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Our Most Commonly Asked FAQ's About VHQ's Services

In over 20 years of business, we've answered countless questions - here are the ones we're asked most often
FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Virtual Receptionist Service?
Virtual Receptionist is a Live Telephone Answering Service where a friendly, professional receptionist answers your phone and handles your calls exactly as you require. Just like if you had your own receptionist in-house. In fact it is that real, clients will think the receptionist is sitting in your office.
How does a virtual receptionist service work?
With our receptionist service you simply allocate yourself a local phone number (e.g. 02 for Sydney, 03 for Melbourne) during the FREE Trial sign up process and that is the number that we know your business by. Whether clients call that number directly, or you divert any other number (02, 07 / 1300 / 1800 / your mobile etc) to that number, we will answer and handle your calls instantly.
If I sign up for a Free Trial is it totally FREE and no obligation to continue?
The FREE Trial is totally FREE and there is NO Obligation to continue with the service after the Free Trial. Whether you have 1 or 81 staff, all staff can be set up in the Free Trial to receive calls and messages and it is ALL totally FREE.
We already have a phone number (1300 / 1800 / 02 / 03 / 07 etc). Does that matter?
No. Most of our 2,500+ live answering service clients are existing businesses with an existing phone number that they have been using for years on their business cards and web site etc. When you set up the Free Trial with us you issue yourself a local phone number (e.g. 02, 03, 08 etc). This is the number we know your business by. You simply call forward / divert your existing telephone number to that phone number and instantly we are answering and handling your calls exactly as your own in-house receptionist would.
Is it true there are no security deposits or set up fees?
TYes it is true. There are NO security deposits and NO set up fees during or after the Free Trial.
There are no long term contracts (i.e. it's month to month) but can I cease the service at any time without penalty?
We offer a month to month agreement, there are no long term contracts. You can change plans at any time for FREE to suit your call volumes and you can CEASE the service at any time by giving us just one working days notice. There are NO Cancellation Fees. We believe this puts the onus on us to perform. We aim to answer and handle every phone call exactly how you require. If we don't meet your expectations it is FREE to cancel the service instantly! You simply ask us to cancel the service and that's it. No questions asked.
What's the difference between Virtual Receptionist and Message Express?
With the Virtual Receptionist service a live receptionist answers and routs your calls exactly as you require such that callers will think our receptionist is sitting in your office. So a typical greeting might be: "Good morning/afternoon [your company name], Jenny speaking, how may I help you?"

Calls can be introduced and transferred to the relevant staff member or a message taken which is instantly sent via email and / or SMS to the relevant staff member.The receptionists are also able to provide callers with information about your company such as your address, web site address, what your business does, your fax number etc.

The Message Express Message Service still has a live receptionist answering the phone in your business name but the greeting must be: "Good morning/afternoon [your company name]. May I have your message please?"

This gives callers the impression we are an answering service. The receptionist cannot answer any questions but merely takes a message which can be emailed and / or SMS'd to you. Calls cannot be introduced and transferred to you or staff with the Message Express Service.

You can upgrade to the Virtual Receptionist service at any time from the Message Express Message Service and vice versa.
Is there a difference between the Virtual Receptionist service during normal business hours and the 24x7 service?
At all times there is a Live Receptionist answering your calls exactly as you require. During normal business hours (i.e. Mon – Fri 8.00am – 6.00pm excluding public holidays) if your status in the system is set to "Available for Call Transfers" our Australian based receptionists will introduce and transfer calls to you, wherever you are. If you do not wish to take the call, you are unavailable or the caller is ringing after hours (i.e. outside normal business hours), the receptionist will take a message and forward it you to by SMS and / or Email as you require.
If I sign up for the Free Trial, how long before your receptionists can be answering my calls?
Instantly. It takes two or three minutes to set up the Free Trial. So literally we can be answering and handling your phone calls in a few minutes from now.
How long does it take to set up?
You are able to start using the service immediately after it has been set up which usually takes just a few minutes. As soon as it is set up we immediately start answering and handling your telephone calls.
Do you allocate my business with a local telephone number and is it used exclusively for our business?
Yes we do allocate an exclusive phone number to each client. That is the number that we know your business by. Hence we know how to answer the phone and handle your calls exactly as you require. This telephone number can be your main business number that you use on your business cards, letterhead, web site, advertising promotions etc. If you have an existing phone number, like most of our 2,500+ Virtual Receptionist clients, you simply call forward this on busy, no answer or permanently to the number we allocate you whereupon our receptionists will be answering your calls.
Am I able to upgrade or downgrade (i.e. change plans) as my call volumes vary from time to time?
Yes. You are able to upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time to suit your call volumes which can vary from month to month. It is FREE to change plans.
How do I know which plan I should be on to ensure I am paying only for what I really need?
With our Answering Service you are able to login to your account at any time and view your Usage Report which details by month EVERY phone call that we have ever answered. This allows you to see exactly how many calls you are receiving, who called, what we did with the call, messages sent etc. That way you can decide what plan is optimal for you at the time based on your actual call volumes. It is FREE to change plans, up or down, as your call volumes vary.
How do we pay for the Virtual Receptionist Live Answering Service?
Our billing system is fully automated. We accept credit card payment only including AMEX, Mastercard and Visa. All invoices are available to be viewed online and printed / reprinted at any time by you via the web. Invoices are also emailed to you each month to save paper.

We do have account customers if you don't have a credit card but because this process is not automated we require at least 3 months of subscriptions in advance EFT'd to our bank account for account customers.
Are your receptionists able to introduce and transfer calls to the relevant staff member?
Yes. Our clients range from those with 2, 3 and 5 staff to those with 40, 50 and more staff. Just like your own in-house receptionist would, calls can be introduced to the relevant staff member and transferred to that staff member if they wish to take the call. Whether staff are at their desk in the office, at home, overseas or on the mobile, our receptionists can transfer calls to them. If staff are unavailable or do not wish to take the call, our receptionists will take a message which can be emailed and / or sent instantly by SMS to the relevant staff member/s. Via our online portal you are able to update staff details, availability and message settings at any time via the web.
Are you able to answer just some of our phone calls?
Yes. This is referred to as "call overflow". A lot of companies require their phone calls to be answered only when they are unable to take the call themselves. This could be if you step out of the office for an hour, you are busy on another call, go to lunch or simply because you have multiple calls coming in at the one time. Simply divert your existing phone number (to the unique local phone number we allocate your business during the Free Trial setup process) on busy, no answer (e.g. after say 5 rings) or permanently. That way you are always in control and can relax knowing you will never miss another call.
Am I able to use the service just when I need to (i.e. for a day, a week, a month?)
Yes. A lot of our 2,500+ clients use the service as an overflow for when they are unable to take calls or when their own in-house receptionist is at lunch, sick or on annual leave. Our Live Answering Service is like an "on tap" receptionist that you can use for an hour, a day, a week or whenever you need to. You only pay for what you use so it is also very economical.
What type of client does the Virtual Receptionist service typically cater for?
Any business that requires a professional receptionist to answer and route their telephone calls. Our 2,500+ clients include accountants, lawyers, printers, franchisors, franchisees, recruitment firms, mortgage brokers, insurance brokers, IT software, IT consultants, IT hardware engineers, cleaners, marketing agencies, public relations agencies, home businesses, commercial property, real estate agents, web based businesses, business consultants, training companies, shuttle (car / bus) services, restaurants as well as medium size companies with hundreds of staff.
Can you just take messages?
Yes. Our receptionists can answer calls and explain that you are in a meeting or with a client. She will take a message and forward this message to you or the relevant staff member/s by email and / or SMS instantly.
If one of our clients asks the receptionist a question, is she able to answer it?
Yes, our receptionists are able to answer basic questions that callers would expect your receptionist to know (e.g. directions to your premises, your street address, your postal address, fax number, web site, what your business does, the title of a particular staff member and such general questions). Even if you are overseas or on leave, as long as you let the receptionists know by updating your Operator Notes within your account, they will be able to tell the caller the answer i.e. when you will be back etc. Remember, callers will think your Virtual Receptionist is actually sitting in your office. So it is critical our receptionists know these basic answers. You are able to update information on your company or your personal status instantly at any time via the web which ensures the receptionists always have the information necessary to answer basic questions.
Can you Transfer Calls through to some staff and send Messages to other staff? Can we amend this status at any time?
Yes. Whether you have 1, 2 or 102 staff, each staff member has their own settings in the Virtual Receptionist system. Staff can be "Available for Call Transfer" or "Do Not Disturb". This status can be changed by staff members at any time via the web. If a staff member is "Available for Call Transfer" the receptionist will attempt to call them on one of 3 "Find Me Numbers" (i.e. their mobile, desk extension, home office etc) and introduce the call. If you wish, the call can be transferred to you. If you do not want to take the call, are unavailable (i.e. say your mobile is turned off) the receptionist will take a message which will be sent instantly to the staff member as per their settings (i.e. by email and / or SMS). If your status is set to "Do Not Disturb" the receptionist will not even attempt to call you to introduce the call, they will simply take a message and forward it to you as per your settings (i.e. by SMS and / or Email).
Can messages be sent to multiple email addresses and multiple mobile numbers?
Yes messages taken can be sent to multiple email addresses and / or multiple mobile numbers. You are able to amend the email address/s and mobile number/s receiving messages instantly at any time via the web.
Can I sign up for just the Virtual Receptionist service and nothing else?
Yes. Each of our Virtual Office services are independent of each other in the sense you can have just the Virtual Receptionist service and nothing else or you can add say a Prestigious Mail Address for a total Virtual Office solution.
Where are you based? and are your Receptionists based in Australia?
We have been established for over 10 years with our Head Office in North Sydney. Our telecommunications network extends nationally to 66 telephone exchanges throughout Australian giving us the largest range of local numbers of any competitor.

