Author Archives: Phoebe Osborn

How to Greet an Office Guest When You’re On a Call

By | 01.04.2012 |
Virtual receptionists Mercedes and Sara Lee

Ruby's front receptionists Mercedes and Sara Lee

Our clients know they can count on the warm, friendly voices of our virtual receptionist team to greet their callers. Visitors to the Ruby® office are treated to an added bonus: friendly faces to match! Our front desk receptionists Mercedes and Sara Lee field our clients’ calls like their fellow Rubys, but they also greet office visitors, and take care of all sorts of tasks that keep our office shipshape. How do they do it all? With a smile, of course! If you’re a front desk receptionist looking for a few tricks of the trade, look no further. Our telephone answering champs are here to help!

So what’s the best way to greet an office guest when you’re on a call? According to our front desk Rubys, it’s all about prompt, friendly acknowledgment. Says Mercedes, “When I’m on a call and a visitor arrives, I continue speaking with my caller, but make eye contact with the visitor, smile, and hold my hand up to show I’ll be with them in a moment. If I have a chance to place the caller on hold, I make sure my call notes are clear, then check in with the guest.”

Sara Lee agrees that the eyes have it: “The most important thing is making eye contact right away so the guest feels acknowledged and welcomed.”

Mercedes brings up a good point in saying, “Office guests don’t get angry and hang up.” But if they’re not acknowledged quickly, they might feel neglected, and that’s no good. As Sara Lee wisely says, ”There’s nothing worse than stepping into an office and wondering ‘Does she see me? Maybe I should clear my throat or something.‘” She adds, “If I am on the phone, I make sure to catch the visitor’s eye, smile, and nod to them. I may even give them the ‘One moment, please‘ index finger up that says ‘I’ll be with you in a moment.’”

A final note from Sara Lee: “My advice to receptionists who are balancing walk-in guests and phone calls would be to smile, make eye contact, and be their charming selves. It’s a winning combination!”

Do you field phone calls and greet office guests? How do you balance your daily duties? We’d love to learn your tips! Share by commenting below.

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How To Be A Great Receptionist In 4 Easy Steps

By | 12.20.2011 |
Receptionist

Photo by Jamie

The holidays are here, and that means a lot of things: family gatherings, delicious food, and vacation time, to name a few. If those vacation requests have left your office without a steadfast receptionist, don’t fret. The virtual receptionist team at Ruby® is ready to share our tips for being an excellent receptionist, regardless of your prior experience. Here are three must-haves for a stellar receptionist:

1. A Helpful Greeting. “Hello” is nice, but on its own, it falls flat. Try treating your callers to an informative, friendly greeting instead. Our live virtual receptionists recommend starting with something nice like, “Thank you for calling,” and ending with an offer of assistance like, “How may I help you?” Be sure to slip your company name in there, too.

2. Courteousness. You may be unsure of yourself from time to time, but if you’re nice, no one will notice. When you need to collect information from your callers, the it’s best to politely ask for it rather than demanding it. The Ruby team suggests these friendly queries: “May I say who is calling?” and, “May I have your name?” We’ve found that a “May I?” is a great way to start any question. Throw “please” and “thank you” in there as much as possible. Everyone loves to be treated with respect, and the happier your callers are, the happier you’ll be.

3. A good response. Here’s a little secret every great receptionist knows: it’s not about having the answer to every question, it’s about knowing what to say when you don’t know. “Let me find out for you” and “Let me connect you with the best person to help you” are superb responses. “I don’t know” is not.

4. A plan B. When you’re not able to reach the person your caller is seeking, you can stay in control of a call by offering the next logical step to your caller. In this case, that means offering to take a message or transfer your caller to voicemail. It’s just this easy: “Tim’s in a meeting at the moment. May I take a message or transfer you to his voicemail?”

Fielding phone calls isn’t always easy, but with a bit of savvy, it can be fun and rewarding. We hope all of our fellow phone answering pros have a fantastic holiday season! And if you need a bit of help, just call on the Ruby team!

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No answer? No problem! How to Respond Confidently to Any Question

By | 11.29.2011 |
Don't let a tricky call stump you!

Photo by tinyfroglet

The Ruby® Receptionists team fields lots of questions from callers each day. Many of them our virtual receptionist team can answer (with the help of client-provided FAQs), but some could leave even an in-house receptionist stumped. Although a Ruby phone answering pro may not always have an answer on the tip of her tongue, she’s always ready with a helpful reply. The next time a caller asks you a tricky question, try using these magic words: let me and I’ll be happy to.

