When you’re in a hurry, the last thing you want is for the receptionist to make you wait.

They might be taking a call. They might have gone for a bathroom break. They might be rude or less than helpful.

None of this applies to virtual receptionist software.

The first impression is always the most important. If a customer’s user experience while dealing with your front-end staff is unpleasant, they might not come back. ALICE the virtual receptionist is here to help.

Let’s dive into why you need virtual receptionist software, and how this can streamline your business.

What Is Virtual Receptionist Software?

The ALICE virtual receptionist can fulfill all of the functions of a traditional receptionist. You have a touchscreen kiosk that you post where you might have a receptionist. That touchscreen includes a camera and microphone that allows the customer to interact with ALICE.

Think of this as a bigger version of Siri or Alexa. The only major difference is that you get a friendly, smiling face to greet you when you walk in.

This means you can automate many of the processes that a traditional receptionist might fulfill. Further, the visitor can get self-help. They can interact with the receptionist in any way they choose, avoiding confusion.

You can use virtual receptionist software in almost any office situation. They’re adaptable to your office needs. Best of all, they have a number of benefits over a salaried employee behind a desk.

Virtual Receptionist Software and Cost Effectiveness

The average receptionist’s salary in the United States is $36,000. The ALICE secretary is much cheaper overall when you consider the overhead costs besides the salary.

Real receptionists require paid leave. They take sick days, and can’t guarantee consistent, quality service. They require costly healthcare.

It’s hard to understate the overhead costs of ALICE when you consider that performance will remain equal at all times. ALICE doesn’t need bathroom breaks. She doesn’t take lunch off, and she’s never late.

This streamlines your hiring process, too. Once you see ALICE in action, you’ve got a 5-star employee for the duration of her service. Virtual receptionist software is a reliable employee at all hours of the day and can pull a double without a dip in performance. 

Streamlined Visitor Registration

Most receptionists are doing double duty. They’re taking phone calls, scheduling appointments, and performing other clerical work. That’s not the case with ALICE.

ALICE gives her undivided attention to anyone who enters the office. She uses motion detection to recognize customers, then greets them with a smile. Her touchscreen allows them to do visitor registration at their leisure.

ALICE can take advantage of AI to make things much faster, too. She can recognize faces and check that customers comply with a mask mandate. She can scan identification documents such as driver’s licenses.

When it comes to health screening, ALICE acts as a barrier for disease between patients and regular staff. She can check the temperature and complete health questionnaires. She can even warn employees if there is a potential COVID-19-positive person in the building.

If visitors need badges or other documents, ALICE can print these for them on the spot. 

And if you want to avoid interaction with a sick patient, ALICE can start a video call with your staff. Virtual receptionist software can do just about anything you can think of.

Phone Answering Service

Receptionists have to divide themselves between visitor registration and incoming phone calls. ALICE can do both at the same time. She provides an automated phone answering service to get the customer or patient information before they arrive.

You may have felt frustrated with an automated phone answering service in the past. However, AI has made it possible for a robot to answer an incoming phone call in a natural and efficient way.

ALICE can recognize speech, or use standard phone menu options to direct customers. She can direct callers to the correct department with ease. And she does all of this while she’s greeting customers at the door!

Security

Security threats can enter the building at any time and may slip by your employees’ notice. ALICE is vigilant at all times. You can use her as a means of authentication, or as a wall of security around restricted areas.

Like with health concerns, ALICE can communicate with a suspected security concern. Employees can evaluate a person from a safe distance without endangering their lives.

If needed, ALICE can give security alerts. She can use facial recognition to identify persons who have caused your staff grief in the past.

Employee Communication

ALICE isn’t just a robot, she’s a part of the team. She can direct incoming visitors to the respective offices, then alert the employee there that they have a visitor.

This streamlines the process. There’s no need for a traditional receptionist to go through the effort of contacting the employee in question. Employees can receive these notifications via email, text, or even Slack.

If the employee isn’t available, then ALICE can have them take a seat. When the employee returns, the visitor gets an instant notification that someone is waiting.

Let ALICE Streamline Your Waiting Lobby

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us all that our businesses can benefit from more digital solutions. The ALICE virtual receptionist software not only improves the user experience for visitors and employees but also does so on a budget. She greets people and makes visitor registration a breeze.

Her versatility means she’s a security measure, a health monitor, and a lobby-room manager all balled into one. And she’s a reliable employee that will make your office the talk of the town.

It’s time to upgrade your office with the ALICE virtual receptionist. Check out her website today to see what option works best for you.