Posts Tagged ‘live receptionist’
NEW YORK—In 2012, the market for online contingent work is set to double as more businesses across the globe hire and manage workers online for the first time. So says the Elance 2011 Online Employment Review.
Elance is offering up its take on trends that will shape the world of work in 2012. I’m sharing a couple below, along with my thoughts on how this impacts virtual office users.
The rise of the global, virtual workplace. Elance predicts companies will increasingly tap into the online workforce across geographic boundaries to support key business initiatives. More professionals will build independent careers by working with multiple clients all over the world.
Further, online contractors will collaborate with each other remotely, across geographies and time zones. Technological advancements enabling better online collaboration, telepresence, skills assessment and identity verification, will make significant contributions to the new virtual workplace.
I wholeheartedly agree with this prediction. We’re already seeing it, so if anything it’s just going to escalate. And where there are virtual workplaces there are virtual offices. Virtual office technologies are part of the rise of the global virtual workplace as individuals work from home with virtual office technologies, live receptionists, virtual assistants and other aids.
Promising online careers for 2012. Online hiring for specialized skills will continue to expand in 2012. Promising online careers for 2012 include:
- Software Developer
- Visual Designer
- User Experience Designer
- Digital Marketer
- Technical Writer
- Web Researcher
- Data Analyst
- Content Moderator
- Accountant
- Distributed Workforce Manager
These are all jobs—among many others—that can be accomplished in a virtual office. Whether you are in Beijing or New York, you can set up a virtual office and do business with clients anywhere in the world. So, virtual office users, get ready for new opportunities in 2012!
Need some help processing holiday orders? Davinci Virtual Office Solutions has your back. Our live virtual receptionists can schedule service appointments or take orders for you so you don’t miss a single sale during this prime season.
How does scheduling work, you ask? Simple answer: Davinci’s virtual receptionists use a web-based calendar to coordinate the ins and outs of service appointments. You’ll be able to view that calendar in real time just like our virtual receptionists.
You can synch your web-based virtual office calendar and can communicate directly with your current Outlookl, Act or other syncable calendaring system. Of course, you can always choose to continue working with whatever calendar system you use in your virtual office. We’re all about giving you flexibility and freedom.
OK, so what about order processing? Davinci’s virtual receptionists can process your orders quickly and accurately. Our team will have links to your Web site at their fingertips each time a client calls in. They can process your clients orders online, directly through your Web site. Or they can simply log caller information and e-mail it to you directly if you prefer.
Davinci Virtual Office Solutions makes virtual receptionists affordable in much the same way we make virtual offices affordable. You can get started with the Live Receptionist 50 package, which offers you live receptionist answering Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. EST, live call screening, transferring and forwarding, calendar and appointment scheduling, order processing and customer service and more.
What do I mean by more? How about live outbound and sales calling? Or a toll-free or local phone number, voicemail and voicemail-to-e-mail services. This package also offers you electronic fax and fax-to-e-mail, a Web-based command center with online calendar, contacts, tasks and e-mail, and long distance minutes.
Heck, you might even find that once the busy holiday shopping season is over you want to continue using our live receptionists to maintain your momentum.
SALT LAKE CITY-At Davinci Virtual Office Solutions, we always give 110 percent—but it seems our meeting rooms customers are giving even more!
I just got word that our DavinciMeetingRooms.com division has posted a whopping 200 percent growth in reservation revenues so far this year. And the year isn’t even over yet. So before I go any further, I wanted to give a shout out to all of our satisfied virtual office and meeting room customers. Thank you! Oh, and our CEO thanks you, too.
“We are very excited about the incredible growth of our meeting space business,” says Bill Grodnik, CEO of Davinci Virtual. “As we continue to add prime inventory and services to address the business meeting needs of our customers, the marketplace clearly has validated our offering.”
How did we manage to drive this 200 percent growth in the first 11 months of the year? Well, the average reservation transaction value increased by well more than 20 percent over last year. We’re processing more than 1,000 meeting reservations a month.
But to answer the question more specifically, Davinci Virtual Office Solutions is driving that growth, in part, with our comprehensive online reservation platform.
Our innovative technology makes it quick and easy for meeting room users to search more than 3,000 professional conference rooms around the world. Once you find what you are looking for, it’s just as easy to book and manage meeting space reservations. You can even use our online meeting rooms platform to opt for variety of add-on business services.
In case you didn’t already know it, Davinci Virtual Office Solutions also offers virtual office space to more than 8,500 companies and entrepreneurs in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Central America, Asia and Australia. Clients can choose from virtual office solutions like live receptionists, prime business addresses and flexible meeting rooms instantly online any time.
