What is a Virtual Receptionist?
A virtual receptionist is a remote professional who handles inbound calls, live chat, appointment booking, and customer intake for a business. Unlike an in-office receptionist, a virtual receptionist works from a remote location and often supports US business hours or 24/7 coverage.
In more detail
Virtual receptionists are common for law firms, medical practices, home services companies, and small businesses that need professional call answering but cannot justify a full-time on-site hire. Services are offered by dedicated virtual receptionist companies (per-minute billing) or through managed staffing providers (flat-monthly dedicated receptionist).
Pricing ranges widely. Shared receptionist services (Ruby, Smith.ai) run $200-$800 per month for limited minutes. Dedicated virtual receptionists through managed offshore providers typically cost $1,200-$2,200 per month for full-time US-hours coverage.
What a virtual receptionist does
- Answer inbound calls with customized greetings.
- Intake new client information and route calls.
- Book appointments into calendars or scheduling software.
- Handle live chat on the company website.
- Follow industry protocols (HIPAA intake for medical, conflict checks for law).
Related terms
Common follow-up questions
An answering service takes messages. A virtual receptionist can qualify callers, book appointments, run intake forms, and act as a polished front for the business.
Yes, when the provider has signed a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), trained staff on HIPAA, and uses secure systems for PHI.
Yes. Shared virtual receptionist services commonly offer 24/7 coverage. Dedicated virtual receptionists typically cover set shifts.