Virtual Receptionists vs. AI Voice Assistants
But with dramatic new technologies arriving in the last few years, such asAI, how is the market changing? How are virtual receptionists stacking up
against innovative new technologies like AI-poweredvoice assistants, which use voice AI to converse with callers and answer
their questions in a natural way.
We’ll take a deeper look at the pros and cons of each and help you decide
what’s best for your situation.
Quick comparison: virtual receptionists vs AI voice assistants
Virtual receptionists are remote professionals who provide phone answering
and administrative support services and act as an extension of your company.
They perform many of the same job functions as a traditional receptionist, but
are not part of a company’s culture as they are provided by a third-party
service.
AI-powered voice assistants also respond to callers but the newest
generation offers a dramatic improvement in voice understanding using
techniques such as advanced natural language understanding (NLU) and automatic
speech recognition (ASR) so they can understand and talk naturally with
callers. This is unlike automated answering services we’ve become accustomed to
such as IVR systems that often offer a bad customer
experience.
Benefits of virtual receptionists
Human touch. No matter how advanced AI voice assistants
have gotten (and they’ve gotten quite advanced, watch this), some
customers prefer to speak with a human.
Time management. By outsourcing phone answering tasks to
virtual receptionists, businesses can save time and focus on core activities,
improving overall productivity.
Cheaper than in-house receptionists. Because virtual
receptionists are remote, they are more affordable than maintaining a full-time,
on-site receptionist.
Flexible. A virtual receptionist service can adapt to the
changing needs of a business, adding additional receptionists to handle high
call volumes during peak times or during special campaigns.
Benefits of AI voice assistants
Calls answered on the first ring. Because of ongoing
staffing issues, long hold times are a top pain point for customers. In fact,
50% of callers hang up after 90 seconds on hold.
An AI voice assistant ensures your phones are answered quickly.
Knowledge of the business. A product such as SoundHound’s
Smart Answering includes an extensive Knowledge Base that uses AI to scrub
all data from your website and other sources so that the voice assistant can
answer many of your customers’ questions.
Rapid response. AI voice assistants can process information
instantly, leading to faster query resolution.
Cost effectiveness. AI voice assistant services offer a
more predictable monthly cost structure, that can range from as low as
$99/month to $499/month depending on the features and minutes included.
Scalability. As AI is not limited by human resources, it
can easily handle large call volumes without a decrease in performance.
Limited knowledge of business. Since virtual receptionists
work remotely and for multiple clients, it’s often challenging for them to
build a deep understanding of each company’s unique culture and values.
Higher costs. While cheaper than hiring an in-house
receptionist, virtual receptionists can still be costly depending on the plan
you select. Virtual receptionists plans range anywhere from $25 (low end)
to over $3,000 per month, along with hidden fees and upcharges for different
service levels
Limited availability. Virtual receptionists may not be
available 24/7, which means that there may be times when customers cannot reach
a human representative.
Human error. Virtual receptionists are human, which means
that they are prone to making mistakes. They also have different levels of
training and with today’s staffing challenges and turnovers, keeping
receptionists trained and knowledgeable on business values is difficult.
Drawbacks of AI phone answering
Automated voice. While AI voice assistants today are light
years ahead of old-school voice automation, it’s not a human voice, which some
prefer.
Interdisciplinary tasks. Complex issues often require human
expertise to resolve, whether it is customer service or backend support.
Emotional intelligence. Humans have an innate ability
to understand emotions, read between the lines, and respond with genuine care.
Comparing AI voice assistants vs. virtual receptionists
Virtual receptionists, with their human touch, provide a level of
personalization and emotional intelligence that AI systems have yet to match.
This human element can be crucial in industries where customer experience and
understanding nuanced requirements are key.
The benefits of AI phone answering systems are also significant, especially
in terms of efficiency and reliability. The ability to answer calls on the
first ring and ensure that 100% of calls are answered can drive more revenue as
50% of callers hang up after 90 seconds on hold. This level of responsiveness
is particularly beneficial for customer satisfaction, as it minimizes wait
times and the frustration that can arise from missed or delayed call responses.
In conclusion, if personalized customer interactions are your highest
priority and cost is not a barrier, virtual receptionists hold a clear
advantage. But if it’s important that your calls are answered promptly, that
they are answered round-the-clock, are easy to set up and modify, and cost is a
deciding factor, consider an AI voice assistant.
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