Small businesses have a lot of needs, but a receptionist isn’t one of them.
Technology saves money and makes your business more efficient by automating tasks that you used to hire people to do. Which is good and bad, we know. However, when you’re a small business, efficiency and frugality are important. Listen, we’ve all known and loved receptionists before. In a lot of cases, they can add a ton to the company culture and be the first step in customer service. However, we decided Edison Spaces to be receptionist- free for a few reasons:
- We answer our own phones.
We love Pam from “The Office” as much as the next guy, but all our customers want their clients to call them directly. By allowing people to bypass the middleman and reach who they want to speak to immediately, it also increases efficiencies and allows for less confusion.
2. We have a voicemail
We get why Don Draper needed a receptionist you know pre-voicemail, but now your messages are instant, transcribed to your phone and can be forwarded on to appropriate contacts, in second. Again, more efficient.
3. An empty desk is a waste of space.
In his article for Boston.com, Scott Kirsner notes that, increasingly,
“the receptionist’s desk area sits empty, especially during the times of economic downturn, or when startups are trying to prove that they are being frugal with their investors’ money and that no one expects a real person to meet and greet at the front door anymore.”
Missing a receptionist hasn’t made us miss a beat in productivity, efficiency or customer service. One day we might want a receptionist, but we don’t need one quite yet.
