As a small business expert, how often do you find yourself playing phone tag with your customers? Do you always have the time to keep an eye on your emails and respond instantly to your client’s questions? Chances are, probably not.
Small business teams almost always wear "multiple hats" when it comes to role fulfillment. Your CFO, accountant, and head of HR may all be one person. Long story short, you work hard to make sure every base is covered and every hat is worn between your small and tight-knit team. Where you may fall short, however, is your customer service team.
Hiring a front desk assistant or receptionist can be tricky because they can be difficult to train and expensive to hire. While it makes sense to hire a receptionist for a large hotel lobby, it’s not as logical for a small business.
At the same time, you still want the advantage of instant, friendly responses to customer questions. That’s why. A virtual receptionist is the single best way for small businesses to gain all the benefits of a front desk receptionist, without all of the hassle or extra costs.
A virtual receptionist is a savvy, interactive chatbot that can engage with your clients online and provide a variety of basic to in-depth answers to client questions.
The key to a virtual receptionist, however, is that the bot is equipped to politely onboard, book, and track any lead who stays or asks a question. They can greet your online guests when they visit your website and provide helpful assistance as they browse your products or services.
Let's face it, reception is a job that existed long before computers and technology. Customers used to appreciate human-to-human interaction to ensure they were being heard and taken care of. But today, customers expect on-demand services that can help them get the answers they need right away and move on with their day.
Now, we have iPads to greet you at the front desk, assist with sign-in, and let you know when your appointment is ready. Technology today can sort emails, answer routine questions, and not to mention smart coffee makers that auto-brew so you have fresh coffee whenever you need.
In a small business, every paycheck matters to the overhead. Every person could be wearing multiple hats. Why not let your computer wear the hat it wears best? Automated communication. This doesn’t mean your customers will be greeted by a mundane, non-personalized receptionist every time they visit your website. Instead, you should prioritize finding the right technology that leaves room for personalization and makes it easier for your customers to connect with you.
First and foremost, a virtual receptionist never looks away from the screen. They don't need rest and lunch breaks. They don't check their email, skim the news, or chat with passing coworkers. When a customer sends a chat message asking for help or answers, a chatbot receptionist is answering in the next second. They will never leave a lead hanging because a virtual receptionist is infinitely attentive.
Another great thing about virtual receptionists is that they never sleep. You can assign your chatbot to work every shift, which means you’ll be available to your customers even after normal business hours.
Ecommerce giants like Amazon have shifted consumer habits and with meal service delivery services, customers can eat anything from a hamburger to an ice cream cone at any hour of the day. A virtual receptionist gives you the chance to stay in line with these modern expectations because you can service international customers or night owls, even when you sleep.
A virtual receptionist can be extremely useful when you integrate your existing booking and client services systems into the bot's capabilities. Connect your receptionist with your calendar and your customers can start booking clients for a consultation return call or even on-site scheduled appointments immediately. This ensures that interactions with leads aren't just supportive, they are actively converting.
A virtual receptionist can also be programmed to know when to hand off a lead to sales or to human customer service. Customers who need more than FAQ answers may need to be forwarded to your real office admin - who may also be your bookkeeper, inventory manager, and key accounts manager.
If your small business could enjoy all the benefits of an attentive and dedicated receptionist while keeping your team lean and efficient on office staff, why not go virtual? Amy is a chatbot designed specifically to fill the customer support needs of small businesses. Amy is extremely adaptable to how you want your small business to come across to website visitors. You can control the look and personality of your chatbot, and edit pre-built templates made just for your small business type as little or as much as you need.
With a fully customizable chatbot, you can finally streamline online customer service with precision and authority. Amy will give the answers you want her to give and can become the virtual receptionist you need with just a few simple setting adjustments.
Ready to boost the customer engagement of your small business without increasing the size of your human team? Sign up for Amy.