- How has running a small business changed?
- What kind of software is there for virtual small businesses?
- How do virtual receptionists benefit small businesses operating remotely?
Q: What kind of software is helping small businesses grow?
A: There are many different types of remote work software available for every kind of small business, the type that benefits your business the most depends mainly on the kind of business you run. However, virtual receptionists help the operations of just about any virtual small business.
In a landscape rife with technological advancements and work-from-home initiatives, it only makes sense that remote work software has become such a crucial part of many small businesses.
Taking advantage of the remote work software tools at your disposal can help save you time, and money, and let you focus on the parts of running a small business that got you excited in the first place.
Virtual receptionists, virtual offices, and workplace management dashboards are just a few of the different software available for your business to take advantage of.
As the future of work continues to look a little more technical by the day, remote work software companies have it much easier when it comes to keeping up with the ever-changing digital landscape.
Thankfully, we’re ready to help you keep up – keep reading below!
- Remote work software is any software designed to allow employees to communicate, collaborate, and keep up with upcoming deadlines outside of the office.
- The most helpful remote work software depends largely on the logistics and size of your small business; despite this, most businesses would benefit from a virtual receptionist
- Virtual receptionists are so helpful because not only do they add a layer of legitimacy to any kind of business, but they also provide value by screening calls, setting appointments, and giving you the time you need to focus on other aspects of running a small business.
How has running a small business changed?
In the past, people hired receptionists for their offices; the idea of working as a receptionist remotely would’ve sounded like science fiction in the 1930s.
Despite the probable disbelief of receptionists decades ago, the workforce has changed, operating a small business looks differently than it used to, and remote work is here to stay.
So what does that mean for you?
Well, for new small business owners, the first step will be registering an LLC.
Just remember, good customer service is paramount, and check out these 8 tips for providing excellent customer service too.
In respect to customer service, running a small business hasn’t changed all that much. The only thing that’s changed is the way it is provided.
New remote work software allows businesses to interact with their customers from the comfort of their own homes.
Virtual offices, virtual receptionists, digital dashboards, and several other remote work software tools are all available to help bring any small business into the modern workforce.
These tools allow your business to save on costs, reduce employee turnover, streamline collaboration on projects, all while helping your employees to be more productive.
This lends to the biggest changes in operating small businesses, the actual operations themselves.
Big businesses and corporations have the luxury of big enough budgets that allow them to follow macroeconomic trends a lot easier than your standard mom-and-pop stores.
Keeping up with these trends and changes in the workplace can seem daunting sometimes. Work looks different than it used to, that much is obvious.
Fortunately, aside from these small changes in operations, operating a small business remains largely the same. And the parts that are changing?
What kind of software is there for virtual small businesses?
Before we go through some of the different kinds of software available for small businesses, we should first go ahead and explain exactly what remote work software is.
The definition is simple; any software that allows users to work from their computers more efficiently.
Read more about how COVID-19 continues to reshape work in America
This means that your video calling app is just as much remote work software as virtual receptionists. With this settled, let’s start talking about the different kinds of software.
There are a number of remote work software available for virtual and standard small businesses. We can dive into some of these different options below!
Asana
Launched in 2012, Asana is a work management platform built to help businesses streamline their operations and collaborate with ease.
This app is used globally by a number of different businesses, from content marketers to portfolio managers, Asana has something for everyone.
Google Drive
Google Drive is a classic piece of remote work software that just about everyone is at least marginally familiar with.
Drive’s use case is simple, it is a cloud-based storage program that allows users to upload projects from their devices, to be easily viewed and edited by whoever necessary when the time comes.
Zoom
Zoom is perhaps one of the more obvious choices after the pandemic made it very obvious that working from home without Zoom wasn’t going to be possible.
The rooms feature, the easy transitions to video from voice, and the overall UE make Zoom a necessity for the repertoire of any small business owner.
Virtual Receptionists
Virtual receptionists, or live receptionists as they’re often referred to, play a pivotal part in any remote small business.
Adding a receptionist as your customers’ first point of contact with the company can set the tone for a quality customer experience, but we’ll talk more about virtual receptionists soon.
Microsoft Outlook
Another staple of remote work software, Microsoft Outlook helps with productivity by keeping everyone in the business connected.
More than your average email provider, Outlook’s sleek UI and the integrated calendars and appointment reminders make it a key part of any small business.
Github
Since we’re talking so much about all of this software, let’s discuss where the remote work software engineers are working too.
Github is a platform designed specifically for hosting code, and collaboration.
Geared more towards individuals with a bit of technical knowledge, Github offers a sleek UI and a straightforward UE that makes developing with a team far more convenient than previous methods.
This is where a lot of the remote work software development takes place, so it had to get a spot in the list!
