Receptionist vs Virtual Receptionist or Call Center: Which is Right for You

Author March 17, 2024

6 min read

Trying to decide the best way to field phone calls and schedule appointments for your business? There’s a lot of consider, whether you choose an in-person receptionist, virtual support, or a call center.

Benefits of In-House Receptionists

While you would need to commit to a salary and possibly other benefits, there’s no denying the benefits that in-house receptionists provide.

In-person customer interactions. Some businesses require the presence of an actual person in their reception area to welcome customers and show them to their next point of call. For instance, businesses that can benefit from in-person reception include rentals and accommodations, salons, spas and professional services such as medical and legal support.
Hands-on training. Ongoing training is far simpler when the staff is already familiar with your business and work practices.
Company culture. It’s easier to build company culture with set employees than trying to establish this with a team that varies all the time.
Consistency. Customers become accustomed to the voice of the business, and when this changes all the time, it might seem disruptive.
Flexibility during downtimes. In-house reception may be able to handle additional tasks in the office when the phones aren’t too busy. For instance, filing and taking care of other office tasks. This might not be possible with virtual support.

Advantages of Virtual Receptionists and Remote Support

The cost factor is a standout feature of remote support or virtual receptionists, and for many businesses that can’t afford a full-time employee, this might be a cost-effective solution. Other reasons why remote support might be a good option include:

24/7 availability. Your remote support package might include around-the-clock service. This may be handy if you’re dealing with global clients and need help answering phone calls at all hours when a robotic answering service might not suffice. Clients get to speak to a real person, regardless of the time.
Consistently professional. Remote support workers are trained to follow set guidelines and scripts. All remote workers will have the same guidelines and scripts, ensuring they provide consistent client support and quality customer service. When you deal with a third-party company such as Blazeo (formerly ApexChat), you have access to a US-based remote call center.
Varied skill sets. Remote support teams often include staff with various skills that stretch beyond virtual reception services. For instance, some may specialize in certain technology while others can speak multiple languages. It might be hard to find in-house staff that ticks all these boxes without resulting in hiring multiple people.
Needs-based services. Remote support operates within certain parameters. Business owners can choose which services they need and whether the service plans fall within their budget. They can also increase or reduce services if their budget fluctuates, which isn’t always as simple with in-house staff.
Grunt work. If you just need someone to take care of repetitive, menial tasks to free up your in-house staff, remote services can help a great deal. This is ideal for appointment scheduling and answering services.

Power of a Dedicated Support Team

Dedicated support means you have exclusive use of a team of experts to help your business flourish. It saves you money over time as it’s far more cost-effective than employing those same experts full-time. You also don’t run the risk of employees burning out or having inefficient downtime, and you have a better chance of managing emergencies as there are multiple people to pick up the slack. These support teams can help you:

Simplify your service offering
Provide consistent, professional support
Streamline the training process
Customize the types of support provided

Factors to Consider

Before deciding whether to use a dedicated support team or hire in-house, consider a few factors.

Aligning With Your Business Requirements

In-house receptionists are important if you require someone to be the face of your business. In the event you need telephonic support after hours, remote support might come in handy. For some businesses, one or the other might suffice, while for many in the legal, medical, or real estate industry, a combination of remote and in-house works best.

Cost Considerations

Your budget will determine which course your business follows when it comes to staff. If you’re still new and don’t require someone physically at your place of business, remote support can be a cost-effective solution. Compare remote support packages to the cost of in-house hires over time to see which suits your budget best. You may also benefit from outsourcing some of the functions of your in-house staff to remote support to avoid paying a full salary for menial tasks.

Scalability and Flexibility

If you want your business to scale effortlessly from a staffing perspective, it’s worth considering a remote solution. The team or package can quickly increase according to your growing needs. Hiring staff, on the other hand, is expensive and time-consuming. In-house staff may not be as flexible, either, as they have set hours, packages and parameters of work.

Customer Experience and Quality

Customer experience not only influences whether you’ll close the sale or not, but it also determines whether they will do business with you in the future or promote your business to others. Improving customer experience can boost your bottom line as you don’t spend as much to convert a current customer as you would to attract a new one. Choosing the right support, whether in-house or remote, depends on the quality of service you’re able to provide.

Making the Right Choice: Factors to Guide Your Decision

When choosing between an in-house receptionist or remote staff, consider the following factors:

Your business needs
The quality of service each can provide
The tasks each can successfully handle
The costs involved
Whether the chosen option can adapt to your growing business needs

At Blazeo (formerly ApexChat), our remote support staff can easily adapt to your business needs and service requirements. We have a team of professionals ready to support your clients according to your business policies and procedures. Our support staff also works in harmony with in-house staff to create the best customer experience solution. Contact us today to request a demo.

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