Managing inbound calls with limited team members can be a major challenge for small and growing businesses, in particular. With AI taking the lead in many domains, it is only about time that you choose the same for handling customer service. For years, businesses have relied on outsourced call centers and live agents. Now that there is the option of using a virtual ai receptionist, which one should you choose? Here is an overview!
A Look at Both Options
First and foremost, let’s discuss how both options are unique and similar. AI voice agents rely on artificial intelligence and natural language processing to answer calls. Live agents, on the contrary, work at call centers and work as an extended team for clients. AI agents, such as the one from Signpost, can handle hundreds of calls at the same time. Signpost offers AI answering services for small businesses and service providers across the US with fast setup and ongoing support.
Availability and Coverage
Because a virtual AI receptionist is available 24/7, including weekends and holidays, this is certainly a better choice for service businesses. As we discussed, AI can manage multiple calls simultaneously, and your business will never miss a call, regardless of the rush. Live agents have standard working hours, and if you decide to use one for calls beyond that time, you may have to pay more. Like any customer care executive, an agent can only talk to one caller at a time.
Cost and Budget Impact
If you choose an AI receptionist, including the one from Signpost, you will only pay a monthly fee, regardless of the volume. There are no add-on costs for training, benefits, or overtime. For businesses that just need to capture leads and collect information, this could be a better choice. Live agents are more useful when you need to extend human interaction to customers but don’t want to scale your existing team. The costs are certainly higher when compared to AI.
Call Handling and Consistency
You can update the knowledge base of your AI receptionist in minutes. AI will respond to each caller accurately and in sync with the shared script. The responses are standard but never generic. Many models now use voice synthesis and additional technology to ensure the output is as human as possible. Live agents, on the other hand, work just like your existing team. While the interactions are more personalized for sure, there is always a risk of inconsistency, as not all agents have the same qualities or skills.
Lead and Information Capture
An AI receptionist can naturally connect caller info and understand intent to offer support. AI can automatically log data, transcribe information, and share alerts to your team if a caller needs more support. Also, AI receptionists like the one from Signpost can easily integrate with existing tools, CRMs and calendars. Live agents may require manual logging or note-taking, and there is always a risk of missing information or sharing incorrect details.
Customization and Scalability
Live agents usually work for standard hours, and while you can still share scripts and scale your operations, the process is complex. AI receptionists are easy to use in that context. You can scale easily, as most service providers allow you to switch between packages as the volume of calls increases. AI models are extremely flexible, so even if you need to change the entire narrative of your brand, you can do that in a day or two by updating scripts. Training external agents can be tough.
If you don’t have a team to serve customers, consider using Signpost’s AI receptionist as the first point of contact for callers. You can additionally use live agents when selected callers need more support.
