spontaneous, resulting into an interactive transaction between clients.
  • Gives Added Security   An in-house secretary can, at times, assume some security officer function such as verifying employees’ identification, issuing passes for visitors, and most importantly, observing and reporting suspicious people.

As the years go by, the functions of a receptionist have expanded and the roles have evolved. No matter what the nature or the size of your business, the choice falls directly on your preferences.