Our company empowers your small business with local or toll-free telephone and fax numbers, digital voicemail, voice and video conferencing, voicemail-to-email, fax to e-mail, virtual assistants, live call answering, screening and forwarding, live web chat, outbound calling, customer service, appointment scheduling, order taking, and much more. And we have more than 850 virtual office locations to choose from with mail forwarding, lobby and directory listings, access to conference rooms and day offices, administrative services and business support centers.
New research from the National Opinion Research Center and the University of Chicago reveals 16 percent of respondents have lost a jobs because they had to take time off work to deal with a sick family member—or their own illness.
Three in four respondents say paid sick days are a basic worker’s right, and 75 percent favor a law that guarantees paid sick days for all workers, and most support pro-rated paid sick days for part-time workers. What’s more, 86 percent back a plan that would require a minimum of seven paid sick days per year, and 33 percent say smaller employers should provide the same number of paid sick days as larger employers.
Congress is considering the Healthy Families Act, which would allow workers at businesses with 15 or more employees to earn up to seven paid sick days annually. The good news for your small business is that when you work with virtual receptionists, you don’t have to worry about sick days—and you also don’t have to worry about lost productivity or covering the phones because your receptionist is out sick.
A vital part of a virtual office package, a virtual receptionist helps you make a good impression on clients without having to hire, train and employ a receptionist on-site. And since you aren’t employing the virtual receptionist, you aren’t responsible for dealing with sick days. If one of Davinci Virtual’s virtual receptionists call in sick, the company simply shifts the calls to another available virtual receptionist. It’s a seamless transition. Your clients will never know the difference because all of Davinci’s virtual receptionists are well-trained.
Davinci’s live receptionists are equipped with advanced answering systems so they don’t miss a call. And since your virtual receptionist only answers the phone for you and up to four other businesses, the call volume is always manageable. Davinci offers a pay-as-you-go phone plan, so you only pay for the virtual receptionist minutes you use. And, again, you never have to worry about your virtual receptionist calling in sick.
I read an interesting study from Robert Half Management Resources. The gist of it was that financial executives can’t resist calling into work when they are on summer vacation. More than two-thirds (69 percent) of CFOs in the survey said they check in with the office at least once or twice a week during their vacation.
“While it is impossible for most CFOs to disconnect entirely, having a strong team in place makes it more manageable to get away,” says Paul McDonald, executive director of Robert Half Management Resources. “Disconnecting from the office also sets an example for employees, encouraging them to take needed breaks.”
Whether you are the CFO of a large company, or the CFO of your own company, taking downtime is important. Any good success coach will tell you that you need to recharge your batteries and sharpen your saw for continued success. A virtual office system can help before during and after your vacation.
McDonald offers five tips to help managers ensure their time away truly feels like a vacation:
Schedule ahead. If possible, aim to leave the office during a light period or when key staff members aren’t on vacation. Those in the office won’t be stretched too thin by your absence or feel the need to be in constant contact with you.
Decide on a point person early. A few weeks in advance, designate a senior person you trust to manage day-to-day responsibilities during your absence.
Notify contacts and clients. Before you leave, make certain clients and other business contacts are aware when you’ll be gone. On your out-of-office e-mail response and voice mail, include the name of your colleague handling your responsibilities.
Divide assignments. Unless the project requires the focus of your most senior person, you may want to distribute tasks to multiple senior staff members to ensure that work gets completed and to avoid overburdening any single employee. Also consider bringing in project professionals to cover large projects.
Determine your check-in time. If you must check in, try to establish “office hours” prior to your departure. Provide your staff with specific dates and times you will be checking messages. Resist the temptation to always have your mobile device in hand while on vacation.
Don’t forget about the benefits of virtual office technologies…
I think all that is good advice. But there is one more tip that could make your vacation more relaxing, even if you do have to take some calls during your getaway: virtual office technologies. Virtual office technologies can streamline communications during your time away from the office.
Here’s how: A virtual office phone system offers live answering and call forwarding services. So if a client really needs to reach you, your live receptionist can look at the list of people you are willing to take calls from and let the others know you are on vacation. The virtual receptionist can forward the appropriate calls to you and shield you from the rest.
Virtual office providers also give you access to fully equipped conference rooms and web conferencing technologies. So just about wherever you are, from Miami to Los Angeles to Seattle to New York and beyond, you can drop into a Davinci Virtual and rent a conference room with video conferencing or web conferencing capabilities.