All calls are answered 24/7 and 365 days of the year by our Australian based receptionists.
Is it true the pricing quoted on your web site includes a local telephone number?
Yes. When you set up the receptionist service (e.g. the Free Trial) you allocate yourself a local telephone number. This is the phone number that we know your business by, so we can answer and handle your calls exactly as you require. Whether callers ring the unique phone number we allocate your business (e.g. if you are a start up business and don't have an existing phone number you may advertise that number as your number), or you divert any other number to it (e.g. your existing business number 02, 03, 1300, 1800, your mobile etc.), we will be answering your calls. The phone number we allocate your business is included as part of the subscription price.
For a national presence, can I have more than one local phone number (i.e. additional numbers for other states?)
Yes. We are able to add additional local phone numbers nationally including all major capital cities (e.g. 02, 03, 07, 08 etc) giving clients the impression that you're operating locally in a particular city. Of course with multiple numbers around Australia it appears you are operating nationally. Additional telephone numbers are only $5 a month per number.
Do you offer 1300 and 1800 toll free phone and fax numbers?
We can instantly add a 1300 toll free number to your account. We can also obtain 1800 numbers (generally around 4 hours to set a 1800 number up) if you prefer either of those over a local phone number (e.g. 02 for Sydney, 03 for Melbourne etc). For the 1300 numbers we simply answer and handle your calls / receive your faxes. For a 1800 number, once it is setup you simply ask us / your provider to "point" that number to the unique local phone number we allocate your business during the Free Trial setup process and instantly we are answering and handling your 1800 number telephone calls. It's very straight forward.
If we hire more staff how long before they can receive calls and messages?
We are able to add additional staff instantly so new staff can be receiving calls and messages. Whether you have 1, 2 or 202 staff our Live Answering Service is able to cater for your Live Answering needs.
What does it cost for the 24/7 Virtual Receptionist service?
If you require the 24x7 service it is FREE to have the service activated. All calls answered, irrespective of the time of day, are counted as part of your Virtual Receptionist monthly plan allowance.

After Hours Calls: Calls answered outside of 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday in the Customer's local time will incur a surcharge of $1.00 per call or $0.60 per call for Message Express.
What is a virtual assistant service?
A virtual assistant service is a live call answering service where a friendly, professional receptionist answers your inbound phone calls and handles those calls exactly as you require. It is just like you have your very own in-house receptionist. Your virtual assistant offers the same service as a virtual receptionist, but goes further in the level of detail she can help your callers. She can obtain more detailed information about your caller, provide more detailed information about your products and services through scripted answers and questions, and she can help process telephone enquiries such as sales and completing online custom forms to help with other business processes.
How does a virtual assistant service work?
With our receptionist service you simply allocate yourself a local phone number (e.g. 02 for Sydney, 03 for Melbourne) during the FREE Trial sign up process and that is the number that we know your business by. Whether clients call that number directly, or you divert any other number (02, 07 / 1300 / 1800 / your mobile etc) to that number, we will answer and handle your calls instantly.

All of your call answering settings are set up in your Client Portal. This includes detailed information about your business and very specific instructions on how to manage your calls. You can set your call availability times, when you are accepting transferred calls, and let us know when you want your settings to be ‘Do Not Disturb and have a message taken.

You will be allocated your very own Account Manager who will work with you to set up your service perfectly to meet your specific requirements.
What is the difference between MyAssistant and MyDiary?
MyAssistant is tailored for business who need their virtual receptionist to spend more time on the phone with their callers helping to provide the caller what they need as a first response such as more detailed questions about products and services. The MyDiary service is focussed on managing inbound calls that are appointment and diary management based. If you are unsure which service would suit your business needs our customer service team will be able to guide you to the right one.
Where would my Virtual Assistant be based?
Our virtual receptionists and virtual assistants are Australian based. For those clients who require a 24/7 service, calls outside normal business hours are answered and handled by either our US receptionists or UK receptionists on a follow the sun basis. Daytime calls are answered by our Australian team.
If one of our clients asks a question are you able to answer it?
Yes. We are able to answer basic questions like directions to business premises, fax number, website address, pricing and other general questions. You can also provide us with a detailed call scripts and answers to FAQs to assist your callers in more detail.
Are you able to make appointments for us?
Yes, with the MyDiary option, we have a dedicated team of highly experienced receptionists who can manage your appointments and diary for you. You can access your real-time on-line calendar from any internet connection. You can let us know each week what your work availability times are going to be and we will ensure your diary is run smoothly.
How can my virtual assistant help us with sales and customer service?
Your virtual assistant is generally your first point of contact your customer has with your business. She is able to give customers information about your business, products and services. She can help process online sales by entering online sales processing forms which can be fed directly into your ecommerce, CRM and other systems. For customer service enquiries, your virtual assistant can gather details about the customers situation, and input these details into your online support ticketing systems. This provides your callers with a professional and efficient response to their initial needs, and she can pass callers on to you and your team members to help them further if you are available or take a message and send it to you instantly via email and/or SMS for further follow up.
What is the difference between a virtual assistant service during normal business hours and the 24/7 service?
At all times your virtual assistant will answer your calls exactly as you require. Normal business hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am to 6:00pm, where your calls are answered. If you have set your status as “Available for Call Transfers”, our Australian based virtual assistant will introduce the caller to you, and transfer the call if you wish to take it. If you do not want to take the call, or your settings are “Do Not Disturb” she will take a message for you and send it to you via email and/or SMS. Outside of business hours your calls can be diverted directly to you or will be answered by voicemail and the WAV file is emailed instantly to you. If would like your calls answered 24/7, your virtual assistant continues to answer your calls 24/7 365 days of the year. We use a follow the sun service with our teams in the United Kingdom and United states to answer your calls around the clock.
Can I use your service for a day, a week or a month.
Yes, you are able to use our service for any time that you need our assistance.
How long does it take to set up?
You can start having your calls answered in as little as a few minutes. Simply sign up to a Virtual Receptionist Free Trial. You will be allocated with a service number immediately and sent an SMS to activate your service in the Client Portal. Once activated your receptionist will be immediately answering your calls. If you have a number already, you can put call transfer to your new Virtual Headquarters service number for all of your calls to be answered by a live receptionist. You can immediately upgrade your service to either a MyAssistant or MyDiary subscription and you will be contacted by your Account Manager to set your service up.
Are there any set up fees?
Depending upon the complexity of your set up we charge a once off initial set up fee of $50 + GST for MyAssistant and $99 + GST for MyDiary.
Do you offer free trials for MyAssistant or MyDiary?
No we do not offer free trials for MyAssistant or MyDiary. You are welcome to use our 7 Day Virtual Receptionist Free Trial whilst setting up your MyAssistant or MyDiary service.
What is a Phone Message Service?
A message service is a professional call answering service where a live virtual receptionist answers your calls and greets callers with a business or personal name. She will take a message from the caller including their name, phone number and a message. The message details are then sent to you by email or SMS.
Why should I get a Call Message Service?
Many callers can be frustrated when their call is not answered or is diverted to a voice mail. Research has shown that callers prefer to speak to a live person. This improves their experience when they call, which increases sales and customer loyalty. Calls can also be screened so that time is not wasted answering unnecessary calls. Being able to see messages, you can more easily prioritise who to call and when helping you to be more productive with your valuable time.
What’s the difference between the Virtual Receptionist and MessageExpress service?
With the Virtual Receptionist service a live receptionist answers and routs your calls exactly as you require such that callers will think our receptionist is sitting in your office. So a typical greeting might be: "Good morning/afternoon [your company name], Jenny speaking, how may I help you?"

