{"id":2516,"date":"2021-10-22T14:58:17","date_gmt":"2021-10-22T14:58:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/posh.com\/?p=1772"},"modified":"2025-12-04T17:57:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T17:57:10","slug":"what-does-a-virtual-receptionist-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/posh.com\/en-uk\/blog\/what-does-a-virtual-receptionist-do\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does a Virtual Receptionist Do?"},"content":{"rendered":"

These days, it\u2019s all remote this, virtual that, work from home, work from anywhere. It can be a lot to keep up with, but the simple fact is that people are doing things differently in the business world. Among the ways things have changed is how companies are handling their inbound phone calls. Many savvy organisations are finding the best solution to filling the role of a traditional receptionist is actually to use a virtual<\/em> receptionist.<\/p>\n

If you want a primer on the basics of what a virtual receptionist is, check out this article<\/a>. However, if you have graduated to ask the question, \u201cWhat does a virtual receptionist do\u201d then you are in the right place. Read on to find out more about the role of virtual receptionists.<\/p>\n

The Role of a Virtual Receptionist<\/h2>\n

As someone who handles phone calls<\/a> and other administrative tasks for your office, but from another location, virtual receptionists really have many of the same responsibilities you\u2019d expect from a traditional in-office receptionist.\u00a0The truth is, a virtual receptionist is almost exactly like a traditional receptionist. They both answer calls, transfer callers, take messages, capture leads, and schedule appointments.<\/p>\n

Unlike traditional receptionists, however, virtual receptionists are available to you anytime.<\/p>\n

If you work with a virtual receptionist service provider<\/a>, your business gains access to 24-hour answering. No longer are your callers limited to traditional business hours, and you don\u2019t have to be burdened by handling calls at all hours just to provide after-hours support. Even better, virtual receptionists are ready to respond to your needs quickly. Going into a meeting? Busy with a client? Need some time to focus? The role of a virtual receptionist is to answer your phone calls and handle them accordingly whenever you want.<\/p>\n

Short of coffee runs, virtual receptionists can do pretty much everything a traditional receptionist can do. And in many cases, a live virtual receptionist service can do it for much less. The beauty of it all? Your callers don\u2019t even realise that the virtual receptionist isn\u2019t sitting in your workplace.<\/p>\n

In any event, virtual receptionists act as an extension of your business\u2014providing the same professional, personable, on-brand service you\u2019d expect out of a traditional hire.<\/p>\n

Virtual Receptionist Responsibilities<\/h2>\n

When business owners work with virtual receptionist services, one of the most common reasons they do is call handling. However, a good virtual receptionist is responsible for much more than simply picking up the phone. What does a virtual receptionist do? Here are some responsibilities:<\/p>\n

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  1. Custom Call Handling:<\/strong> From prompt and professional live call answering to call screening that saves you time to transferring the types of callers that you want to speak with, a live virtual receptionist is responsible for handling phone calls from hello to goodbye. The great part? You can actually customise the whole process to fit your brand identity and business workflows.<\/li>\n
  2. Message Taking:<\/strong> If you are unavailable to accept a transfer or prefer your virtual receptionist to handle certain kinds of calls on their own, that\u2019s no problem. In this case, it is the role of a virtual receptionist to take a message, let the caller know you will follow up, and promptly send you the message with all the details you require.<\/li>\n
  3. Lead Capture & Qualification:<\/strong> With new business being the lifeblood of many companies, a virtual receptionist\u2019s responsibilities often includes the very first step in the sales process. When prospects call your organisation, your virtual receptionist can ask all the right questions to make sure they are the right kind of customer and gather their information so you can convert them into a client.<\/li>\n
  4. Scheduling Appointments:<\/strong> Your virtual receptionist should go beyond the call. Great virtual receptionists should be capable of scheduling appointments using popular programs like Calendly<\/a>, Google Calendar<\/a>, or whatever scheduling application you use.<\/li>\n
  5. Task Assistant:<\/strong> There are often additional tasks they perform, because, well, you need them to. If you need your virtual receptionist to reach out to a client to gather additional details or give someone a call to remind them of their upcoming appointment, you should be able to consider it done.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Virtual Receptionist Duties<\/h2>\n

    Every job comes with a list of requirements and responsibilities. What is often missing are the intangibles. What else should a virtual receptionist do? How can they go beyond the job to truly boost your business<\/a>?<\/p>\n