What’s a virtual receptionist and why use one?

A virtual receptionist is a trained professional who answers your business calls from a remote location. They greet callers in your business name, take messages, transfer calls and handle enquiries – giving your customers the same experience they’d get from an in-house receptionist, without the cost of a full-time hire. Explore what a virtual receptionist does, how such a service works and what it costs.

A virtual receptionist is a trained professional who answers your business calls from a remote location. Explore what they can do, how it works and what a call answering service costs.

For UK businesses – whether you’re a sole trader, a growing practice or a multi-site organisation – a virtual receptionist can be the difference between missing important calls and ensuring there’s always a friendly, professional voice available to answer.

There are 5.7 million SMEs operating in the United Kingdom, according to official government figures. The fact is that most simply can’t justify the cost of a full-time receptionist. A virtual receptionist is a flexible, affordable alternative.

How does a virtual receptionist work?

The setup is straightforward. You divert your phone line to the number that your virtual reception service provider gives you. This can be all the time, only when you’re busy, or just after hours – you choose.

When a call comes through, a receptionist answers using your business name and your preferred greeting. From there, they follow the instructions you’ve set up. That might mean taking a message and sending it to you by email or SMS, transferring certain types of calls to the right person on your team, escalating urgent matters to designated contacts, answering common questions about your services, hours or location, or booking an appointment into your calendar software.

How easy is it to manage a virtual reception?

With leading providers you can manage everything through an online portal – updating your availability, adding team members, adjusting your greeting or checking your call history.

What can a virtual receptionist handle?

This depends on the service level you choose. At the most basic level, a virtual receptionist takes messages and passes them on. But many businesses need more than that.

A more comprehensive virtual receptionist service can transfer calls to specific team members based on who the caller needs, answer frequently asked questions so routine enquiries don’t interrupt your day, provide information about your services, fees or business hours, and follow custom call scripts for specific scenarios like new client intake.

Some services go further again. At ReceptionHQ, for example, on our call answering virtual assistant plans we can input leads into your CRM, process payments, submit online forms and handle more complex call flows. Our diary management service books, reschedules and cancels appointments using your preferred online calendar or practice management software.

The key point is that a virtual receptionist isn’t one-size-fits-all. The right service matches how your business actually operates.

Will callers know they’re not speaking to someone in my office?

This is one of the first things most business owners ask. And it’s a fair question. The short answer is no – a good virtual receptionist service is designed to be seamless.

Your receptionist answers with your business name and a greeting you’ve chosen. They have access to the information you’ve provided about your business, your team and how you want calls handled. From the caller’s perspective, it’s like they’re speaking to someone at your front desk.

The experience does depend on the provider, though. This is where the quality of the reception team matters. Providers with well-trained, professional receptionists deliver a very different experience to a call centre that’s offshore and rotating through a large pool of agents.

Why do UK businesses use virtual receptionists?

There are practical and financial reasons, but the most common motivation is surprisingly simple: business owners are tired of missing calls they can’t afford to miss.

You stop losing business to voicemail

Research consistently shows that most callers won’t leave a voicemail – they’ll ring the next business on their list instead. Using a virtual reception service means a real person is always available to answer. That means fewer lost leads and better first impressions.

It costs a fraction of hiring

The average salary for a full-time receptionist in the UK is approximately £24,000 per year, according to Glassdoor. Once you add employer’s National Insurance contributions (currently 15% on earnings above the threshold), mandatory workplace pension contributions (minimum 3%), holiday pay, sick pay and training costs, the true cost is typically between £28,000 and £35,000 per year.

Virtual receptionist services start from as little as £15 per month. Even a comprehensive plan with call transfers, diary management and custom scripting is a fraction of the cost of an in-house hire.

You get flexibility that employment can’t match

Need cover for 10 calls a week? Done. Seasonal spike coming? Scale up, then scale back down. Going on leave? Switch to full-time answering for a fortnight. With no lock-in contracts, you adjust as your business changes without being locked into a fixed cost.

Your team gets time back

Every interruption costs more than the time it takes to answer the phone. It breaks focus, disrupts meetings and pulls people away from billable work. A virtual receptionist absorbs those interruptions so your team stays productive. If you’re a sole trader, this is even more vital as your own time is immensely precious.

You’re covered outside business hours

Emergencies don’t wait until 9am. Whether it’s a tenant with a burst pipe, a critical IT issue or a client in a different time zone, after-hours answering means your business is always reachable when it matters most.

ReceptionHQ offers 24/7 coverage on all call answering plans, with no after-hours surcharge – unlike many other UK providers thata charge a premium for out-of-hours calls.

What’s the difference between a virtual reception and message answering service?

The terms “virtual receptionist”, “virtual reception service”, “call answering service” and “message answering service” can sometimes mean the same thing. But not always.

In some instances, a “virtual receptionist”, “virtual reception service” or “call answering service” can involve just the basics: answering calls and taking messages. This is also known as a “message answering service” or “message-taking service”. An example is ReceptionHQ’s MessageExpress solution.

However, a “virtual receptionist”, “virtual reception service” or “call answering service” can also include far more than just message-taking. For example, transferring calls, answering questions, following scripts and managing appointments. Think ReceptionHQ’s broader services: MyReceptionist, MyAssistant and MyDiary.

How does a virtual receptionist compare to hiring in-house?

It’s not always an either/or decision. Many businesses use a virtual receptionist alongside an in-house team – for overflow during busy periods, after-hours cover or holiday relief. But if you’re weighing up the two, here’s how they compare.