Calls can be introduced and transferred to the relevant staff member or a message taken which is instantly sent via email and / or SMS to the relevant staff member.

The receptionists are also able to provide callers with information about your company such as your address, web site address, what your business does, your fax number etc.

The Message Express Message Service still has a live receptionist answering the phone in your business name but the greeting must be: "Good morning/afternoon [your company name]. May I have your message please?"

This gives callers the impression we are an answering service. The receptionist cannot answer any questions but merely takes a message which can be emailed and / or SMS'd to you. Calls cannot be introduced and transferred to you or staff with the Message Express Service.

You can upgrade to the Virtual Receptionist service at any time from the Message Express Message Service and vice versa.
If I sign up for the free 7 day trial, how long before your receptionists can be answering our calls?
Immediately. It only takes a few minutes to set up the Free Trial. We can be answering and handling your telephone calls in three or four minutes from now. Literally, it is that quick.
Is the free7 day trial available for MessageExpress and is it totally free?
Yes you are able to take advantage of our Free 7 Day Trial offer for our Message Express Service. Message Express can be set up in minutes and instantly we can be answering your calls and sending you messages. Everything is FREE in the Free Trial. There is absolutely no charge for anything, whether you have 1 or 101 staff.
Are there any security deposits or set up fees?
Yes there are NO set up fees and NO security deposits during or after the FREE trial.
Is it true MessageExpress is only month to month (ie. No long term contracts)?
This is correct. There are no long term contracts it is just month to month. Cease the service at any time by giving us just one working days minimum notice. There are NO cancellation charges.
Can I cease the service at any time with no cancellation charges?
Yes you can cease the service at any time. Just give us at least one working day's notice and that's it. No questions asked. There are absolutely NO cancellation fees.
Can I have more than one local phone number to present a national image?
Yes! You can have one or multiple local telephone numbers. We cover all major cities Australia wide including Sydney (02), Melbourne (03), Adelaide (08), Brisbane (07), Canberra (062) and Perth (08) to name the majors. Simply call or email us and we can add additional phone and fax numbers instantly to your service.
Can I just sign up for the MessageExpress service only and nothing else?
Absolutely. Each of our Virtual Office services is independent of the other in the sense you may choose one, many or none! Add or delete a service at any time whether that be one of our Live Answering Services or our Virtual Mail Address service, the later being available at any one of our 50+ business centres Australia wide.
Can I upgrade from MessageExpress to the Virtual Receptionist live call answering services instantly?
You are able to upgrade or downgrade at any time as your call volumes or requirements change. It is Free to change plans within our Virtual Receptionist phone answering or Message Express message services.
What is a voicemail?
A voicemail is a method of storing voice messages electronically. It stores the voice message that a caller leaves when the person called is absent, or busy or could not answer the call.
What is the format my voicemails will be emailed in?
They will be sent to you in a .WAV file so you can listen to the original message.
What is a WAV file?
A WAV file is a raw audio format file that stores audio data. It is the standard PC audio file format used to store audio recordings.
How do I access my voice messages?
Simply open the email with the voice message and double click on the WAV file.
What is a phone answering divert service and how does it work?
The Divert Service allows you to instantly allocate yourself a local Australian telephone number (e.g. 02 for Sydney, 03 for Melbourne, 07 for Brisbane, 08 for Perth, 036 for Hobart etc) which is then forwarded to your own local telephone number for you or your own receptionist to answer the calls. A call divert service is sometimes known as ‘call forwarding’.
Why should I consider using a call divert service?
Most of our clients using the divert service are established businesses with their own receptionist residing in their main office location e.g. say Brisbane. The company decides they wish to have a "presence" in another state to give the impression to customers that they are "serious about doing business in that other state". We are able to instantly allocate one or more local telephone numbers in the state/s required which the company advertises as their local number in that state. Those local phone numbers are then diverted by us to the client's main reception for them to answer their own phone calls. In this example the company would still have their own Brisbane based receptionist answering and handling all their phone calls. For $20/month per 1300 number or 1800 number, or $5 per local number, plus call diversion costs, the Call Divert service is an extremely quick and cost effective way to gain an interstate presence.
Can I sign up for the divert service and nothing else?
Yes. The call divert service includes a local number in your chosen location. You select where you want those calls to go. That’s it, you are all set to have your calls diverted to any number you chose from your new local number.
What happens to my call if I don’t answer it?
Your call will be managed by the call answering you have operating on the number the call is diverted to. For example, if your call divert service diverts calls to your mobile phone, then your mobile phone ‘unanswered calls’ or ‘phone busy’ call settings will determine what happens ie. A voicemail gets left on your mobile.
How do I change the number my calls are being diverted to?
You can instantly change the number your calls are being diverted to by logging into the client portal and changing your ‘landing number’. The change is made instantly. Our customer service team can also do this for you.
How much does a call divert service cost?
We charge a monthly subscription fee of just $15 per month, which includes a local number. Call fees are charged monthly based upon call durations. Additional local numbers, 1300 numbers or 1800 numbers can be added to your service at any time for an additional monthly fee starting from just $5.00.
Are there any set up fees?
No there are no set up fees for a call divert service.
Can I set up other local, state or national numbers with my services?
Yes, you can add additional local numbers, state-based numbers or a national 1300 number or 1800 number to your service at any time for an additional monthly fee starting at just $5.00 per month (ex. GST).
What is the Virtual Receptionist service?
Virtual Receptionist is a live call answering service where a friendly, professional receptionist answers your phone calls and handles your calls exactly as you require. Just like having your own in-house receptionist, but without the cost. To your callers, they will feel as though they are speaking to someone sitting in your office.
How does the Virtual Receptionist service work?
During the 7 Day Virtual Receptionist Free Trial, we will allocate you a local telephone number (02 for Sydney, 03 for Melbourne, etc). You can use that number as your main business number, or you can divert your calls from any other number (1300, your mobile, 02, 03, etc). We will answer calls with your customised greeting, take a message, or do a warm transfer where we introduce the caller to you and transfer the call if you are available.
If I sign up for a free trial is it totally free and no obligation to continue?
The Virtual Receptionist free trial is completely free, requires no credit card, and can be cancelled at any time. You will instantly be allocated a local state based number and can divert calls immediately to your chosen destination.
What is involved in setting up my MyAssistant or MyDiary service?
Firstly, we get you set up with in our system with a Virtual Receptionist service. We can do that instantly with our 7 day Virtual Receptionist free trial. Once your Virtual Receptionist service is activated, our customer service team will call you to help you get your service set up. Let them know you would like to upgrade to a MyAssistant or MyDiary service, and they will help you chose a subscription that will meet your needs and add in the additional services for you.
Are there any long-term contracts and can I cancel at any time without penalty?
All of our services are offered on a month to month plan, there are no long-term contracts. You can change plans at any time for free to suit your call volumes and you can suspend or cease the service at any time. Simply let us know via a phone call or email before your next your monthly renewal date that you would like to cancel or put the service on hold and the service will not renew. There are no penalties.
Are you able to answer just some of our calls?
Yes. This is referred to as "call overflow". A lot of companies require their phone calls to be answered only when they are unable to take the call themselves. This could be if you step out of the office for an hour, you are busy on another call, go to lunch or simply because you have multiple calls coming in at the one time. Simply divert your existing phone number (to the unique local phone number we allocate your business during the Free Trial setup process) on busy, no answer (e.g. after say 5 rings) or permanently. That way you are always in control and can relax knowing you will never miss another call.
Where are you based? Are your virtual assistants Australian?
Our receptionists are all natural English-speaking Australian’s based in Australia. They are available to answer your calls during normal and extended business hours Monday – Sunday. If you opt for 24/7 live call answering, we have a follow the sun service, where calls are answered in London by our London-based receptionists and in the USA by our American-based receptionists – who would form part of a 24 hour MyAssistant and MyDiary service team for you.
How do I pay for my services?
Our billing system is fully automated. We accept credit card payment only including AMEX, Mastercard and Visa. All invoices are available to be viewed online and printed / reprinted at any time by you via the web. Invoices are also emailed to you each month to save paper. We do have account customers if you don't have a credit card but because this process is not automated we require at least 3 months of subscriptions in advance EFT'd to our bank account for account customers.
What is the Fax to Email service?
The Fax 2 Email service (alternatively know as a Virtual Fax or Inbound Fax service) allows you to instantly allocate yourself a local Australian phone / fax number (e.g. 02 for Sydney, 03 for Melbourne, 07 for Brisbane, 08 for Adelaide, 08 for Perth, 026 for Canberra, 036 for Hobart) with any faxes sent to that number being emailed instantly to one or more email addresses that you decide.
