What is the best virtual receptionist services for the trades in Canada?
Running your own trade business today comes with a whole host of challenges. And chief among them is finding time to answer all the calls to your business. That’s why many trades are turning to virtual receptionist services. Not only can it help you manage your call volume, but it can also help you increase your lead intake and get time off the phone. But which is the best virtual receptionist service for your business?
Read on to find out:
- How a virtual receptionist service works
- The best virtual receptionist services for trades in Canada
- Tips for choosing the best virtual receptionist service for your business
What is a virtual receptionist service?
A virtual receptionist service is a B2B service in which a team of “virtual” receptionists remotely answer calls to your business.
How does a virtual receptionist service work?
A virtual receptionist service works much like an in-house team would. Reading from scripts developed with the business, receptionists answer your inbound calls.
Receptionists respond according to the different call types designated by the business (ie new enquiry, appointment, request for an estimate) and make notes throughout the call. After the call ends, the receptionist will pass a message with the call information to contacts within the business’s directory via email, SMS or a software integration.
Some virtual receptionist services also include options for call recording. This allows your team to listen back to calls and leave feedback to improve the responses.
The best virtual receptionist services for Canadian tradespeople
The best virtual receptionist service is the one that responds directly to your unique business goals and requirements. But not all services are made equal. So, we’ve compiled a list of some of Canada’s top virtual receptionist providers today.
ServiceForge
You need a service that understands your unique requirements, customers, and industry language. Ultimately, you need a service that’s specialized for the trade industries. That’s exactly what ServieForge offers.
Besides after-hours, overflow or full 24/7 call answering, ServiceForge also offers call recording as standard. That means you can listen back to calls and leave feedback to help hone your receptionist’s responses. That’s essential for ensuring receptionists deliver the best possible service.
AnswerConnect
AnswerConnect has been in the game for a long time. They first started operating in the United States in 2011. They launched in Canada with Canadian receptionists in 2021 and have grown rapidly.
They cater to various sectors, including businesses within trade industries. But they‘re not specialized to trades. If you want an answering service firmly embedded within the industry, that could present a problem.
AnswerNet
AnswerNet Canada offers a good selection of virtual receptionist services. The company positions itself as a viable alternative or supplement to in-house staff. AnswerNet has several call centres nationwide, so their service is less vulnerable to local outages than a single call centre location.
And although the company specializes in several industries (agriculture, energy, education and nonprofits), it doesn’t have a specific focus on virtual receptionist services for Canadian trades.
Tips for choosing the best virtual receptionist service for your business
With so many virtual receptionist services out there, choosing one for your business might feel overwhelming. But a few important elements to consider will help guide you to the right one. Check these five tips to help you make the best choice for your business.
1. Customization
The best virtual receptionist service should be customizable to meet your business’s needs, including creating brand-appropriate scripts and adapting to your business processes.
Look out for answering services that will take the time to get to know your business.
2. Ratings
You can search for a virtual receptionist provider, browse their website and make your choice based on which sounds best for your business. But for a truly impartial insight into how well a company delivers its service, you need to check out their reviews.
Don’t just look at the ratings – look at what people say in their reviews. They may mention specific features or aspects of the service that are a dealbreaker for you.
3. Pricing
Pricing can vary significantly between answering services. But it’s to consider how each service charges, including
- How they bill you (i.e. by the hour, by the minute, or by calls taken)
- Hidden extra costs (i.e. set-up fees, overages, etc.)
- Cancellation fees.
But don’t judge a service purely on pricing. The cheapest options are often cheaper for a reason.
4. Compatibility
Look for a service that combines with your existing software. After all, you want a service that adapts to fit with your business, not vice-versa.
And those integrations should extend beyond just plugging into your CRM. Consider all aspects of your customer service and lead outreach and how the answering service will affect these.
5. Flexibility
Things can change in business quickly. That’s why flexibility is such an essential skill. And part of staying flexible is keeping your outgoing costs adjustable. That means you need to seek virtual receptionist services that allow you to upgrade, downgrade or cancel your plan as and when needed.
Benefits of a specialized virtual receptionist for home and field services
-
A better customer experience
By being available to answer customer inquiries around the clock, book appointments, and respond to live chats, your customers receive a guaranteed response from a live agent.
Your customers want the information or an appointment whenever they contact your office. 33% of customers are most frustrated by having to wait on hold.
-
More time for your business
Time spent on calls is time you could use on other parts of your business. If you’re a small business that can’t justify the cost of a full-time receptionist, that leaves your support staff to step away every time the phone rings. A virtual receptionist can save you time and give you more freedom to focus.
-
Less employee burnout
Your office is busy, and a constantly ringing telephone only adds to your employees’ stressful days. Being overworked can often lead to errors and employee burnout.
Using an answering service removes the burden from your in-house office staff, making it easier for them to complete other tasks. Eliminating inbound telephone calls means your team isn’t distracted as much, leading to fewer errors.
-
Smoother customer intake
With many people working unconventional hours, traditional business hours often no longer work for them. The conventional customer intake process can often be gruelling, time-consuming, and unpleasant.
A virtual receptionist service ensures convenient customer service for new customers during intake. And by being available 24/7 for customer sign-ups, you can grow your business quicker and more efficiently.
-
Staffing flexibility.
Hiring traditional in-house office staff is a costly undertaking. And even once you’ve hired employees, you’ll have to pay vacation time, benefits, employment taxes, and more in addition to a salary.
Virtual receptionist services can provide an additional level of flexibility. With an adjustable service based on minutes spent on calls, you only pay for time used. Plus, you can activate and cancel a service faster than you can hire, train and let go of employees.
Discover what a virtual receptionist service can do for you.
From improving customer care to increasing office efficiency, virtual receptionist services provide many tangible benefits to today’s busy healthcare organizations.
ServiceForge’s experienced receptionists provide professional 24/7 call answering, appointment scheduling, and lead capture and qualification. Book a demo with our team today to find out more.
Interesting Related Article: “Seven Advantages Of Using A Virtual Receptionist“
