LONDON, December 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

eReceptionist reveals its secrets to ensure happy customers and a contented Christmas. By creating a 'virtual office' environment you can ensure you never miss a call or let down a client, even though you may be miles away from the office.

You have all worked hard all year, hit your targets and enjoyed the office party. But while your staff take a break you face a bleak time operating the office phones in case any of those last minute orders go astray.

Alternatively, you could sneak off, put on your slippers and sit by the fire with your family, safe in the knowledge that all your calls are taken care of, even with no one on the premises.

How? By being in your virtual office. A virtual office is a modern day solution to this age-old problem allowing you to have a Christmas break and a business. Even when small businesses are stretched to meet demand, it's so easy to create a professional, established image by using virtual receptionist tools.

For the perfect Christmas, consider the following Top Five tips from eReceptionist:

1. Choose a cloud based virtual receptionist provider to set up a call management service that can respond quickly, efficiently and automatically to client calls when there is no one in the office. These can be set up instantly and managed without the installation of hardware. The management of your calls is carried out virtually, not the call quality, so you won't be impacted by some of the issues which some VoIP operators have
2. Forward your calls to your home number, your mobile, to your holiday hotel, or even your mum and dads. You can give the impression of being in the office, even if you still have your slippers on
3. If you are planning to be overseas for the festive period, make sure your provider offers voicemail by email - although the EU has cut roaming rates, they can still cause a shock so voicemail by email can allow you to instantly listen to messages without getting hit in the pocket
4. Set up your schedule for the festive season, know when you can take a call and when you can't. If you have a colleague, share schedules and set up an automatic call forwarding schedule between you so that no-one misses out on their Christmas, and the business does not miss out either
5. Settle back, relax, enjoy the comforts of home (safe in the knowledge that you won't miss a vital call) - 87% of entrepreneurs say that they feel better and can add more to their business after a break - and you should too!

Overall, having a service such as this allows you to enjoy your Christmas break, safe in the knowledge that you're not missing business just because you're away from your desk. It means that you, your family, your colleagues and customers can have a Merry Christmas and come back relaxed and refreshed, ready for another successful year.

Article written by Rory Whelan, Voice Marketing Manager, j2 Global - providing advanced communications for more than 11 million customers in more than 4,100 cities around the world. For more information on the eReceptionist products, go to http://www.ereceptionist.co.uk 

Contact: Tony Brown - +44(0)20-7199-3975 - tony@babelpr.com