Australian small businesses are saving tens of thousands of dollars every year by embracing the flexibility and cost-efficiency of pay-per-call receptionists.
More and more business owners are switching to a 24/7 virtual reception model, a revolutionary approach to managing customer interactions.
This allows them to pay only for the calls answered, rather than incurring the significantly larger fixed costs associated with in-house staff or temp agencies.
It also helps avoid missed business opportunities, as inbound calls can be answered by a human around the clock – not just during standard office hours.
A new way of doing business
A virtual reception service essentially involves inbound calls to a business’s phone number being diverted to a professionally-trained receptionist working remotely off-site. Technology allows the receptionist to answer the call in the business’s name and seamlessly interact with the caller as though they’re part of the in-house team working from the business’s premises.
It is one of the most impactful applications of the pay-as-you-go business services model and emerging as a game-changer for small business owners across Australia.
Unlike traditional receptionist solutions that often involve expensive temping agencies or in-house hires, as well as logistical challenges, pay-per-call receptionists are a far more efficient and flexible solution.
Premier Australian virtual reception service provider OfficeHQ has pay-per-call receptionist options for businesses of all sizes, ranging from 20 to 1,000-plus calls per month. While some businesses use the service to manage all incoming calls, some just use it after hours, when their in-house receptionist is away or to capture call overflow.
OfficeHQ CEO David Atkinson says the company’s focus is on helping businesses thrive, by connecting them with their customers while keeping their overheads as low as possible.
“By embracing pay-per-call receptionists and other PAYG services, small business owners can achieve greater cost certainty, enhance flexibility and focus on what they do best,” Mr Atkinson says.
“Instead of paying a full-time salary, or facing the unpredictability of temping agency fees, businesses can outsource call handling to OfficeHQ and only pay for the actual calls our team of virtual receptionists answer.
“This can be particularly beneficial for small businesses with fluctuating call volumes.
“Partnering with OfficeHQ can also eliminate any hassle of dealing with staff shortages caused by employees taking holidays or calling in sick.”
Benefits beyond cost-saving
Thousands of clients of OfficeHQ nationwide are reaping the benefits of utilising virtual reception services.
Wollongong-based Bostock Pools reduced their costs by 93% after transitioning to OfficeHQ, compared to employing a full-time receptionist, but benefits go well beyond the substantial savings on offer.
Avoiding missed opportunities
With a whole team of virtual receptionists available to answer calls that otherwise would go unanswered, including concurrent calls during business hours and after-hours calls, businesses are able to capture more leads.
Professionalism and productivity
Removing the distraction of a ringing phone enables business owners or their teams to better focus on core activities, leading to greater productivity.
Andre Quin, CEO of Sydney software company JGID, says outsourcing call answering to OfficeHQ is “one of the best business and lifestyle decisions I have ever made”, citing both improved client communication and operational efficiency.
Using virtual receptionists ensures that all calls are handled by trained professionals and allows businesses to maintain high customer service standards without the need for extensive in-house training.
Matthew Rodgers, the director of Canberra’s Rebound Rehab and Recovery, praises OfficeHQ’s call answering services as “prompt, polite and professional”, adding that his clients have also complimented their experiences.
Scalability
OfficeHQ also provides the flexibility to scale services up or down based on demand. This means businesses can handle peak times without overcommitting resources during slower periods.
In addition to a 7-day free trial, which allows business owners to put the service to the test before paying a cent, there’s no lock-in contracts.
