This is exactly what tens of thousands of business owners have done and may continue to do in an effort to offer continual customer support while drastically reducing expenses.
There's no question that some employees offer significant contributions to their employers and there's no service that could replace them.
Yes, there are times that it's better to spend a few more dollars than it is to save a few.
However in the real world most business owners would quickly tell you that finding dependable employees is half the battle of building a successful business.
It seems employees today expect high wages and executive style benefits but don't feel that they should be expected to fulfill a full work week and give 100% to their employers.
You've seen it before, one employee has a unique excuse about why they can't come to work.
Today the child is sick, tomorrow it's car trouble, the next day she's sick, and then a whole new group of excuses will arise the following week.
Then, what little time they are actually physically at the office is also spent on social networking sites, bathroom and smoke breaks, snacking and oh yes, they must talk to their boyfriends and children several times a day, because if you don't let them you must be some type of immoral uncaring person.
As an employer you are buying the employees time and as such you have the right to expect a reasonable level of devotion to the company.
In a perfect world it ends there, but here in the real world that just doesn't happen too often.
Depending on the duties of your receptionist you might be surprised to learn that replacing him or her could be done on the spot while also reducing your cash flow expenses by as much as $2,500 a month.
Many front office receptionists have very limited duties, such as to answer calls and take messages, book appointments, take payments for invoices and perhaps a few other side jobs.
A remote receptionist, also known as a live telephone answering service provides you with a human being that remotely answers your calls in your company's name while giving the impression that they are physically sitting in your office.
These firms are guarantee that your calls will be answered 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, and holidays.
Better yet, they only charge you for the amount of time actually spent taking calls from your customers.
So an office that has low call volume may only be looking at $60 dollars a month for this service, as opposed to paying a full-time salary and benefits to someone who barely contributes thirty hours a week.
The good news is that today's phone answering services do much more than simply take your calls and send you the message.
They can schedule your appointments, take payment information and process credit cards, track which advertisements your clients are responding to and depending on your industry, much more.
Another benefit of a virtual receptionist is they never call in sick, take time off or slip out for a smoke break.
They answer your customers calls anytime and every time they call.
You don't need to train them or manage them because is all part of the package.
If your receptionist is a hard-working employee that you just can't imagine not having around, then consider yourself fortunate and treat her well.
Great employees certainly have tremendous value and should not be undervalued.
But if you're like many other small business owners and are struggling to get your receptionist to honor her commitment that she gave when you first hired her, then perhaps it's time to use the words of a famous television personality and tell her "you're fired" and sign up with a professional telephone answering service today.
Employers simply must remind their employees who the boss is and what is expected of them.
To be successful businesses need a team of dedicated employees and it only takes one person to set the stage for an unproductive work environment.
So hire a service or a new employee, but whatever you do don't tolerate laziness in your workplace.
It never pays off.
There's no question that some employees offer significant contributions to their employers and there's no service that could replace them.
Yes, there are times that it's better to spend a few more dollars than it is to save a few.
However in the real world most business owners would quickly tell you that finding dependable employees is half the battle of building a successful business.
It seems employees today expect high wages and executive style benefits but don't feel that they should be expected to fulfill a full work week and give 100% to their employers.
You've seen it before, one employee has a unique excuse about why they can't come to work.
Today the child is sick, tomorrow it's car trouble, the next day she's sick, and then a whole new group of excuses will arise the following week.
Then, what little time they are actually physically at the office is also spent on social networking sites, bathroom and smoke breaks, snacking and oh yes, they must talk to their boyfriends and children several times a day, because if you don't let them you must be some type of immoral uncaring person.
As an employer you are buying the employees time and as such you have the right to expect a reasonable level of devotion to the company.
In a perfect world it ends there, but here in the real world that just doesn't happen too often.
Depending on the duties of your receptionist you might be surprised to learn that replacing him or her could be done on the spot while also reducing your cash flow expenses by as much as $2,500 a month.
Many front office receptionists have very limited duties, such as to answer calls and take messages, book appointments, take payments for invoices and perhaps a few other side jobs.
A remote receptionist, also known as a live telephone answering service provides you with a human being that remotely answers your calls in your company's name while giving the impression that they are physically sitting in your office.
These firms are guarantee that your calls will be answered 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, and holidays.
Better yet, they only charge you for the amount of time actually spent taking calls from your customers.
So an office that has low call volume may only be looking at $60 dollars a month for this service, as opposed to paying a full-time salary and benefits to someone who barely contributes thirty hours a week.
The good news is that today's phone answering services do much more than simply take your calls and send you the message.
They can schedule your appointments, take payment information and process credit cards, track which advertisements your clients are responding to and depending on your industry, much more.
Another benefit of a virtual receptionist is they never call in sick, take time off or slip out for a smoke break.
They answer your customers calls anytime and every time they call.
You don't need to train them or manage them because is all part of the package.
If your receptionist is a hard-working employee that you just can't imagine not having around, then consider yourself fortunate and treat her well.
Great employees certainly have tremendous value and should not be undervalued.
But if you're like many other small business owners and are struggling to get your receptionist to honor her commitment that she gave when you first hired her, then perhaps it's time to use the words of a famous television personality and tell her "you're fired" and sign up with a professional telephone answering service today.
Employers simply must remind their employees who the boss is and what is expected of them.
To be successful businesses need a team of dedicated employees and it only takes one person to set the stage for an unproductive work environment.
So hire a service or a new employee, but whatever you do don't tolerate laziness in your workplace.
It never pays off.