On top of all this, a virtual office can make you more productive year-round, so when it’s time to take a vacation you are already ahead of the game. How many entrepreneurs never take a vacation—or even weekends off—because of the workload. With a virtual office system that includes virtual assistants, virtual receptionists and technologies, you can set the stage for a great vacation before you ever step foot out of your virtual office.
Be sure to take a real vacation. There are studies that give you a justification!
The A-Team debuts this weekend. You probably remember the old television show with “Mr. T.” The movie follows the exciting and daring exploits of a colorful team of former Special Forces soldiers who were set up for a crime they didn’t commit. So they go rogue and use their talents to try to clear their names and find the real criminal. The movie stars Liam Neeson as Hannibal Smith.
OK, so your workdays may not be as exciting as the adventures of the A-Team—and you probably wouldn’t want them to be—but that doesn’t mean you can’t you can’t build your own A-Team, so to speak. Instead of excitement and adventure, you can build an A-Team that will help you save money and be more productive in your business. Here’s how:
1. Set up a virtual office. A virtual office space offers you cost savings. It’s less expensive to set up a virtual office, which gives you a local or 800 number and a prestigious business address, than it is to rent physical office space. With a virtual office, you can get an address in Dallas even if you are in Atlanta.
2. Get a virtual assistant. Virtual assistants can do the heavy lifting on tasks that aren’t your core focus, including administrative support, personal scheduling, and even some creative services. The virtual assistant works remotely (perhaps even from a different city than you) so you don’t have to rent office space for them. You can save money with a virtual assistant because there is no full-time commitment. It also boosts productivity because you can tend to business-critical tasks.
3. Hire a virtual receptionist. You can make a great impression with a virtual receptionist who answers your phone and greets callers, forwards calls and even takes orders. This, too, saves you money because you don’t have to hire a full-time receptionist to sit in your office. And you can be more productive because you don’t have to be distracted by phone calls.
Davinci Virtual can set you up with all of the above—and more—in a matter of minutes. You can have an A-Team of remote receptionists along with professional and other services. If you work on the road or from home, Davinci Virtual is available during business hours to answer, screen and/or forward your calls in a professional, personalized manner. Your client or customer will never know the difference. So what are you waiting for? Start building your A-Team today.
Want to see the trailer to the new A-Team movie? Check it out below…
Every thought about working at Davinci Virtual? There are job openings at the leading virtual office provider for the taking—and you can apply online—if you live in Salt Lake City.
Indeed, Davinci Virtual is hiring live receptionists and customer service agents at its Salt Lake City headquarters as the company continues its growth streak.
Virtual Receptionist Responsibilities
If you would like to work as a virtual receptionist who answers calls from Davinci’s live virtual receptionist clients, schedules appointments and forwards calls accurately and efficiently, you can click here.
Davinci Virtual receptionists also supervise the call through to clients, process orders, make outbound customer service calls for clients, do administrative work, and work to understand products, prices and best practices of client companies.
Customer Service Agent Responsibilities
Davinci Virtual customer service agents are responsible for client set ups, client surveys, client welcomes, proactive client communication and internal communication. Customer service agents also handle partner center relations, conference room booking, and billing questions, among other issues.
Applying for a Davinci Virtual position is simple. There’s an online form where you can put in your name, address and contact number, entry any comments you have and upload a resume. When you do, your online application will be ushered off to a hiring manager in Salt Lake City who will review your qualifications to determine if you are a strong match for the job.
Davinci Virtual offers a great work environment where employees treat each other with respect and dignity. It’s a diverse workplace with an attitude of excellence. The company makes positive contributions to the communities it serves and the environment. Davinci has over 600 virtual office locations, and the opportunity is growing.
Looking for an affordable notebook PC for your virtual office set up? HP just rolled out nine laptops tailored for corporate and small- to mid-sized business customers like you. With prices starting at just $549, HP’s new line up is a strategic addition to a road warriors technology toolbox.
Here are two of my favorites from the new lineup.
- HP Pavilion dm3 offers ultramobility and fast performance paired with cool etched patterns and a sleek metal finish. With an Internet connection, consumers can stay connected with Skype and instant messaging. At less than one-inch thick and weighing 4.2 pounds, the dm3 boasts a battery life of up to seven hours so you can take it anywhere without dragging along the power cord.
