Chatbot vs virtual assistant: How do they compare?

Thanks to development in software, ease of use, and the availability of apps on our mobile phones, technology is a crucial feature in an entrepreneur’s toolkit. Whether you are a solopreneur or the CEO of a global corporation, technology is vital.

While the telephone was invented back in 1876, it remains the most vital medium of communication with customers, clients, and specific targeted audiences for many businesses. This is especially true when it comes to selling high-end products; most people will want to talk to someone about particular features regarding a car, for example, before booking a test drive.

The telephone is also vital when it comes to providing excellent service or customer experience. Being able to speak to the right person quickly and efficiently is essential for customer satisfaction. For this to happen, a chatbot receptionist is often used.

Using a chatbot receptionist makes the process easier and more efficient for both the customer and the business. However, businesses can also use virtual assistant AI technology to do a similar job, so how do they compare, and which should you choose for your company?

Read on and discover more information about a chatbot vs virtual assistants.

A chatbot is often referred to as an "auto-attendant" or an "automated phone answering service". A chatbot receptionist is a type of computerized phone answering service combined with a switchboard. It is often described as a voice-menu system used in telephony to route callers to the right person, without the need for a human operator or receptionist.The chatbot receptionist will help to redirect calls to the right people or the right departments. For example, if you call a company and you are greeted by a voice that asks you to "press 1 for sales, 2 for customer support, or 3 for all other inquiries," then you are most likely using a chatbot receptionist system.Chatbot receptionists are vital for large businesses, which would otherwise need to employ hundreds, perhaps thousands of receptionists to route callers to the right people.Larger businesses can manage calls efficiently and provide the fastest way for a customer to reach the right person. For smaller companies, a chatbot can give a more professional greeting and help the business establish the customer's needs before answering the phone. For example, if someone presses "1 for sales", they can be either routed to a salesperson, or the business owner can answer the call with an understanding of the caller's intentions.Chatbot receptionists can also have sub-levels, whereby the caller is asked to choose an option twice. So, for example, the caller may press 1 for support on the first level/greeting. Then on the next level/greeting, the chatbot may ask the caller to select either 1 for small businesses or 2 for enterprise customers.The main benefit of an auto attendant or automated receptionist is that they can send the caller to the correct person or the correct department as quickly as possible. This, in turn, speeds up overall business operations, which is vital if they are used for a busy call center. While automated receptionists are never particularly popular with callers eager to speak to someone, they are still much quicker than manually routing calls. From the business's perspective, they provide a cost-effective solution. Again for busy call centers, the alternative would be to have dozens, possibly hundreds of receptionists who routed calls manually. While this would provide a human touch, it would cost the business significantly more. IVRs or Interactive Voice Response are effectively automated receptionists but with the ability to recognize speech and route calls accordingly. With an automated receptionist, callers have to use the dial-pad to select numbers for different options.The main benefit of a chatbot, or auto receptionist is that they can send the caller to the correct person or the correct department as quickly as possible. This, in turn, speeds up overall business operations, which is vital if they are used for a busy call center.

Chatbot vs virtual assistant

While chatbot receptionists are never particularly popular with callers eager to speak to someone, they are still much quicker than manually routing calls. From the business's perspective, they provide a cost-effective solution. Again for busy call centers, the alternative would be to have dozens, possibly hundreds of receptionists who routed calls manually. Although this would provide a human touch, it would cost significantly more.IVRs (or Interactive Voice Response) are effectively automated receptionists but with the ability to recognize speech and route calls accordingly. When utilizing a chatbot receptionist, callers have to use the dial-pad to select numbers for different options. With all of this in mind, it’s now time to look into chatbots vs virtual assistants.A virtual receptionist is a receptionist who does not reside within your office or your company. Receptionist services are outsourced to a third-party company, which offers what is effectively a phone answering service. It’s essentially a virtual assistant using ai technology to perform customer service duties.With high-end virtual assistant services, the receptionist is dedicated to your business, in that there will only be one receptionist that answers your calls. They will work in a small team, so that calls are still answered if the receptionist is unavailable for any reason. The team will typically specialize per industry.For example, a small real estate team may answer calls just for real estate companies. This specialization enables them to provide a service, just like an in-house full-time receptionist, but for a fraction of the price.Virtual receptionists are an excellent service for businesses of all sizes; they use virtual assistant AI technology that provides a great first impression, especially for small business owners. By having a dedicated and professional receptionist answer your calls, you can create an excellent first impression of your brand and even give the illusion of being a large company, even if you work alone, from home.Virtual receptionists also reduce interruptions. With research showing that a single interruption can take on average 23 minutes to 'recover' from, using a virtual receptionist to handle annoying and unwanted sales calls can really enhance your productivity.

