Regardless of your business size or model, customer care is an aspect you cannot afford to sideline. A caller could be an existing customer or a potential lead, and ensuring they get a prompt and accurate response is non-negotiable. While companies with resources can scale their customer care teams on demand, small businesses and startups don’t have that flexibility. If you are looking for an affordable and functional alternative, an AI receptionist from a top service provider like Signpost is all you need. In this guide, we will discuss the option with features, benefits, and more.
What exactly is an AI receptionist?
AI is everywhere, and it is not surprising that it has taken over customer care and support services. An AI receptionist relies on machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) to respond to callers. Using voice synthesis and contextual awareness, AI voice agents can answer questions, route calls, and collect relevant details. Unlike people working in the office, AI receptionists work around the clock, ensuring your business never misses a call.
Features to expect
Most advanced AI receptionists are designed to understand and comprehend human speech in diverse accents. Businesses can choose to customize how the AI agent responds to customers and tailor answers and responses related to queries. Typically, the service provider will offer access to a knowledge base, where your company can update information, scripts, and details to ensure accurate replies to callers. If the AI receptionist cannot process a caller’s request, the call can be transferred to the real customer care team.
Benefits at a glance
First and foremost, AI receptionists are available around the clock. You don’t have to worry about missing calls on weekends and holidays. Secondly, AI can handle hundreds of calls at the same time, which means callers don’t have to hold for a long time. All calls will be recorded to ensure customer care teams can access the information whenever required. Humans are likely to make mistakes when collecting information on the phone, but AI receptionists can gather details accurately. Your business will have complete access to and ownership of customer data. Some additional and direct advantages include:
- Reduced workload for your front desk
- Higher customer satisfaction rates
- Ability to capture potential leads and clients
- Improved operational efficiency
- Reduced staffing and recruitment costs
This brings to an important question – Will your front desk team matter anymore? Yes, absolutely! While AI receptionists ensure all calls are answered, you will still need real people who can help customers with complex issues. There are many situations when callers expect empathy and more tailored responses, and your existing customer care experts can be resourceful in providing assistance. Also, the team can work more productively as they don’t have to deal with a large volume of calls or overstretch their working hours.
Finding the right AI receptionist
There are numerous companies that offer AI receptionists for small and growing businesses, but before you select one, it is best to check the features. The most critical aspect is flexibility. You have to retain control over how the AI voice agent responds to customers. Another pointer is the initial setup. Select an option that doesn’t demand knowing too many technical details. The onboarding process with many service providers is less than an hour. The last aspect is the pricing. Before you commit to the long-term, test a service for a few weeks or months. If possible, choose a monthly package so that you can evaluate whether the AI receptionist’s responses align with your business.
You don’t have to consistently increase your front desk team to handle more calls – Just get an AI receptionist to streamline operations and enhance customer care.
