| A virtual assistant and answering service are | | | | wherever. The service will also take a message if |
| really different types of service however they | | | | they are so instructed. But, from a productivity |
| can be complementary. When you're trying to | | | | perspective an answering service is pretty limited. |
| decide which type of service to employ, you | | | | Yes, you can have them "find" you hours by |
| really need to consider what type of company | | | | calling a specific phone number, but your options |
| you are and how you plan to interact with your | | | | are obviously very limited. |
| customers. | | | | Generally the cost of an answering services |
| For example, a virtual assistant really refers to a | | | | ranges anywhere from about $50 per month all |
| real person, whether he / she is in the same city, | | | | the way up to $200 per month or more. A lot of |
| state or even country or not. The term virtual | | | | the cost will depend on the number of messages |
| really means that the person is not physically | | | | the service is requested to answer. A virtual |
| located in the same place as you. So, a virtual | | | | assistant, on the other hand, is generally in the |
| assistant truly is "virtual", but can he / she do | | | | range of $800 - $1,500, depending on the number |
| many of the things that a person in the same | | | | of hours, dedicated or share resource and other |
| physical location can do, except, of course, make | | | | factors. |
| coffee and greet clients at the door. | | | | Now, there are also automated answering |
| My company uses a number of virtual assistants. | | | | services, such as RingCentral PBX. It is truly a |
| We don't have any physical office, so a virtual | | | | great services for $49.99 per month for unlimited |
| assistant makes a lot of sense. These assistants | | | | minutes, routing, call forwarding, conferencing, etc. |
| make and receive calls, schedule appointments, | | | | You can set up all types of rules, depending on |
| "file" documents, do research and many more | | | | what phone number you will be at between |
| tasks. | | | | certain days or hours and even define holidays for |
| The filing portion of the business is quite unique. All | | | | example. In this example, is much better than |
| of our documents are truly digital... proposals, | | | | hiring a dedicated answering service, except, of |
| invoices, spreadsheets, powerpoint, bills, etc. Our | | | | course, for the live operator component. |
| assistants file these on Google Docs. This process | | | | In my company, we use both virtual assistants |
| is such a timesaver because everyone in the | | | | and RingCentral PBX to get the BIG company feel |
| company can share the documents and they're all | | | | on a small business budget. The RingCentral PBX |
| easy to find. And, the beauty of Google Docs is | | | | can answer automatically when needed and go to |
| that it is free. | | | | a live operator when we need it to. It in an |
| Virtual assistants are also great resources for | | | | incredibly functional "answering service." The |
| research work. Because the Internet is so | | | | combination of virtual and answering service truly |
| ubiquitous, it is the often the first place that | | | | makes our company an efficient organization. |
| people go to find information. This is perfect work | | | | You can find out more about the efficiencies of |
| for a virtual assistant because they can reach the | | | | RingCentral at my blog. I also will be writing |
| Internet from practically anywhere. | | | | several more series on virtual assistants, virtual |
| An answering service is basically just that. The | | | | office, free software for virtual offices and the |
| service will answer and route your calls to you | | | | best paid virtual office solutions. |