How does the Fax to Email service work?
When you set up the Free Trial you simply allocate yourself a local Australian phone number (02, 03, 07 etc) which can be the fax number you advertise. Any faxes sent to that fax number are instantly forwarded in soft copy to one or more email addresses as you determine. So as long as you can access your email you can receive your faxes where ever you are. If you have an existing fax number you can simply divert that number to the fax number you set up with us and instantly be receiving your faxes in soft copy. That allows you to continue advertising your old fax number.
Can I start receiving faxes immediately?
You are instantly given a fax number by signing up to a virtual receptionist free trial. You can upgrade immediately to a Fax to Voicemail service and start receiving faxes within minutes.
What are the benefits of receiving faxes by email?
You no longer need to have a fax machine or fax line to receive your inbound faxes. You simply have a virtual fax number and your faxes are transmitted to you via email in a TIFF or PDF file format. It is more secure than having faxes lying around on a fax machine. You also save money on wasted fax toner, fax paper, fax machines and maintenance, and fax lines. You avoid missing important faxes if your fax line is busy or you are not at your fax machine to receive them. Fax to Email is a cost effective and efficient way for you to receive our inbound faxes.
What file formats can I receive my emailed Faxes in?
We can sent your faxes to you via email in either PDF or TIFF format.
Can I keep my existing fax number?
Yes, simply forward your existing fax number to your Virtual Headquarters Fax to Email number to instantly get your faxes sent to you via email.
Are faxes sent to me by email secure?
All your inbound faxes are sent straight to your email inbox. This is much more secure than having faxes printed on your fax machine.
Does it matter what email client I am using?
No, all major email clients including Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook, iCloud and many more can receive your fax to email messages.
Will my faxes still print out on my Fax machine?
No, your faxes will now come to you via email and you can print out your faxes to a normal printer if and when you want to. This will save you a lot of wasted money spent on fax toner and paper.
Do I need to keep buy or keep my fax machine?
No, you no longer need a fax machine! You can still have a fax number, but you won’t need an actual fax machine or fax line to receive inbound faxes.
Can I send faxes using my Fax to Email service?
No, the Fax to Email service is for inbound emails only.
Can I sign up for the Fax two Email service only and nothing else?
Yes! With all our services you are able to utilise one, many or none! It's your choice.
Can I have more than one local or national virtual fax number?
You can have as many fax numbers as you wish. Once you set up your account we can add additional fax numbers instantly.
What is a virtual address?
A virtual address is a business address which is either a mailbox located at a business centre or a receptionist mail handling service located at a virtual office. Both offer mail management services including mail notification, mail pick up and mail forwarding services. A virtual address can be used on your website and other marketing collateral to provide your business with professional physical presence.
Why do I need a virtual address?
A virtual address allows your business to have a ‘virtual’ presence in any geographic market, without the cost of leasing your own premises. Many customers want to deal with a business that they feel is ‘local’ to where they are. A virtual address gives customers a sense that you are closer and ‘like-minded’.
What is the difference between a virtual office and a virtual address?
You can get a virtual address service, which is a mailing address and mail management services. When you add a call answering service, this is normally what can be defined as having a virtual office. In addition, we offer virtual office locations that have additional facilities which include co-working and private office space, meeting rooms and other services. Some of our virtual office locations are generally located in major cities and include prestigious CBD addresses.
How long does it take to start receiving my mail after signing up for a virtual address?
Once you have signed up and paid for the service, you can be receiving your mail within 24 hours.
What is the process to get a virtual address?
Chose the location(s) you would like to have as your virtual address. You can easily ‘Save Location’ on each location page and this will be added to your virtual address enquiry form and Saved Locations which you can review and edit at any time. Complete the enquiry form, attach or send a copy of your ID (Drivers Licence, Passport or Identity Card), or call us on 1300 885 830 to process your enquiry. Our team will call you to finalise which subscription plan you want, process your payment and set up your account with your instructions for mail management. If the location has 24-hour secure access, you will be sent an access key.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept payment by credit card (AMEX, Visa and Mastercard) or by EFT to the Virtual Headquarters bank account. Secure payment is made with our service agent over the phone as part of your account set up.
Can I get more than one virtual address?
Yes, you can request additional addresses at any time. There are over 10,000 mailbox customers throughout our 50+ business centres and virtual offices Australia-wide. Many of our customers have numerous virtual addresses to show a regional, state or national presence. You can add new virtual addresses to your account at any time.
How do I know when I have received mail at my virtual address?
We send you a mail received notification via SMS and/or Email whenever mail or a package arrives for you at your virtual address. Mail notification is FREE as part of your virtual address subscription.
How do I get my mail? Can I collect it any time I want to? Can you send it to me?
Most of our 50+ locations have secure 24x7 access where you can collect your own mail. You will be issued your own key or security access code when your account is set up. You can also opt to have your mail automatically forward to you anywhere is the world.
Can I have my mail forwarded to me from my virtual address? Does this cost extra?
You can opt to have your mail and parcels automatically forwarded to you anywhere in the world, as often as you require. If you have multiple mail pieces, we can bundle those and mail them to you in one package. Many locations, but not all, charge a small handling fee to bundle the mail up, pay the correct postage and mail it to you from an Australia Post, Post Office. The handling fee is typically $5 or $6 per bundle of mail sent, plus the cost of postage. All locations will charge the cost of postage stamps to forward your mail.
Do you offer a Free Trial for your virtual address service?
No, we do not offer a free trial for our virtual address service. We do offer a free trial for our Virtual Receptionist service – you can try that for free for 7 days.
How do I get a telephone number and answering service at the same location as my virtual address?
Simply tick the box ‘Yes, I would like a call answering service’ on the enquiry form or let our customer service team member know when you speak to them. Alternatively, to instantly get an answering service, sign up for our virtual receptionist 7-day free trial. There is no lock in contract, no credit card required, and you can cancel any time. We can add local, regional or a national 1300 numbers or 1800 numbers to your answering service when you upgrade from a free trial to one of the subscription plans.
How do I book a meeting room?
Your national account manager will provide you the details you need to be able to book meeting rooms and support services as and when you need them, wherever you need them.
What is a Virtual Receptionist Service?
Virtual Receptionist is a Live Telephone Answering Service where a friendly, professional receptionist answers your phone and handles your calls exactly as you require. Just like if you had your own receptionist in-house. In fact it is that real, clients will think the receptionist is sitting in your office.
How does a virtual receptionist service work?
With our receptionist service you simply allocate yourself a local phone number (e.g. 02 for Sydney, 03 for Melbourne) during the FREE Trial sign up process and that is the number that we know your business by. Whether clients call that number directly, or you divert any other number (02, 07 / 1300 / 1800 / your mobile etc) to that number, we will answer and handle your calls instantly.
If I sign up for a Free Trial is it totally FREE and no obligation to continue?
The FREE Trial is totally FREE and there is NO Obligation to continue with the service after the Free Trial. Whether you have 1 or 81 staff, all staff can be set up in the Free Trial to receive calls and messages and it is ALL totally FREE.
We already have a phone number (1300 / 1800 / 02 / 03 / 07 etc). Does that matter?
No. Most of our 2,500+ live answering service clients are existing businesses with an existing phone number that they have been using for years on their business cards and web site etc. When you set up the Free Trial with us you issue yourself a local phone number (e.g. 02, 03, 08 etc). This is the number we know your business by. You simply call forward / divert your existing telephone number to that phone number and instantly we are answering and handling your calls exactly as your own in-house receptionist would.
Is it true there are no security deposits or set up fees?
TYes it is true. There are NO security deposits and NO set up fees during or after the Free Trial.
There are no long term contracts (i.e. it's month to month) but can I cease the service at any time without penalty?
We offer a month to month agreement, there are no long term contracts. You can change plans at any time for FREE to suit your call volumes and you can CEASE the service at any time by giving us just one working days notice. There are NO Cancellation Fees. We believe this puts the onus on us to perform. We aim to answer and handle every phone call exactly how you require. If we don't meet your expectations it is FREE to cancel the service instantly! You simply ask us to cancel the service and that's it. No questions asked.
What's the difference between Virtual Receptionist and Message Express?
With the Virtual Receptionist service a live receptionist answers and routs your calls exactly as you require such that callers will think our receptionist is sitting in your office. So a typical greeting might be: "Good morning/afternoon [your company name], Jenny speaking, how may I help you?"

