Small and medium sized businesses need to have the most efficient operation possible with regard to their phones. Here are 10 reasons why the small office needs to have a Virtual Receptionist.

Phone systems have limitations that may choke a small business. During normal call situations a small business phone system should be capable of handling several calls at once. If the system can't manage more than a couple of calls then the system may be loosing customers.

Small business phone systems quite often fall short when handling calls after a business is closed. They do not give the caller options to efficiently resolve the issue they are calling for. For some offices a simple voicemail will suffice for most of the calls. The caller can hear the office hours and leave a general voice message that someone will check in the morning.

Small offices with only a hand full of phones and phone lines have the challenge of how much phone system will be right for them. Buy too much and you waste money, buy to little and you don't get the features that you need.

When you setup your business phone services you may consider the receptionist at the front desk as a key component to the system. She (or he) will screen your calls giving you the option to take the call or not. In an automated phone system a Virtual Receptionist will screen your calls and give you the option of being connected or not in much the same way.

How many times have you called a business to ask if they are open? Or what their fax number is? Or when their UPS pickup will be? Then you hear "Please leave a message after the tone..." If this had been a customer calling your business they may just move on to the next number in the list. You may have lost a sale opportunity.

The generic voice mail outgoing greeting is just that, generic. Is your business generic? No? Your business is unique and special. Why would someone want to become your customer when they get your voice mail and it's not identifying your business? It's all about your business image!

I spent the evening at a networking event and chatted with a plumber who is loosing business. He knows that potential customers call in the evening but they hang up and don't call him. His office voice mail gives the caller his cell phone number but seldom do people hang up and redial...

I called a medical office a few days ago after a friend referred us to them. She said they need our help. I called and the phone rang 8 times then some music started and a voice came on saying "please hold, someone will be with you in a moment." This message repeated every 15 seconds for the next seven minutes...

Now avaliable the New 855 Toll Free phone numbers for business. The FCC has recently released the 855 toll free number set for access on a limited basis. All Call Technologies has access to these numbers for entrepreneurs and small businesses...