Is a Remote Receptionist a Reliable Receptionist?
January 27, 2009
Is a Remote Receptionist a Reliable Receptionist?
By Victor Mataraso, M.B.A.
Top 5 Things to Consider When Hiring a Remote Receptionist.
First, to understand the difference between a traditional live telephone answering service and a remote or off-site receptionist, please refer to my earlier post on the subject (http://cityscoop.us/bayarea-answeringservices/2009/01/03/what-is-the-difference-between-and-answering-service-and-an-off-site-receptionist/).
Now that you have been enlightened and would like to select a live receptionist for your business, let’s take a look at the primary considerations when selecting the firm you will work with.
1) Do they assign you a small, dedicated reception team? There are several key benefits to having a dedicated team of receptionists assigned to handle your business. By limiting the number of different people handling your calls to 4 or 5, your receptionist can actually get familiar with your business and function as an extension of your staff as well as the front-end for your business. The goal here is that your callers feel as though they’ve reached your office and not some anonymous third-party call center. On the flip-side, having a small team insures your calls are always answered live (even if someone is on the other line), and you don’t need to worry about sick days, lunch breaks, vacations, etc. If your answering service claims to offer receptionist services, ask how many different people will be taking your calls.
How to Grow Your Business in a Recession: The 3 Key Areas to Invest
January 20, 2009
How to Grow Your Business in a Recession: The 3 Key Areas to Invest
By Victor Mataraso, M.B.A.
Amidst the gloom and doom, savvy business owners are positioning themselves for the inevitable economic recovery. As clients cut back, sales cycles get longer, and revenues fall the temptation is great to scale back dramatically on your marketing, sales and customer service efforts. After all, the phone may be ringing less, clients are spending less and it’s tough to absorb the ongoing costs of marketing, sales and service. And that’s exactly why now is the time to hold firm and even expand.
Time and again studies have shown that business who maintain or expand their marketing and customer service during an economic slowdown gain market share and emerge stronger when a recession ends. That’s not to say you should necessarily spend willy nilly. However, there are three key areas of your business in which you can invest now to catapult yourself to the next level during the recovery.
Resolve to Delegate: Outsourcing could be the answer.
January 11, 2009
How can I delegate when I don’t have any staff?
By Victor Mataraso, M.B.A.
A common challenge faced by small business owners is a lack of human resources in the organization. Many of us understand theoretically that we can be more effective in our business if we delegate certain non-core tasks that allow us to focus on our genius. The challenge, of course, is who do we delegate to if our staff does not posses the necessary skills or we have no staff at all!
The answer may lie in finding some trusted partners to outsource certain key areas of your business. If you’re tired of sifting through receipts or doing payroll at 11pm at night, find a payroll provider to take on this task (consider www.OptimumAccounting.org). If you struggle to market your business effectively, consider contracting with a marketing expert (consider www.UpLevelStrategies.com). If your challenge is in being accessible to speak with new and/or prospective clients when they call, consider an off-site Receptionist service such as that provided by www.ReliableReceptionist.com.
In each instance, I recommend finding a locally based provider who you can meet with personally or one who comes highly referred. In San Francisco and the East Bay Area there are many options available whether you need bookkeeping and payroll, marketing assistance, or live telephone answering services. Just make sure you interview each provider carefully to understand their capabilities and set realistic expectations. Investing a little time up-front can insure that you have a productive and profitable partnership for a long time to come.
What is the difference between and Answering Service and an Off-site Receptionist?
January 3, 2009
Do I need an Answering Service or an Off-site Receptionist, and what is the difference anyway?
By Victor Mataraso
One of the challenges faced by small business owners today is accomplishing more with less. How can you maintain a professional image, improve customer service and manage your workload most effectively when you don’t have the budget to hire an employee?
Fortunately, there are some great options available today that did not even exist a few short years ago. One such emerging category is that of the off-site Receptionist (sometimes also referred to as a virtual receptionist or remote receptionist). A common mis-perception is that an off-site receptionist is akin to an old-fashioned answering service. In reality, while an off-site receptionist does answer your phone, what happens after that is a totally different experience. Let’s explore some of these differences and how you can leverage them to benefit your business.