- The HP ProBook 4425s features a brushed-aluminum metal case in caviar or bordeaux. Weighing 4.71 pounds, it offers enhanced graphics capabilities, fast performance and a long battery life. This notebook is designed for small-to mid-sized business professionals who want stylish, affordable notebooks for everyday virtual office applications.
Your Virtual Office Companion
Many of you know that I write about technology every day. This new HP line up is impressive for virtual office users and compliments other virtual office technologies, like Voice over Internet Protocol and web conferencing. Whether you work from home or you are a true road warrior, you will find something that suits your specific needs among the 14 new notebooks HP just introduced.
If you are just establishing your virtual office set up, check out how Davinci Virtual’s virtual office locations in major metropolitan cities like Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Seattle can help you find a safe work haven while traveling or just a prestigious business address to collect your mail while you are on the road.
And as you are flying from city to city with your new HP notebook in hand, Davinci’s Live Receptionist Services can answer your phones, forward you calls, or take messages. If you run an e-commerce or lead generation Web site, you can rely on Davinci’s Live Web Chat services to handle customer inquiries while you are up in the air.
Check out this video of the HP Pavilion dm3 and let me know what you think…
While Research in Motion is readying its OS 6.0 for BlackBerry and Apple is preparing to roll out iPhone 4.0 software, Davinci Virtual is making some news of its own on the software front.
Davinci Virtual just released version 3.0 of its online reservation platform. The company has enhanced the technology that powers DavinciMeetingRooms.com so that its virtual office clients—and anyone else in the world who needs a meeting room, conference room or temporary office space—can quickly and easily book it online in minutes.
“We are proud to release the new version of our online reservation platform for professional conference rooms and meeting spaces,” said Bill Grodnik, President and CEO of Davinci Virtual. “The new site has been designed with ease of use and optimal search criteria in mind. We looked at the past 18 months of experience and implemented what our clients and partners have asked for.”
If you have an Internet connection, you can book a meeting room in Atlanta, New York, Houston or just about anywhere else on DavinciMeetingRooms.com much faster than you could even dial the phone, speak with a representative and confirm your reservation. That said, if you need to speak with a reservation specialist, the new platform gives you two options: You can call in or you can chat with Live Chat services.
When you visit the new DavinciMeetingRooms.com, you won’t see much different on the outside. The sleek design is the same as it was last week. What’s changed is what you can’t see: the underpinnings of the Web 2.0 technology that offers advanced applications like live conference room inventory, critical add-on services such as LCD projectors, catering and business support.
Davinci Meeting Rooms offers more than 750 locations across the globe. Grodnick likes to say it levels the playing field for small business by allowing companies to create an image on a small business budget. Meeting rooms work hand in hand with virtual office space. And Davinci has you covered from top to bottom with turnkey virtual communications, virtual office solutions and on-demand physical office space.
If you are a road warrior who loves virtual office technologies, you’ll love the new BlackBerry smartphones. Even if you use an iPhone, you have to appreciate the BlackBerry as the pioneer in business e-mail and other mobile productivity applications.
On Monday, Research in Motion (RIM), the makers of the BlackBerry smartphones, announced two new models worth checking out: the BlackBerry Bold 9650 and BlackBerry Pearl 3G. These devices can serve as compliments to your virtual office space.
The BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone offers a full-QWERTY keyboard, optical trackpad and built-in Wi-Fi, which makes it possible to talk on the phone while browsing the web or sending and receiving e-mail. The Pearl 3G is less than two inches wide and weighs 3.3 ounces, but still offers support for high-speed 3G networks, Wi-Fi and GPS. It offers features including e-mail, messaging and social networking.
“The new BlackBerry Bold 9650 is an extraordinary smartphone that we think customers will love,” said Mike Lazaridis RIM president and co-CEO. “Whether at work or at play, the new BlackBerry Bold 9650 offers a truly impressive communications, multimedia and connectivity experience.”
Isn’t that what a virtual office is all about? Truly impressive communications, multimedia and connectivity experience? Road warriors or home-based entrepreneurs who use virtual offices can have their calls answered, screened or forwarded in a professional, personalized way. Your clients won’t know if you are sitting in a office or answering from your new BlackBerry 9650 smartphone—unless you tell them.
A virtual receptionist can do even more. Your clients can listen to hold music while they wait, the remote receptionists can schedule appointments and make live outbound sales calls. You can also avoid missing calls from customers who might not leave a message on your answering machine by having the live receptionist take your calls on a multiple line phone system.
Thinking of buying a new smartphone? Check out this quick video on the BlackBerry Bold 9650 and consider how this fits into your virtual office plan.
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