How to Divert Calls to a Virtual PA

A growing number of small businesses are nowadays learning that they do not necessarily need to pay a permanent receptionist to answer their phonecalls and are instead outsourcing many or all of their inbound phonecalls. Perhaps one of the hardest aspects for many to understand is how the call answering service fits into their everyday running of the business. The answer is without difficulty but the main barrier can just be getting set-up in the first place.

In offering the help of live operators that are acquainted with the companies practices, merchandise and large clients, telephone answering services (sometimes referred to as "virtual offices") can provide great progress in client satisfaction.

The bulk of businesses utilizing a call answering service choose to redirect their calls to the service. Call answering services will usually provide each client a unique telephone number which they redirect to, in this way the Virtual PAs are able to recognize which business is using the service and answer correctly. By diverting calls to this unique number rather than offering the number out directly means that the small business is always in command of the calls coming in. They can decide to redirect all calls, calls when the line is busy or simply redirect when they wish- for instance during lunches.

The practice of diverting calls in most cases is straightforward and generally only requires the user to input a short code into the phone followed by their unique virtual PA phone number. This way if a caller of the small business calls they still phone the same number they always would have, the phonecall is then redirected at the small businesses end to the call answering service, this is all done immediately and the customer should not even know that the phonecall has been redirected.

Not all businesses decide to redirect their calls, many actually offer their unique virtual PA number out direct to customers. This way is particularly popular with many dot.com businesses which may be nothing more than a single man or woman running their business from home in their spare-time, in fact many could have another 9 to 5 occupation. In this circumstance the Virtual PA are usually directed to tell callers that callbacks will not be until after usual office hours.

Once the call calls through to the virtual pa service the virtual assistant is steered on screen on how to handle the phonecall. The operator will answer the caller as instructed by the small business and forward a message by email, mobile phone txt or by fax. Alternatively some businesses like to use their Virtual PA as if they were an in-house receptionist and if correct patch calls through to their land line or cellphone.

However the virtual PA deals with the caller whether they take a message or patch the call through, the same impression of a bigger, more professional business is given to the caller.