The in-house cost figures above are based on average UK salaries reported by Glassdoor, plus mandatory employer contributions including National Insurance and workplace pension. Actual salaries may be higher depending on location and experience.

Are virtual receptionists real people or AI?

Both exist and it’s worth understanding the difference.

Most established virtual receptionist providers – including ReceptionHQ – use real, professionally trained receptionists. These are people who learn your business, build rapport with repeat callers and handle nuanced conversations that technology still struggles with.

AI-powered phone answering is a newer option. It can work well for straightforward tasks like taking messages and it’s available around the clock at a lower cost. However, it has limitations. Complex enquiries, emotional callers or anything that requires judgement is better handled by a real person.

What types of businesses use virtual receptionists?

Virtual receptionists are used across a wide range of industries in the UK. With SMEs accounting for 99.9% of all UK businesses, many rely on phone calls as a primary channel for new business.

They’re particularly common in sectors where missed calls carry a real cost:

• Legal practices (where every call could be a new matter)
• Healthcare and medical providers (appointment bookings and patient enquiries)
• Estate and letting agents (tenant maintenance, after-hours escalations, buyer enquiries)
• Construction and trades (job enquiries while on site, urgent escalations)
• Financial services and accounting (client calls during tax season peaks)
• IT and technology companies (helpdesk triage and client support)

But they’re used by small businesses across virtually every sector.

The common thread is straightforward: if your business relies on phone calls and you can’t always answer them, a virtual receptionist fills that gap.

How much does a virtual receptionist cost in the UK?

Pricing depends on the type of service and how many calls you receive. Most providers offer tiered plans based on call volume, with a monthly base fee and a per-call or per-minute rate for additional calls.

To give you a sense of the range, here’s an overview of ReceptionHQ’s call answering services:

All ReceptionHQ plans come with no lock-in contracts, 24/7 coverage at no extra charge and UK-based customer support.

What should you look for in a virtual receptionist provider?

Not all providers are the same. Here are some things worth considering before you sign up.

Where are the receptionists based?

This matters for call quality, accent familiarity and cultural understanding. Many UK businesses prefer a provider with local receptionists who understand the market.

At ReceptionHQ, calls during UK business hours (9am-5.30pm Monday to Friday) are answered by our reception team based in the United Kingdom, with overflow support provided by equally skilled receptionists in Australia or the US after hours and during peak periods.

Is pricing transparent?

Hidden fees, including rounding up to the nearest minute when billing per-minute, are one of the biggest complaints in this industry. Look for a provider that’s upfront about what’s included in each plan, what counts towards your call allowance and what happens if you exceed it. Unlike many providers, ReceptionHQ not only openly publishes its pricing but has no per-call surcharges after-hours or 24/7 coverage premium.

Are there lock-in contracts?

Some providers require minimum terms of 6 or 12 months. Others, like ReceptionHQ, operate on month-to-month plans with no cancellation fees. This gives you flexibility to adjust or cancel if your needs change.

Can you try before you commit?

A free trial is the best way to test whether a service actually works for your business. It lets you hear how receptionists handle your calls, check the speed of answer and evaluate the quality of messages you receive before making a decision. ReceptionHQ offers a 7-day free trial, with instant activation and no credit card required.

How consistent is the quality?

Quality can vary between providers, particularly during peak periods or after hours. Ask whether the provider has overflow capacity, how they maintain quality standards and how many years of experience their receptionists have on average.

Why choose ReceptionHQ to answer your calls?

The best provider depends on what your business needs, but there are a few things that set the leading services apart: experience, transparency, flexibility and the quality of the people answering your calls.

ReceptionHQ has been providing virtual receptionist services to UK businesses since 2011, building on the foundation of its Australian sister brand OfficeHQ, which was founded in 2003. Today, ReceptionHQ answers calls for businesses of every size, from sole traders and freelancers through to franchises and corporations.

A few things that set ReceptionHQ apart from other providers:

• Dual pricing flexibility with both pay-per-call and pay-per-minute options, so you only pay for what suits your call handling requirements (most UK providers lock you into one or the other)
• Per-second billing accuracy on per-minute plans, so you pay only for the exact time spent on each call (most providers round up to the nearest minute, which can add hundreds of pounds to your annual cost)
• Plans from just £15/month for message-taking, with a range of services including virtual assistants handling CRM input, appointment scheduling and more
• 24/7 live call answering across all plans, with no after-hours surcharge (many UK providers charge an additional £25–£75+ per month just for access to out-of-hours coverage, whilst others add per-call surcharges for evening, weekend and bank holiday calls)
• UK-based receptionists during business hours (9am–5.30pm Monday to Friday), with overflow support from equally skilled receptionists in Australia or the US after hours and during peak periods
• UK-based customer service team for account queries and setup assistance
• Client portal for real-time call visibility, usage tracking and account management – fully mobile-optimised so you can manage everything on the go
• Transparent fees with all costs clearly outlined, no reactivation charges and pricing published openly
• No lock-in contracts on any plan, with month-to-month flexibility, no cancellation fees and unlimited plan changes
• Free 7-day trial with no credit card required, so you can test the service before committing

How do you get started?

Setting up a virtual receptionist is faster than most people expect. With ReceptionHQ, the process looks like this:

1. Choose a plan based on your call volume and the level of service you need – or simply sign up for a free trial.
2. Set up your greeting and call handling preferences through our online portal.
3. Add your team’s contact details and availability for call transfers (if applicable).
4. Divert your phone line to the number we provide – all the time, after hours only or when your line is busy.
5. Start receiving calls.

Within a matter of minutes of activating a free trial, you can have our receptionists answering your calls.

Frequently asked questions