Virtual receptionists are highly trained professionals who know exactly how to foster customer loyalty and engagement. Below, Bizik, a leading telephone answering service, explains how.
Benefits of virtual receptionists
Make a great first impression
Just like a physical receptionist, a virtual receptionist is your front-of-house representative. They are the first person your callers interact with when contacting your business. This moment is crucial as it sets the tone for their overall experience, how they feel about your brand, and determines whether they’ll return.
Luckily, virtual receptionists know exactly how to make a great first impression that will set a strong foundation for customer loyalty. As customer support experts, they are helpful and welcoming.
Some telephone answering service providers can also tailor how your virtual receptionist handles your calls. This means they’ll adapt to your brand’s tone of voice to ensure every caller’s experience is seamless and cohesive.
Elevate brand credibility
Establishing credibility, professionalism, and trustworthiness takes time. It can be particularly challenging for small businesses that are still growing and cementing their position in the market.
However, with a virtual receptionist on your team, you’ll immediately boost brand credibility and give your callers a reason to trust you and stay loyal.
That’s because virtual receptionists are professional and consistent. Providing a reliable and positive experience every time someone contacts your business is imperative to building customer loyalty.
Deliver unrivalled customer service
The quality of your customer service is the cornerstone of customer loyalty. Numerous studies have shown that people are willing to pay more for products and services and stay loyal to brands in exchange for superior support.
However, reaching this high standard with an in-house team takes time and money. Recruitment, training, and salary expenditures are among the main factors to consider.
Choosing a virtual receptionist gives you immediate access to the industry’s very best customer service experts. They answer calls promptly without letting them go to voicemail, are empathetic and understanding, and deliver a personalised service.
These highly trained, trusted professionals will satisfy your customers’ expectations from day one and deliver a dependable, effective, and positive experience they can trust and want to return for.
Provide human interaction
Despite the technological advancements available to us nowadays, customers still want human interaction.
That’s not to say that there’s no place for AI. On the contrary, it’s important that you use these clever solutions to maximise efficiency and improve the customer experience. In many instances, customers prefer tools like chatbots, which are great at solving quick, basic queries.
However, human interaction is the best option for more complex matters. It’s no wonder that nearly half (48%) of customers said they prefer to speak to a real person when contacting customer service in a Twilio survey. Moreover, an impressive 69% said talking to someone on the phone makes them feel heard and more likely to buy from that brand again.
Businesses must acknowledge and deliver on these strong customer needs and opt for a virtual receptionist to provide high-quality human support.
Be available 24/7
Customers want effective support and convenience. Nowadays, this means round-the-clock availability, allowing them to contact your business whenever it suits them–day or night.
But, again, they don’t just want to speak to a bot; they expect a person to answer the phone or respond to their live chat message.
That’s a lot for businesses to live up to, especially small firms with limited resources. However, choosing a virtual receptionist means you can be available 24/7 without overspending on internal staff.
Not only will after-hours availability impress your customers and enhance your professional reputation, but it will also cement your brand’s reliability and dependability, two vital qualities that inspire customer loyalty.
Summary
From making an immaculate first impression to delivering impeccable support, a virtual receptionist is a valuable asset that can significantly improve customer loyalty. No matter your business size, choosing a virtual receptionist for your front-of-house support is a cost and resource-efficient way to deliver a high-quality, reliable service that customers will want to return for.
If you’re looking for a virtual receptionist, speak to the telephone answering experts at Bizik. They’ll adapt to your company’s needs with their customisable packages and pair you with your ideal virtual receptionist from their pool of cherry-picked professionals. Give them a call on 020 3917 7444 to transform your business with a virtual receptionist.