Calls can be introduced and transferred to the relevant staff member or a message taken which is instantly sent via email and / or SMS to the relevant staff member.The receptionists are also able to provide callers with information about your company such as your address, web site address, what your business does, your fax number etc.

The Message Express Message Service still has a live receptionist answering the phone in your business name but the greeting must be: "Good morning/afternoon [your company name]. May I have your message please?"

This gives callers the impression we are an answering service. The receptionist cannot answer any questions but merely takes a message which can be emailed and / or SMS'd to you. Calls cannot be introduced and transferred to you or staff with the Message Express Service.

You can upgrade to the Virtual Receptionist service at any time from the Message Express Message Service and vice versa.
Is there a difference between the Virtual Receptionist service during normal business hours and the 24x7 service?
At all times there is a Live Receptionist answering your calls exactly as you require. During normal business hours (i.e. Mon – Fri 8.00am – 6.00pm excluding public holidays) if your status in the system is set to "Available for Call Transfers" our Australian based receptionists will introduce and transfer calls to you, wherever you are. If you do not wish to take the call, you are unavailable or the caller is ringing after hours (i.e. outside normal business hours), the receptionist will take a message and forward it you to by SMS and / or Email as you require.
If I sign up for the Free Trial, how long before your receptionists can be answering my calls?
Instantly. It takes two or three minutes to set up the Free Trial. So literally we can be answering and handling your phone calls in a few minutes from now.
How long does it take to set up?
You are able to start using the service immediately after it has been set up which usually takes just a few minutes. As soon as it is set up we immediately start answering and handling your telephone calls.
Do you allocate my business with a local telephone number and is it used exclusively for our business?
Yes we do allocate an exclusive phone number to each client. That is the number that we know your business by. Hence we know how to answer the phone and handle your calls exactly as you require. This telephone number can be your main business number that you use on your business cards, letterhead, web site, advertising promotions etc. If you have an existing phone number, like most of our 2,500+ Virtual Receptionist clients, you simply call forward this on busy, no answer or permanently to the number we allocate you whereupon our receptionists will be answering your calls.
Am I able to upgrade or downgrade (i.e. change plans) as my call volumes vary from time to time?
Yes. You are able to upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time to suit your call volumes which can vary from month to month. It is FREE to change plans.
How do I know which plan I should be on to ensure I am paying only for what I really need?
With our Answering Service you are able to login to your account at any time and view your Usage Report which details by month EVERY phone call that we have ever answered. This allows you to see exactly how many calls you are receiving, who called, what we did with the call, messages sent etc. That way you can decide what plan is optimal for you at the time based on your actual call volumes. It is FREE to change plans, up or down, as your call volumes vary.
How do we pay for the Virtual Receptionist Live Answering Service?
Our billing system is fully automated. We accept credit card payment only including AMEX, Mastercard and Visa. All invoices are available to be viewed online and printed / reprinted at any time by you via the web. Invoices are also emailed to you each month to save paper.

We do have account customers if you don't have a credit card but because this process is not automated we require at least 3 months of subscriptions in advance EFT'd to our bank account for account customers.
Are your receptionists able to introduce and transfer calls to the relevant staff member?
Yes. Our clients range from those with 2, 3 and 5 staff to those with 40, 50 and more staff. Just like your own in-house receptionist would, calls can be introduced to the relevant staff member and transferred to that staff member if they wish to take the call. Whether staff are at their desk in the office, at home, overseas or on the mobile, our receptionists can transfer calls to them. If staff are unavailable or do not wish to take the call, our receptionists will take a message which can be emailed and / or sent instantly by SMS to the relevant staff member/s. Via our online portal you are able to update staff details, availability and message settings at any time via the web.
Are you able to answer just some of our phone calls?
Yes. This is referred to as "call overflow". A lot of companies require their phone calls to be answered only when they are unable to take the call themselves. This could be if you step out of the office for an hour, you are busy on another call, go to lunch or simply because you have multiple calls coming in at the one time. Simply divert your existing phone number (to the unique local phone number we allocate your business during the Free Trial setup process) on busy, no answer (e.g. after say 5 rings) or permanently. That way you are always in control and can relax knowing you will never miss another call.
Am I able to use the service just when I need to (i.e. for a day, a week, a month?)
Yes. A lot of our 2,500+ clients use the service as an overflow for when they are unable to take calls or when their own in-house receptionist is at lunch, sick or on annual leave. Our Live Answering Service is like an "on tap" receptionist that you can use for an hour, a day, a week or whenever you need to. You only pay for what you use so it is also very economical.
What type of client does the Virtual Receptionist service typically cater for?
Any business that requires a professional receptionist to answer and route their telephone calls. Our 2,500+ clients include accountants, lawyers, printers, franchisors, franchisees, recruitment firms, mortgage brokers, insurance brokers, IT software, IT consultants, IT hardware engineers, cleaners, marketing agencies, public relations agencies, home businesses, commercial property, real estate agents, web based businesses, business consultants, training companies, shuttle (car / bus) services, restaurants as well as medium size companies with hundreds of staff.
Can you just take messages?
Yes. Our receptionists can answer calls and explain that you are in a meeting or with a client. She will take a message and forward this message to you or the relevant staff member/s by email and / or SMS instantly.
If one of our clients asks the receptionist a question, is she able to answer it?
Yes, our receptionists are able to answer basic questions that callers would expect your receptionist to know (e.g. directions to your premises, your street address, your postal address, fax number, web site, what your business does, the title of a particular staff member and such general questions). Even if you are overseas or on leave, as long as you let the receptionists know by updating your Operator Notes within your account, they will be able to tell the caller the answer i.e. when you will be back etc. Remember, callers will think your Virtual Receptionist is actually sitting in your office. So it is critical our receptionists know these basic answers. You are able to update information on your company or your personal status instantly at any time via the web which ensures the receptionists always have the information necessary to answer basic questions.
Can you Transfer Calls through to some staff and send Messages to other staff? Can we amend this status at any time?
Yes. Whether you have 1, 2 or 102 staff, each staff member has their own settings in the Virtual Receptionist system. Staff can be "Available for Call Transfer" or "Do Not Disturb". This status can be changed by staff members at any time via the web. If a staff member is "Available for Call Transfer" the receptionist will attempt to call them on one of 3 "Find Me Numbers" (i.e. their mobile, desk extension, home office etc) and introduce the call. If you wish, the call can be transferred to you. If you do not want to take the call, are unavailable (i.e. say your mobile is turned off) the receptionist will take a message which will be sent instantly to the staff member as per their settings (i.e. by email and / or SMS). If your status is set to "Do Not Disturb" the receptionist will not even attempt to call you to introduce the call, they will simply take a message and forward it to you as per your settings (i.e. by SMS and / or Email).
Can messages be sent to multiple email addresses and multiple mobile numbers?
Yes messages taken can be sent to multiple email addresses and / or multiple mobile numbers. You are able to amend the email address/s and mobile number/s receiving messages instantly at any time via the web.
Can I sign up for just the Virtual Receptionist service and nothing else?
Yes. Each of our Virtual Office services are independent of each other in the sense you can have just the Virtual Receptionist service and nothing else or you can add say a Prestigious Mail Address for a total Virtual Office solution.
Where are you based? and are your Receptionists based in Australia?
We have been established for over 10 years with our Head Office in North Sydney. Our telecommunications network extends nationally to 66 telephone exchanges throughout Australian giving us the largest range of local numbers of any competitor.