Ruby rule: When we don’t have the answer you’re looking for, we’ll help you find it. Being a stellar receptionist isn’t about knowing all the answers — it’s about helping callers find the info they seek. Beginning a reply with the words “let me” or “I’ll be happy to” lets callers know you’re on board and ready to assist them.

The key to using “let me” and “I’ll be happy to” is to use them instead of negative phrases like “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure.” The fact that you don’t know or aren’t sure isn’t important to your caller. Your desire to help is, so let it show!

When you don’t know the answer to a question, it’s second nature to reply with “I don’t know,” but it’s a habit worth breaking. Check out this exchange:

Caller: What’s Jim’s email address?

Receptionist: I don’t know.

Ouch! That receptionist sure doesn’t sound helpful. Let’s try that again:

Caller: What’s Jim’s email address?

Receptionist: Let me find out!

The “let me” reply is a world apart. Positive replies beginning in “let me” and “I’ll be happy to” are the perfect segue into finding a caller’s answer. What’s more, these great starters work wonders in lots of situations — you don’t have to save them for your next phone call! There are many more like them, too: I can, I’d love to, I’ll be sure to, and the list goes on. The key is to resist the urge to say you “don’t know,” and dive in to finding out.

What helpful phrases do you use on the phone? Share by commenting on this post!

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Receptionist Etiquette: 5 Things to Avoid Saying on the Phone

By | 11.22.2011 |
Things to avoid saying on the phone

Photo by Jasmaine Mathews

Our virtual receptionists are great at knowing what to say to make a caller’s day, and they’re also pros at knowing what not to say. At Ruby®, we love sharing our telephone answering knowledge! If fielding phone calls is part of your job, the Ruby team suggests avoiding these five phrases:

I can’t. As a receptionist, you want to help your callers get to where they need to go, and “I can’t” is a dead end. Even if you can’t do exactly what your caller asks, you can provide some kind of help. Think of what you can do, and offer to do it. Instead of this…

Caller: I need to reset my online password. Can you help me with that?

Receptionist: I can’t. I’ll connect you with our tech support department.

…get rid of “I can’t” and move on to the good stuff.

Receptionist: Let me put you in touch with our tech support department. They’ll be happy to help you with that.

I don’t know. You may not have the answer to your caller’s question, but saying “I don’t know” gets you nowhere. Bypass “I don’t know” and move on to the next part: putting the caller in touch with someone who does know.

“Great question! Diana in our sales department will be happy to answer it. Let me put you in touch with her.”

“That’s a good question! Let me find the best person to answer it.”

She/he is on the other line. Although it may be true, telling your caller that “Ms. Smith is on the other line” can cause trouble. Your caller may infer that Ms. Smith will return the call as soon as she’s off that other line, and that may not be true. Another potential hitch: your caller might ask to wait on hold until Ms. Smith is available, and if you’re not sure Ms. Smith wants to talk to your caller as soon as she’s free, things can get tricky.

Hold, please. Sure, you’re going to need to place callers on hold from time to time, but it’s best to ask permission first. Rather than “Hold, please,” go with “May I place you on hold for a moment?” Our live virtual receptionist team always asks first, and when a caller declines to be placed on hold, we don’t press the Hold key.

Just a sec. This phrase is a little informal. Trade “Just a sec” in for the classic, classier “One moment, please,” and let your professionalism shine!

What words do you avoid over the phone? Let us in on your tricks of the trade by leaving a comment below.

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3 Ways to Offer Help in Your Telephone Greeting

By | 11.15.2011 |
First impressions when answering the phone

Photo by macinate

The virtual receptionist crew at Ruby® shared some tips for creating a standout company greeting in a previous post, and today, we’ve got a few more thoughts on this popular topic. Our telephone answering pros recommend ending a greeting with a friendly question that offers assistance. If you’re crafting a greeting and looking for the best way to show callers you’re ready to help, here are some welcoming words to consider:

How may I help you? This standby is a wonderful way to invite questions and comments from callers. If your phone answering team loves fielding questions and chatting with callers, consider wrapping up your greeting with these friendly words. Just because it’s a common part of many greeting doesn’t mean it’s ineffective — asking “How may I help you?”  lets callers know you’re on their side and ready to lend a hand, and that’s great news for them!

How may I direct your call? This question allows your phone answering team to speedily route calls where they need to go. If you’re a Ruby client hoping to reduce your receptionists minutes, this offer of assistance may help, because it politely prompts callers to give our live virtual receptionists the info they need to direct each call quickly. Looking for tech support? Have a question about your bill? Calling to chat with a salesperson? Callers need only say the word, and the Ruby crew will get each one to the right place.

