Difference Between Virtual Receptionist And Virtual Assistant

The one word that can stress out any small business owner is "competitiveness". With the market observing highs and lows every single day, small business owners might not be sure what to expect. We know it can be a tough battle to stand out in today's fiercely competitive market where small and mid-sized companies face daunting challenges. The drastic increase in competition in the market has also raised customer expectations and demands.

In today's business world, companies and firms need to be more flexible and adaptable than ever. The technological advancements in today's time have completely transformed the business landscape. Communities were more localized and limited decades ago, but modern business practices have changed the way companies operate and how they reach out to their customers.

Facing challenges is the reality of business life. The path to achieving stability and success in the corporate world can be full of hurdles for small and medium business owners. But as they say, Rome was not built in a day. Serving your customers and ensuring that they receive quality service, maintaining your brand positioning, marketing efficiently while still training your staff, and designing successful strategies—all these tasks can't be accomplished by you alone.

The first step towards building a successful brand is when business owners acknowledge that they can't do it all. Delegating tasks to experienced individuals offers you more time to set the stage for your organization and concentrate on more significant projects as the leader.

There are many skilled individuals to assist you with daily tasks that you can't perform or don't have the time to, but it's valuable to your business growth and image. Every small business owner needs to employ the right people who recognize your business and objectives to perform the appropriate tasks efficiently. The great news is, hiring a virtual receptionist and a virtual assistant will provide your business with enhanced productivity and immense cost-saving.

What Is A Virtual Receptionist?

First impressions are crucial for companies of all sizes. It depicts professionalism and reliability, which helps you maintain a great relationship with your existing consumers while attracting potential customers and clients. Hiring the right virtual receptionist will enhance your business reputation and boost your customer retention.

A virtual receptionist (VR) is a well-trained individual working remotely that provides competent phone answering services, optimal customer experience (CX) while maintaining your brand image, and handles other vital tasks, like:

• Answer and make calls;
• Offer customer support;
• Live call transfer;
• Provide details;
• Schedule appointments;
• Take messages.

Every single interaction with customers matters for small businesses as these initial phone calls can turn into an increasing customer base, which can be easily handled by a virtual receptionist with professional skills. They offer a lot more than the traditional in-house receptionists because of their advanced expertise and improved technology.

What Is A Virtual Assistant?

Expanding business means being swamped with an overflowing workload that absorbs your time and energy that needs to be spent on managing core tasks. When you run a tight ship, realizing you need more help is just the beginning. To attain balance in the workflow without facing any possible burnout, you need to hire individuals with the right skill set.

A virtual assistant (VA) is a highly qualified individual that provides help and supports your business, virtually as they're not stationed at your facility. Virtual assistants handle all the administration and management-related functions and many more. Their responsibilities include:

• Answering and directing phone calls;
• Respond to emails;
• Social media management;
• Billing and accounting;
• Data and record management;
• CRM;
• Schedule meeting/Travel management;
• Organize your business.

If any business is in distress, it's almost always the management issues that end up crumbling the organization's stability and give rise to fragile circumstances. With a virtual assistant at your side, you can overcome various inconsistencies and improve your business growth.

Similarities between a 'Virtual Receptionist' & 'Virtual Receptionist'

Virtual staff is the gift of technological development and digitization. The revolution brought into the business world has heightened the level of efficiency, agility, and versatility. From performance-based remote work statistics, 85% of companies and businesses affirm their productivity has improved in their sector due to greater flexibility.

With access to ample resources and skills, virtual workers have helped businesses and companies expand at a faster rate. In the United States, remote work grew by 44% in the last five years, and it's only going to increase in the future. Countless businesses have sought assistance from virtual assistants and receptionists in a variety of different ways compared to conventional in-house employees; the companies have observed tremendous growth due to their virtual staff.

They both serve multiple businesses

Virtual receptionists and virtual assistants are highly trained individuals that can handle large volumes of calls and projects with ease. Their remote environment, professionalism, and shared resources allow them to serve multiple businesses and companies simultaneously and according to the guidelines provided to them by their clients.

Neither are full-time employees

Virtual receptionists and virtual assistants are always available to provide you with their services throughout the day (24*7 support) as they're based at a remote location and facilitate your business when called. Full-time employees are available for a limited period (usually, 9-5), and they're much more expensive than a virtual receptionist and a virtual assistant.

They are both affordable and offer excellent services at a lower cost

When you hire a virtual receptionist or a virtual assistant, you no longer have to pay a monthly fixed salary with additional benefits to a dedicated in-house employee. You pay for the hours they work for you, and their services come in different plans to match various budgets according to each business's requirements.

Major differences between a 'Virtual Receptionist' & 'Virtual Receptionist'

The demand for virtual staff has skyrocketed, and one-third of the overall U.S. workforce is serving as virtual workers or freelancers. Entrepreneurs often get confused with the two terms, and it's not the same thing. Let's understand the difference between the two-

Virtual Receptionist

• Your virtual receptionist communicates with your customers and clients as they're the customer representative of your company. Their major duties include- answering and transferring phone calls, delivering details, managing appointments, collecting caller's information, etc.
• The job of a virtual receptionist is entirely customer-focused and they're concentrated on interacting with existing and potential customers, providing top-notch customer service. Customer satisfaction is their priority, and they follow a strict customer-first approach.
• The key functions of a virtual receptionist are to provide instant solutions on time, answer FAQs, and resolve the issues faced by your clients and prospects. They make up the forefront of your company. This helps businesses be more responsive as individuals with advanced phone etiquette are available to respond to your behest calls.

Virtual Assistant

• Your virtual assistant, on the other hand, interacts with you and delivers you the results. Their prime functions include- managing your business-related calls, emails, social media management, organizing your business, and completing other vital administrative tasks.
• In contrast, a virtual assistant's role is operations-focused; they place more emphasis on activities that impact the flow of business and administration (budget, distribution, data management, etc.).
• The role of a virtual assistant is task-oriented, and their responsibility is to make sure that all tasks are completed proficiently. Their task-oriented strategy helps them to accomplish a high number of goals within a timeframe.

When To Hire A Virtual Receptionist

If you are the owner of an expanding small to medium-sized company, you know the value of each phone call you receive. You want to make sure all your calls are answered on time; however, you can see yourself struggling with it. The solution to this hurdle isn't hiring another full-time employee but an affordable virtual receptionist. Their exceptional skills and friendly attitude leave your customers satisfied—without any efforts from your side. They're present on multiple channels, and their personalized touch gives customers a great experience with your company.

When To Hire A Virtual Assistant

Is your growing business also increasing the checkboxes in your to-do list? If yes, then it is time for you to make a smart investment and hire a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant will help you get a grip on your to-do list in no time and free you from all the repetitive tasks that needlessly take up your time. A virtual assistant handling tasks for you can transform your business life, where you can finally focus on strategic tasks and pave the way for your company's expansion. From managing your social media to organizing your digital data, they can do it all for you. You can use a virtual assistant's services whenever you need, for a fraction of the cost you will pay to a dedicated in-house employee.