All calls are answered 24/7 and 365 days of the year by our Australian based receptionists.
Is it true the pricing quoted on your web site includes a local telephone number?
Yes. When you set up the receptionist service (e.g. the Free Trial) you allocate yourself a local telephone number. This is the phone number that we know your business by, so we can answer and handle your calls exactly as you require. Whether callers ring the unique phone number we allocate your business (e.g. if you are a start up business and don't have an existing phone number you may advertise that number as your number), or you divert any other number to it (e.g. your existing business number 02, 03, 1300, 1800, your mobile etc.), we will be answering your calls. The phone number we allocate your business is included as part of the subscription price.
For a national presence, can I have more than one local phone number (i.e. additional numbers for other states?)
Yes. We are able to add additional local phone numbers nationally including all major capital cities (e.g. 02, 03, 07, 08 etc) giving clients the impression that you're operating locally in a particular city. Of course with multiple numbers around Australia it appears you are operating nationally. Additional telephone numbers are only $10 a month per number.
Do you offer 1300 and 1800 toll free phone numbers?
We can add 1300 or 1800 numbers to your account, if you prefer either of those over a local phone number (e.g. 02 for Sydney, 03 for Melbourne etc). For 1300 and 1800 numbers, if Virtual HQ is hosting the number, we simply answer / handle your calls when customers call your number. If another provider is hosting your 1800 or 1300 number, you simply advise your provider of the unique local phone number we allocate your business during the Free Trial setup process, asking them to make that number the "landing number". After that, any calls to your 1300 or 1800 number will be answered and handled by our receptionists. It's very straight forward.
If we hire more staff how long before they can receive calls and messages?
We are able to add additional staff instantly so new staff can be receiving calls and messages. Whether you have 1, 2 or 202 staff our Live Answering Service is able to cater for your Live Answering needs.
What does it cost for the 24/7 Virtual Receptionist service?
If you require the 24x7 service it is FREE to have the service activated. All calls answered, irrespective of the time of day, are counted as part of your Virtual Receptionist monthly plan allowance.

After Hours Calls: Calls answered outside of 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday in the Customer's local time will incur a surcharge of $1.00 per call or $0.60 per call for Message Express.
What is a virtual assistant service?
A virtual assistant service is a live call answering service where a friendly, professional receptionist answers your inbound phone calls and handles those calls exactly as you require. It is just like you have your very own in-house receptionist. Your virtual assistant offers the same service as a virtual receptionist, but goes further in the level of detail she can help your callers. She can obtain more detailed information about your caller, provide more detailed information about your products and services through scripted answers and questions, and she can help process telephone enquiries such as sales and completing online custom forms to help with other business processes.
How does a virtual assistant service work?
With our receptionist service you simply allocate yourself a local phone number (e.g. 02 for Sydney, 03 for Melbourne) during the FREE Trial sign up process and that is the number that we know your business by. Whether clients call that number directly, or you divert any other number (02, 07 / 1300 / 1800 / your mobile etc) to that number, we will answer and handle your calls instantly.

All of your call answering settings are set up in your Client Portal. This includes detailed information about your business and very specific instructions on how to manage your calls. You can set your call availability times, when you are accepting transferred calls, and let us know when you want your settings to be ‘Do Not Disturb and have a message taken.

You will be allocated your very own Account Manager who will work with you to set up your service perfectly to meet your specific requirements.
What is the difference between MyAssistant and MyDiary?
MyAssistant is tailored for business who need their virtual receptionist to spend more time on the phone with their callers helping to provide the caller what they need as a first response such as more detailed questions about products and services. The MyDiary service is focussed on managing inbound calls that are appointment and diary management based. If you are unsure which service would suit your business needs our customer service team will be able to guide you to the right one.
Where would my Virtual Assistant be based?
Our virtual receptionists and virtual assistants are Australian based. For those clients who require a 24/7 service, calls outside normal business hours are answered and handled by either our US receptionists or UK receptionists on a follow the sun basis. Daytime calls are answered by our Australian team.
If one of our clients asks a question are you able to answer it?
Yes. We are able to answer basic questions like directions to business premises, fax number, website address, pricing and other general questions. You can also provide us with a detailed call scripts and answers to FAQs to assist your callers in more detail.
Are you able to make appointments for us?
Yes, with the MyDiary option, we have a dedicated team of highly experienced receptionists who can manage your appointments and diary for you. You can access your real-time on-line calendar from any internet connection. You can let us know each week what your work availability times are going to be and we will ensure your diary is run smoothly.
How can my virtual assistant help us with sales and customer service?
Your virtual assistant is generally your first point of contact your customer has with your business. She is able to give customers information about your business, products and services. She can help process online sales by entering online sales processing forms which can be fed directly into your ecommerce, CRM and other systems. For customer service enquiries, your virtual assistant can gather details about the customers situation, and input these details into your online support ticketing systems. This provides your callers with a professional and efficient response to their initial needs, and she can pass callers on to you and your team members to help them further if you are available or take a message and send it to you instantly via email and/or SMS for further follow up.
What is the difference between a virtual assistant service during normal business hours and the 24/7 service?
At all times your virtual assistant will answer your calls exactly as you require. Normal business hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am to 6:00pm, where your calls are answered. If you have set your status as “Available for Call Transfers”, our Australian based virtual assistant will introduce the caller to you, and transfer the call if you wish to take it. If you do not want to take the call, or your settings are “Do Not Disturb” she will take a message for you and send it to you via email and/or SMS. Outside of business hours your calls can be diverted directly to you or will be answered by voicemail and the WAV file is emailed instantly to you. If would like your calls answered 24/7, your virtual assistant continues to answer your calls 24/7 365 days of the year. We use a follow the sun service with our teams in the United Kingdom and United states to answer your calls around the clock.
Can I use your service for a day, a week or a month.
Yes, you are able to use our service for any time that you need our assistance.
How long does it take to set up?
You can start having your calls answered in as little as a few minutes. Simply sign up to a Virtual Receptionist Free Trial. You will be allocated with a service number immediately and sent an SMS to activate your service in the Client Portal. Once activated your receptionist will be immediately answering your calls. If you have a number already, you can put call transfer to your new Virtual Headquarters service number for all of your calls to be answered by a live receptionist. You can immediately upgrade your service to either a MyAssistant or MyDiary subscription and you will be contacted by your Account Manager to set your service up.
Are there any set up fees?
Depending upon the complexity of your set up we charge a once off initial set up fee of $50 + GST for MyAssistant and $99 + GST for MyDiary.
Do you offer free trials for MyAssistant or MyDiary?
No we do not offer free trials for MyAssistant or MyDiary. You are welcome to use our 7 Day Virtual Receptionist Free Trial whilst setting up your MyAssistant or MyDiary service.
What is a Phone Message Service?
A message service is a professional call answering service where a live virtual receptionist answers your calls and greets callers with a business or personal name. She will take a message from the caller including their name, phone number and a message. The message details are then sent to you by email or SMS.
Why should I get a Call Message Service?
Many callers can be frustrated when their call is not answered or is diverted to a voice mail. Research has shown that callers prefer to speak to a live person. This improves their experience when they call, which increases sales and customer loyalty. Calls can also be screened so that time is not wasted answering unnecessary calls. Being able to see messages, you can more easily prioritise who to call and when helping you to be more productive with your valuable time.
What’s the difference between the Virtual Receptionist and MessageExpress service?
With the Virtual Receptionist service a live receptionist answers and routs your calls exactly as you require such that callers will think our receptionist is sitting in your office. So a typical greeting might be: "Good morning/afternoon [your company name], Jenny speaking, how may I help you?"