A custom question, like How can I make you smile today? Customizing every element of your greeting can be a great way to make your company stand out among competitors. Your greeting may be a potential client’s initial impression of your company, so why not use the first words of each phone call to make that impression a lasting one? If you feel like being quirky, funny, or extra-engaging with callers, a custom question might be the ticket.

Can you think of any company greetings that stand out to you? What do you think makes a greeting great? We love comments — share your thoughts by posting one!

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3 Easy Ways to Welcome a New Employee

By | 11.08.2011 |
Welcome gift

A welcome gift can also set the stage for a great first day!

We’re all about great first impressions at Ruby®, and making every new member of our virtual receptionist team feel welcome on day one is especially important to us. If you work one-on-one with a new hire, you have a great opportunity to establish a connection from the get-go. But you don’t have to be a new employee’s trainer or manager to connect — in fact, it takes just a minute or two to make a positive impression. Here are three easy ways to welcome the latest addition to your office:

Say more than “Hello.” When you’re introduced to a new employee, don’t stop at “It’s nice to meet you!” Try asking a get-to-know-you question or two when you meet. Anything that sparks a bit of dialogue will do — it can be as simple as asking “How is your first day going?” or “What do you think of the office?” You may be having a busy morning, but take a moment to learn a little about your new teammate. A quick conversation will establish rapport and help the new employee remember your name.

Offer to help. Being the new kid on the block isn’t easy, but you can help put a new employee at ease by letting your teammate know you’re happy to lend a hand. You don’t have to offer anything grand to show you care. Here are some examples:

“If you have any trouble with the copy machine, I’d be happy to help you!”

“Let me know if you’re looking for good restaurants nearby for lunch!”

“If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to let me know!”

Check in. After you’ve met, make a follow-up visit to your new teammate. It’s as easy as swinging by your newbie’s desk to say hello and chat a bit. This is a great opportunity to offer help, if you haven’t had a chance yet. A quick conversation will mean a lot to your teammate, and ease new-hire jitters. You might just get a new friend out of the deal, to boot!

How do you and your teammates welcome new employees? Comment below with your suggestions!

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How to Take a Great Message Every Time

By | 11.02.2011 |

As the virtual receptionist team at Ruby® knows, every call is unique, and so is every message. Our phone answering mavens are adept at taking quality messages, and we’d love to let you in on a few of our secrets! Whether you’re jotting a two-word note or typing a novella-length missive, here are three ways to make sure every message you take is magnificent:

Confirm contact information.  Before wrapping things up, verify telephone numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses by reading them back to your caller. Lots of letters sound alike and can be difficult to discern over the phone, so a spelling alphabet may come in handy for double-checking email addresses, street names, city names, and tricky words.

When in doubt, restate! If a caller has a lot to relay, or if you’re just not sure you caught all the important details, don’t fret — just take a moment to paraphrase your message back to the caller. Your attention to detail will be appreciated by callers and coworkers alike! Here’s how our skilled live virtual receptionists might do it: “Great! To confirm, you’d like to move the November 10th meeting from noon to 2:00, and you’d like to meet at your office. Is there anything else you’d like me to relay?”

Go easy on your callers. When a caller says “She has my phone number,” it’s probably true. If a caller declines to give a key piece of information, asking nicely a second time may do the job (“Would you mind if I take down your number, so she has it handy when she gets this message?“), but don’t press further than that. Instead, politely move on (“Certainly! Thank you!“), and when composing your message, note that you attempted to gather the info (Sally said you have her telephone number).

Got any message-taking tips to share? Leave a comment below!

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Receptionist Etiquette Tip: 3 Must-have Habits

By | 10.27.2011 |

What are the secrets of the Ruby® trade? Our virtual receptionist team has lots of little routines that help make each call breezy. If you’re seeking a few ways to wow your callers and coworkers, look no further! Here are three fab phone answering tips from the Ruby team:

Take a message even when your caller declines to leave one. Ruby’s live virtual receptionists call them FYI messages, as in “Maria declined to leave a message. She said she’d call back later. Just an FYI.” Here’s the funny thing: you know that caller who keeps trying to reach your boss, but says “Oh, I’ll just try back” each time, declining to leave a message? When that caller finally reaches the boss, they’re liable to say “I’ve called several times! Didn’t your receptionist tell you?” Zing! When a caller opts not to leave a message, play it safe and take one anyway.