Virtual assistant vs chatbot

A virtual receptionist can also route your calls to the correct people and departments, although not on a huge commercial call center scale like a chatbot receptionist can.A virtual receptionist can, however, be used on an overflow basis. So, if you have a call center or team of receptionists that can't handle all calls during peak hours or peak season, then a virtual assistant can be hugely helpful. For this reason, the answer to the virtual assistant vs chatbot debate is simple; the former would suit your business much better.When it comes to the virtual assistant vs chatbot conversation, a virtual receptionist can take inbound calls through a call forwarding system. And with Moneypenny's award-winning virtual receptionist service, you also get a state-of-the-art phone answering app.Available in both the Apple App Store and the Google Play store, the Moneypenny app allows you to quickly update your status and availability and contact your dedicated receptionist.Rather than a virtual receptionist per se, you get a Moneypenny PA. Think of your Moneypenny PA as another great member of your business and your team. We understand that your business is something precious to you and that you want it represented in the right way by a highly professional and experienced receptionist, so we ensure that your Moneypenny PA is matched precisely to you and your business. Based on experience and industry knowledge, we pick a Moneypenny PA that you will be proud to call a member of your team.With a dedicated PA, instead of speaking to a different receptionist each time they call, your customers and callers will speak with one dedicated receptionist who will know your business and callers as well as a full-time receptionist would.

A receptionist that knows you and your business

With a virtual assistant, you get a chance to introduce yourself and your business during the welcome call. Your PA will get to know you and your business so that they can handle calls exactly like an in-house receptionist. The welcome call is a little bit like a receptionist's first day at work. You won't need to tell your receptionist everydetail about your business; it's more about developing a rapport and getting to know and trust your PA.Keep in touch with the Moneypenny virtual receptionist app and the Moneypenny online portal. Your Moneypenny PA can also make the odd outbound call for you and pay your congestion or toll-road charges. Moneypenny can also be used to buy toll-free or additional phone numbers.

Moneypenny technology

The Moneypenny app can be used to send and receive messages to your Moneypenny PA. you can also use it to update your status and add VIP callers.Using the online portal, you can see all of your caller history, and your call stats, including graphs and busiest periods.

24/7 virtual receptionist

Like a chatbot, your Moneypenny virtual receptionist service can answer calls around the clock. While you will have a dedicated receptionist answering your calls during regular office hours, if you opt for our 24/7 service, you can nurture leads and generate sales while you sleep! Our small team of highly specialized and trained receptionists answer your calls in the evenings and early mornings.With a 24/7 service, you can provide a personal and human touch to your phone answering, something that a chatbot cannot do.Not only that, but you can also literally switch off at the end of the working day without having to listen out for your phone constantly. Instead, you can relax or enjoy what you are doing and forget about work for a while.The Moneypenny app can be used to send and receive messages to your Moneypenny PA. you can also use it to update your status and add VIP callers.Using the online portal, you can see all of your caller history, and your call stats, including graphs and busiest periods.Like an automated receptionist, your Moneypenny virtual receptionist service can answer calls around the clock. While you will have a dedicated receptionist answering your calls during regular office hours, if you opt for our 24/7 service, you can nurture leads and generate sales while you sleep! Our small team of highly specialized and trained receptionists answer your calls in the evenings and early mornings.With a 24/7 service, you can provide a personal and human touch to your phone answering, something that an automated receptionist cannot. Not only that, you can literally switch off at the end of the working day without having to listen out for your phone constantly. Instead, you can relax or enjoy what you are doing 100% and forget about work for a while.With Moneypenny's virtual receptionist service, you can experience the benefits for yourself with a seven-day free trial. After the seven days, there is no obligation to sign up, and there are no lengthy contracts. With "excellent" reviews on Trustpilot and Google, why give us a try?For more information about our virtual receptionist service, please visit this page.

Enjoy a free trial

With Moneypenny's virtual receptionist service, you can experience the benefits for yourself with a seven-day free trial. After seven days, there is no obligation to sign up, and there are no lengthy contracts. With "excellent" reviews on Trustpilot and Google, why give us a try? Simply head to our blog to find out more information, including the 5 reasons to use a virtual receptionist.