Pumble
Pumble is a free team chat designed to handle even the most gigantic teams. With unlimited users given access to unlimited history – all for free – this app is excellent for remote work software jobs – as well as any project that requires a number of collaborators.
Friday
The benefits of a digital bulletin board are far-reaching, and Friday does it very well. This Google Chrome extension keeps all of your upcoming tasks in one easy-to-reach place, and can easily broadcast company news to all of your employees.
Microsoft Teams
Another very familiar application; Microsoft Teams cemented itself as a staple of many remote work software jobs during the pandemic. Teams’ security and the ability to collaborate with your team are given an extra boost if your team is already within the Microsoft ecosystem as well.
Dropbox
Dropbox is another application that deals with security and collaboration. This software gives you extra storage space, manages content, centralizes initiatives, and with the additional protection, you can even send business-critical documents with nothing more than a link.
Click here to see how to operate your small business as a digital nomad!
How do virtual receptionists benefit your remote operations?
Back to virtual receptionists. This remote work software is bar none the most impressive piece of technology for anyone operating a virtual small business.
All too often, new virtual small business owners as well as seasoned small business owners underestimate the value of a good customer experience.
Investing in remote work software tools that automate this good experience will not only give new customers a good introduction to your company, but adding the receptionist will also give you more time to focus on the logistic parts of actually running your business.
Click through to see Forbe’s list of do’s and dont’s for customer service!
Alliance Virtual Offices offers a virtual receptionist service that will meet any of your remote work software needs. By offering three different tiers of service, you are able to save money while ensuring your business has everything it needs.
So what does a live receptionist do?
One of the most significant benefits of using Alliance Virtual Offices’s Live Receptionist services is the warm, welcoming, and professional voice that greets your clients.
Anyone running a business knows how frustrating it can be when you’re working and the phone just won’t stop ringing – it’s easy to be a little short or rude with the customers when there’s so much going on!
Thankfully, live receptionists can ease this burden by answering all of your incoming calls in a consistently welcoming and professional way. This consistency is beneficial in its own right for a number of reasons as well.
A consistent voice answering all of your phone calls not only ensures that customers receive the same level of service no matter when they call, but the friendly voice of the live receptionist is sure to garner loyalty and brand recognition as well.
Live receptionists also operate at a fraction of the cost that regular employees do, this means that you won’t have to worry about dealing with payroll, benefits, tax implications, and all the other woes of hiring a suitable candidate.
With the live receptionist, each month is a flat rate, the most expensive of which is still cheaper than a standard week’s pay for a normal employee.
For newer virtual small businesses especially, using a live receptionist instead of hiring employees too early can be the difference between success or failure.
The hiring process is a fairly long and arduous one, and the costs of hiring in the early beginning of your venture can often times be too much to bear.
Independently of the money you will save and the customers you will please with a live receptionist, one of the most important ways that remote work software tools will benefit your business is from the legitimacy it provides.
Alliance Virtual Offices’s Virtual Receptionist comes with a virtual phone system, and a business number; both of which go a long way in legitimizing your operation.
Without a business number, it will be almost impossible for you to build financial credibility. Getting loans, building credit, and exuding professionalism are very difficult if you don’t have a business number.
Overall, live receptionists are an outstanding tool for any virtual company looking to expand. The money and time saved, paired with the professionalism provided makes the virtual receptionist a key piece of any businesses’ remote work software tools.
Conclusion
The working world doesn’t look the way that it used to.
More and more individuals are making the decision to continue working remotely rather than going back to the office, and the trend doesn’t seem likely to break any time soon.
Keeping up with these trends and making sure your business is at the forefront of what’s new and improved isn’t easy.
Thankfully with the innumerable resources available and access to remote work software, the opportunities are endless.
There are a number of different kinds of remote work software, and the kind that will benefit your business the most largely depends on the type of business you’re running, and your goals for the venture too.
Despite this, virtual receptionists are often thought of as being some of the most ubiquitously useful remote work software due to the cost benefits, time-saving aspects, and the professionalism the service brings.
Further reading:
- COVID-19 Pandemic Continues To Reshape Work In America
- Remote Work Is Here To Stay And Will Increase In 2023
- LLC For The Digital Entrepeneur: What You Need To Know When Traveling
- Twitter, Reddit, & 8 Other Companies Offering Remote Or Hybrid Work – And Hiring Now
Alliance Virtual Offices offers a number of remote work software that are designed to help your virtual business grow.
With our Live Receptionist your business is able to enjoy the benefits of a warm and professional voice interacting with your customers, allowing you to focus on the parts of running a business that got you excited about it in the first place.
Each tier of our Live Receptionist services comes with a business phone number and a virtual phone system, so it doesn’t matter if you’re just starting your business, or if you’ve been at it for years; we’ve got you covered.