Calls can be introduced and transferred to the relevant staff member or a message taken which is instantly sent via email and / or SMS to the relevant staff member.

The receptionists are also able to provide callers with information about your company such as your address, web site address, what your business does, your fax number etc.

The Message Express Message Service still has a live receptionist answering the phone in your business name but the greeting must be: "Good morning/afternoon [your company name]. May I have your message please?"

This gives callers the impression we are an answering service. The receptionist cannot answer any questions but merely takes a message which can be emailed and / or SMS'd to you. Calls cannot be introduced and transferred to you or staff with the Message Express Service.

You can upgrade to the Virtual Receptionist service at any time from the Message Express Message Service and vice versa.
If I sign up for the free 7 day trial, how long before your receptionists can be answering our calls?
Immediately. It only takes a few minutes to set up the Free Trial. We can be answering and handling your telephone calls in three or four minutes from now. Literally, it is that quick.
Is the free7 day trial available for MessageExpress and is it totally free?
Yes you are able to take advantage of our Free 7 Day Trial offer for our Message Express Service. Message Express can be set up in minutes and instantly we can be answering your calls and sending you messages. Everything is FREE in the Free Trial. There is absolutely no charge for anything, whether you have 1 or 101 staff.
Are there any security deposits or set up fees?
Yes there are NO set up fees and NO security deposits during or after the FREE trial.
Is it true MessageExpress is only month to month (ie. No long term contracts)?
This is correct. There are no long term contracts it is just month to month. Cease the service at any time by giving us just one working days minimum notice. There are NO cancellation charges.
Can I cease the service at any time with no cancellation charges?
Yes you can cease the service at any time. Just give us at least one working day's notice and that's it. No questions asked. There are absolutely NO cancellation fees.
Can I have more than one local phone number to present a national image?
Yes! You can have one or multiple local telephone numbers. We cover all major cities Australia wide including Sydney (02), Melbourne (03), Adelaide (08), Brisbane (07), Canberra (062) and Perth (08) to name the majors. Simply call or email us and we can add additional phone and fax numbers instantly to your service.
Can I just sign up for the MessageExpress service only and nothing else?
Absolutely. Each of our Virtual Office services is independent of the other in the sense you may choose one, many or none! Add or delete a service at any time whether that be one of our Live Answering Services or our Virtual Mail Address service, the later being available at any one of our 50+ business centres Australia wide.
Can I upgrade from MessageExpress to the Virtual Receptionist live call answering services instantly?
You are able to upgrade or downgrade at any time as your call volumes or requirements change. It is Free to change plans within our Virtual Receptionist phone answering or Message Express message services.
What is a voicemail?
A voicemail is a method of storing voice messages electronically. It stores the voice message that a caller leaves when the person called is absent, or busy or could not answer the call.
What is the format my voicemails will be emailed in?
They will be sent to you in a .WAV file so you can listen to the original message.
What is a WAV file?
A WAV file is a raw audio format file that stores audio data. It is the standard PC audio file format used to store audio recordings.
How do I access my voice messages?
Simply open the email with the voice message and double click on the WAV file.
What is a call divert service and how does it work?
The Divert Service allows you to instantly allocate yourself a local Australian telephone number (e.g. 02 for Sydney, 03 for Melbourne, 07 for Brisbane, 08 for Perth, 036 for Hobart etc) which is then forwarded to your own local telephone number for you or your own receptionist to answer the calls. A call divert service is sometimes known as ‘call forwarding’.
Why should I consider using a call divert service?
Most of our clients using the divert service are established businesses with their own receptionist residing in their main office location e.g. say Brisbane. The company decides they wish to have a "presence" in another state to give the impression to customers that they are "serious about doing business in that other state". We are able to instantly allocate one or more local telephone numbers in the state/s required which the company advertises as their local number in that state. Those local phone numbers are then diverted by us to the client's main reception for them to answer their own phone calls. In this example the company would still have their own Brisbane based receptionist answering and handling all their phone calls. For $20/month per 1300 number or 1800 number, or $5 per local number, plus call diversion costs, the Call Divert service is an extremely quick and cost effective way to gain an interstate presence.
Can I sign up for the divert service and nothing else?
Yes. The call divert service includes a local number in your chosen location. You select where you want those calls to go. That’s it, you are all set to have your calls diverted to any number you chose from your new local number.
What happens to my call if I don’t answer it?
Your call will be managed by the call answering you have operating on the number the call is diverted to. For example, if your call divert service diverts calls to your mobile phone, then your mobile phone ‘unanswered calls’ or ‘phone busy’ call settings will determine what happens ie. A voicemail gets left on your mobile.
How do I change the number my calls are being diverted to?
You can instantly change the number your calls are being diverted to by logging into the client portal and changing your ‘landing number’. The change is made instantly. Our customer service team can also do this for you.
How much does a call divert service cost?
We charge a monthly subscription fee of just $15 per month, which includes a local number. Call fees are charged monthly based upon call durations. Additional local numbers, 1300 numbers or 1800 numbers can be added to your service at any time for an additional monthly fee starting from just $5.00.
Are there any set up fees?
No there are no set up fees for a call divert service.
Can I set up other local, state or national numbers with my services?
Yes, you can add additional local numbers, state-based numbers or a national 1300 number or 1800 number to your service at any time for an additional monthly fee starting at just $5.00 per month (ex. GST).
What is the Virtual Receptionist service?
Virtual Receptionist is a live call answering service where a friendly, professional receptionist answers your phone calls and handles your calls exactly as you require. Just like having your own in-house receptionist, but without the cost. To your callers, they will feel as though they are speaking to someone sitting in your office.
How does the Virtual Receptionist service work?
During the 7 Day Virtual Receptionist Free Trial, we will allocate you a local telephone number (02 for Sydney, 03 for Melbourne, etc). You can use that number as your main business number, or you can divert your calls from any other number (1300, your mobile, 02, 03, etc). We will answer calls with your customised greeting, take a message, or do a warm transfer where we introduce the caller to you and transfer the call if you are available.
If I sign up for a free trial is it totally free and no obligation to continue?
The Virtual Receptionist free trial is completely free, requires no credit card, and can be cancelled at any time. You will instantly be allocated a local state based number and can divert calls immediately to your chosen destination.
What is involved in setting up my MyAssistant or MyDiary service?
Firstly, we get you set up with in our system with a Virtual Receptionist service. We can do that instantly with our 7 day Virtual Receptionist free trial. Once your Virtual Receptionist service is activated, our customer service team will call you to help you get your service set up. Let them know you would like to upgrade to a MyAssistant or MyDiary service, and they will help you chose a subscription that will meet your needs and add in the additional services for you.
Are there any long-term contracts and can I cancel at any time without penalty?
All of our services are offered on a month to month plan, there are no long-term contracts. You can change plans at any time for free to suit your call volumes and you can suspend or cease the service at any time. Simply let us know via a phone call or email before your next your monthly renewal date that you would like to cancel or put the service on hold and the service will not renew. There are no penalties.
Are you able to answer just some of our calls?
Yes. This is referred to as "call overflow". A lot of companies require their phone calls to be answered only when they are unable to take the call themselves. This could be if you step out of the office for an hour, you are busy on another call, go to lunch or simply because you have multiple calls coming in at the one time. Simply divert your existing phone number (to the unique local phone number we allocate your business during the Free Trial setup process) on busy, no answer (e.g. after say 5 rings) or permanently. That way you are always in control and can relax knowing you will never miss another call.