Don’t make assumptions about solicitations. Think you can spot a telemarketer through a thousand miles of phone line? You may be right…most of the time. But one slip-up can cause big problems. Throwing an “I’m sorry, we’re not interested” at your boss’s colleague is sure to cause blowback. Ruby’s suggestion: When a caller asks for someone by name, offer the call to that person. If a solicitor-y sounding caller asks for “the owner of the company,” or “the director of IT,” or some general appellation, politely probe a bit by asking, “May I ask if this is a solicitation?” If the caller replies with anything but a “Yes,” offer the call to the appropriate person, or at least offer to take a message. And before you do any of this, ask your team how they’d like you to handle solicitation calls — some folks like talking to telemarketers. One final note: No matter how fishy a caller sounds, be nice. Solicitors are people, too!

Don’t count on your memory — write it down. It’s embarrassing to go back to a caller and ask “May I have your name again?” and even more embarrassing to say “I have…oh, ummm, I forgot his name…on the line” when offering a call. Start taking notes when a call begins, and don’t break the habit no matter how confident you get. Have a pen and paper handy or keep a word processing document open throughout the day — whatever makes it easiest for you to note details as your callers rattle them off.

What are your standby telephone answering habits? Let us in on your secrets by commenting below!

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3 Things to Consider Adding to Your Company’s Voicemail Greeting

By | 10.25.2011 |
Telephone

Photo by David Wilson

If you have a receptionist, or a stellar virtual receptionist team (ah-hem), you know your callers are taken care of during your business hours. But what about when the office is closed? If your company uses a general voicemail box outside of your telephone answering hours, here are three helpful things to think about adding to the greeting:

Business hours (and other basic info). When you receive a call after hours, chances are your caller wants to know when you’ll be around. If your company has standard business hours, add them to your voicemail greeting. Stating your website address or fax number may be helpful, too. You know your callers best — think about about what after-hours callers might want to know, and do them a favor by adding it to your voicemail greeting.

Alternative options. Sure, your caller can leave a voicemail for your company or for an individual employee, but if there are other ways to get in touch with you and your co-workers that you’d prefer, feel free to point it out: “If you’d prefer to email any member of our staff, our company directory is available on our website at www.abccompany.com.” Although, if you’re a current Ruby client, keep in mind that all voicemail messages left after-hours are emailed to you immediately as a .wav file; you never have to wonder if you have a voicemail waiting!

An emergency option. If you want urgent after-hours calls to be handled differently, include that information: “If this is an urgent issue, please call…” At Ruby®, we can set your business up with an after-hours phone tree that gives callers the option to be routed to an outside number in the case of emergencies: “If this is urgent, press 1 to be connected to the attorney.” We can direct those urgent calls wherever you want — your cell phone, your home phone, anywhere!

While you’re mulling over these tips for your after hours voicemail, feel free to check out our previous post, 3 Things to Consider Adding to Your Voicemail Greeting, for suggestions on how to structure your personal greeting and ensure quality messages!

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3 Things to Consider Adding to Your Voicemail Greeting

By | 10.20.2011 |
Telephone

Photo by Enokson

The live virutal receptionist team at Ruby® is packed with phone answering and message taking experts. A thoughtfully-worded voicemail greeting can help ensure that your callers leave quality messages even when our skilled virtual receptionists aren’t taking them.

It’s always best to state your name and company name in your voicemail greeting, so callers are sure they’ve been routed to the right voicemail box: “Hi! You’ve reached Diana at Ruby Receptionists.” But what else? Depending on your preferences, adding a bit more to your voicemail greeting can help you get the info you need and keep callers in-the-know. Here are three things to think about adding to your voicemail greeting:

A time frame, or a request for one. If you typically return calls within a certain length of time, do your callers a favor and let them know: “I’ll get back to you the following business day.” Or if you work certain hours or days, that may be helpful to share: “I’m in the office Monday through Wednesday, 9-5, and I’ll be happy to return your call as soon as I’m available.” Asking your callers to indicate the best time for a return call may be helpful, too: “If there’s a good time for a return call, just let me know!”

A request for specific information. Callers will typically leave their names and telephone numbers at the beep. If additional information is helpful to you, let callers know — they’ll likely be happy to oblige:

“Please leave your name, telephone number, and account number, and I’ll return your call as soon as possible.”

“Please leave your name, telephone number, and company name. I’ll be happy to return your call!”

An alternative option. If you have a voicemail box, it’s understood that you (eventually) listen to your messages and return calls. But is there a faster, more reliable way to reach you? Do you prefer a different form of communication? If you want callers to be able to get in touch with you quickly, let them know if there’s a better option:

“If you need to reach me right away, please call my cell at 866-611-7829.”

“For a faster response, please email me at staff@callruby.com.”

Up next week: Things you might want to add to your company-wide voicemail greeting. Stay tuned!

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