Where are you based? Are your virtual assistants Australian?
Our receptionists are all natural English-speaking Australian’s based in Australia. They are available to answer your calls during normal and extended business hours Monday – Sunday. If you opt for 24/7 live call answering, we have a follow the sun service, where calls are answered in London by our London-based receptionists and in the USA by our American-based receptionists – who would form part of a 24 hour MyAssistant and MyDiary service team for you.
How do I pay for my services?
Our billing system is fully automated. We accept credit card payment only including AMEX, Mastercard and Visa. All invoices are available to be viewed online and printed / reprinted at any time by you via the web. Invoices are also emailed to you each month to save paper. We do have account customers if you don't have a credit card but because this process is not automated we require at least 3 months of subscriptions in advance EFT'd to our bank account for account customers.
What is the Fax to Email service?
The Fax 2 Email service (alternatively know as a Virtual Fax or Inbound Fax service) allows you to instantly allocate yourself a local Australian phone / fax number (e.g. 02 for Sydney, 03 for Melbourne, 07 for Brisbane, 08 for Adelaide, 08 for Perth, 026 for Canberra, 036 for Hobart) with any faxes sent to that number being emailed instantly to one or more email addresses that you decide.
How does the Fax to Email service work?
When you set up the Free Trial you simply allocate yourself a local Australian phone number (02, 03, 07 etc) which can be the fax number you advertise. Any faxes sent to that fax number are instantly forwarded in soft copy to one or more email addresses as you determine. So as long as you can access your email you can receive your faxes where ever you are. If you have an existing fax number you can simply divert that number to the fax number you set up with us and instantly be receiving your faxes in soft copy. That allows you to continue advertising your old fax number.
Can I start receiving faxes immediately?
You are instantly given a fax number by signing up to a virtual receptionist free trial. You can upgrade immediately to a Fax to Voicemail service and start receiving faxes within minutes.
What are the benefits of receiving faxes by email?
You no longer need to have a fax machine or fax line to receive your inbound faxes. You simply have a virtual fax number and your faxes are transmitted to you via email in a TIFF or PDF file format. It is more secure than having faxes lying around on a fax machine. You also save money on wasted fax toner, fax paper, fax machines and maintenance, and fax lines. You avoid missing important faxes if your fax line is busy or you are not at your fax machine to receive them. Fax to Email is a cost effective and efficient way for you to receive our inbound faxes.
What file formats can I receive my emailed Faxes in?
We can sent your faxes to you via email in either PDF or TIFF format.
Can I keep my existing fax number?
Yes, simply forward your existing fax number to your Virtual Headquarters Fax to Email number to instantly get your faxes sent to you via email.
Are faxes sent to me by email secure?
All your inbound faxes are sent straight to your email inbox. This is much more secure than having faxes printed on your fax machine.
Does it matter what email client I am using?
No, all major email clients including Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook, iCloud and many more can receive your fax to email messages.
Will my faxes still print out on my Fax machine?
No, your faxes will now come to you via email and you can print out your faxes to a normal printer if and when you want to. This will save you a lot of wasted money spent on fax toner and paper.
Do I need to keep buy or keep my fax machine?
No, you no longer need a fax machine! You can still have a fax number, but you won’t need an actual fax machine or fax line to receive inbound faxes.
Can I send faxes using my Fax to Email service?
No, the Fax to Email service is for inbound emails only.
Can I sign up for the Fax two Email service only and nothing else?
Yes! With all our services you are able to utilise one, many or none! It's your choice.
Can I have more than one local or national virtual fax number?
You can have as many fax numbers as you wish. Once you set up your account we can add additional fax numbers instantly.
What is a virtual address?
A virtual address is a business address which is either a mailbox located at a business centre or a receptionist mail handling service located at a virtual office. Both offer mail management services including mail notification, mail pick up and mail forwarding services. A virtual address can be used on your website and other marketing collateral to provide your business with professional physical presence.
Why do I need a virtual address?
A virtual address allows your business to have a ‘virtual’ presence in any geographic market, without the cost of leasing your own premises. Many customers want to deal with a business that they feel is ‘local’ to where they are. A virtual address gives customers a sense that you are closer and ‘like-minded’.
What is the difference between a virtual office and a virtual address?
You can get a virtual address service, which is a mailing address and mail management services. When you add a call answering service, this is normally what can be defined as having a virtual office. In addition, we offer virtual office locations that have additional facilities which include co-working and private office space, meeting rooms and other services. Some of our virtual office locations are generally located in major cities and include prestigious CBD addresses.
How long does it take to start receiving my mail after signing up for a virtual address?
Once you have signed up and paid for the service, you can be receiving your mail within 24 hours.
What is the process to get a virtual address?
Chose the location(s) you would like to have as your virtual address. You can easily ‘Save Location’ on each location page and this will be added to your virtual address enquiry form and Saved Locations which you can review and edit at any time. Complete the enquiry form, attach or send a copy of your ID (Drivers Licence, Passport or Identity Card), or call us on 1300 885 830 to process your enquiry. Our team will call you to finalise which subscription plan you want, process your payment and set up your account with your instructions for mail management. If the location has 24-hour secure access, you will be sent an access key.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept payment by credit card (AMEX, Visa and Mastercard) or by EFT to the Virtual Headquarters bank account. Secure payment is made with our service agent over the phone as part of your account set up.
Can I get more than one virtual address?
Yes, you can request additional addresses at any time. There are over 10,000 mailbox customers throughout our 50+ business centres and virtual offices Australia-wide. Many of our customers have numerous virtual addresses to show a regional, state or national presence. You can add new virtual addresses to your account at any time.
How do I know when I have received mail at my virtual address?
We send you a mail received notification via SMS and/or Email whenever mail or a package arrives for you at your virtual address. Mail notification is FREE as part of your virtual address subscription.
How do I get my mail? Can I collect it any time I want to? Can you send it to me?
Most of our 50+ locations have secure 24x7 access where you can collect your own mail. You will be issued your own key or security access code when your account is set up. You can also opt to have your mail automatically forward to you anywhere is the world.
Can I have my mail forwarded to me from my virtual address? Does this cost extra?
You can opt to have your mail and parcels automatically forwarded to you anywhere in the world, as often as you require. If you have multiple mail pieces, we can bundle those and mail them to you in one package. Many locations, but not all, charge a small handling fee to bundle the mail up, pay the correct postage and mail it to you from an Australia Post, Post Office. The handling fee is typically $5 or $6 per bundle of mail sent, plus the cost of postage. All locations will charge the cost of postage stamps to forward your mail.
Do you offer a Free Trial for your virtual address service?
No, we do not offer a free trial for our virtual address service. We do offer a free trial for our Virtual Receptionist service – you can try that for free for 7 days.
How do I get a telephone number and answering service at the same location as my virtual address?
Simply tick the box ‘Yes, I would like a call answering service’ on the enquiry form or let our customer service team member know when you speak to them. Alternatively, to instantly get an answering service, sign up for our virtual receptionist 7-day free trial. There is no lock in contract, no credit card required, and you can cancel any time. We can add local, regional or a national 1300 numbers or 1800 numbers to your answering service when you upgrade from a free trial to one of the subscription plans.
How do I book a meeting room?
Your national account manager will provide you the details you need to be able to book meeting rooms and support services as and when you need them, wherever you need them.

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