Frequently Asked Questions

Question
Do I have to sign a minimum period agreement to use the professional call answer and Virtual Office services?
Answer
No, the Virtual Office agreement is a month to month agreement. However, you must give 60 days notice if you do not want to continue with your  service.

Question
Do you have any hidden costs, and what are they?
Answer
Our professional call answering and 21st century  Virtual Office service  are  pre-paid services.  With prepaid services there are no hidden costs and you are always in control of your business expenses. No bills to leave you breathless at the end of the month.

Question
What are the the costs involve in setting up and maintaining my professional call answering and Virtual office service?
Answer
Because Virtual Office is a pre-paid, no hidden cost  service, your business will pay the initial set-up fee of R741.00, your first months Virtual Office fee and a pre-paid call transfer deposit of R399,00 per Virtual Office user. No other costs!

Question
Does Virtual Office answer my business calls live?
Answer
Yes, all calls in business hours (08h00 to 17h00) are answered by live Virtual Office assistants in your company name and to your specifications.

Question
Do I need any special software or hardware to make use of a Virtual Office and the professional call answering service?
Answer
No special software or hardware are required to make use of our professional call answering and 21st century Virtual Office service.

Question
Is any training needed to make use of a Virtual Office and professional call answering service?
Answer
No training is needed to make use of the Virtual Office and professional call answering service. You will receive instructions on all the Virtual Office services.

Question
What happens to my calls after a live Virtual Office assistant has answered it in my company name?
Answer
We will route your call according to your specifications i.e. route your call to:
- your specified Cell phone number given to us or,
- a specified Landline or,
- take massages that will instantly be SMSed or e-mailed to you (sms cost is R0,45 cent per unit,
- routed to your personal Mail box where the message will be converted to MP3 format and  
  emailed to your email address.

Question
How long does it take to route my call?
Answer
Routing the call to you is immediate. If you want us to route your calls to your cell phone or landline, the operator will put your customer on hold, with music in the background, then contact you on the same line to see if you want to take the call.

Question
If I want to take the call what happens then?
Answer
The operator will seamlessly connect you with your customer with a press of a button.

Question
What happens if I do not want to take the call?
Answer
Your Virtual office assistant will tell your customer that you are not available at the moment. She will then ask if she can she take a message.  The taken message will immediately be SMSed or e-mailed to you.

Question
How does the cost of a routed call to my cell phone and land line work?
Answer
Your client pays for the cost of the call to Virtual office. If the call is routed to you, you will carry the cost from Virtual Office to yourself. If the call is put through to your cell phone, normal cellular rates will apply. If the call is put through to a landline then normal Telkom rates will apply.

In order for you to have control over your call expenses Virtual Office requires a call deposit of R350, 00 (Plus VAT) per Virtual Office user.  Each time we put a call through to a users cell phone or landline the call amount for that call will be deducted from the users call deposit.  Once the call deposit balance reach R50, 00 the system will automatically email and SMS the user to top up their call deposit.  Any credit balance on your deposit will be carried over to the next month.

This way you and all your Virtual Office users have total control over your call expenses.
Should you decide not to top-up your call deposit and the balance reach R0,00 then Virtual Office will continue to take your calls and only take massages.  These messages will be emailed free of charge to your email address.

Question
Are there any additional telephone costs to route my call to my personal voice mailbox?
Answer
No, there is no charge for routing your calls to your personal voice mailbox.

Question
How long does it take to set up my professional call answering and Virtual Office services?
Answer
Once we have received your completed application form and payment the setup of your Virtual Office and professional call answering service will take 3 hours if we receive your application before 15h00. If we receive your application after 15h00 your service will be set up by 10h00 the next morning.

Question
Why must I pay a call deposit?
Answer
The call deposit works like a pre-paid system and is for the calls that are routed from Virtual Office to yourself. The cost of calls put through to your cell phone or land line will be deducted from the call deposit.  If your call deposit balance gets to R50.00 our automated system will contact you via email and SMS to request that you "Top-up" your call deposit. Any credit balance on your deposit will be carried over to the next month.

Question
What happens if I don't "Top-Up my call deposit?
Answer
If there is no money left from your call deposit then messages will be taken and emailed to your e-mail address.

Question
Do I have to pay extra for the Fax to Email facility?
Answer
No, we supply you with an exclusive international Fax to Email number (0866 xxx xxx) and it is included in your Virtual Office and call answering service monthly fee.

Question
Do I have to pay extra for the Email to Fax facility?
Answer
There is no monthly subscription fee to make use of your Email to Fax facility. You will only pay for the faxes sent from your Email address. (see costs the  below)

VIRTUAL OFFICE ASSISTANT FAX (0866) TRAFFIC RATES (RATES EXCLUDE VAT)

Question
How do I pay for the Emails to Faxes sent?
Answer
You will receive a monthly itemised bill for all e-mail to faxes sent, and the total of the e-mail to faxes transmitted will be deducted from your pre-paid call deposit on a monthly basis.

Question
Do I need a Telkom landline?
Answer
No, you do not need a Telkom line to make use of our professional call answering and 21st century Virtual Office services. Virtual Office will provide you with your own business telephone and fax number

Question
Can I upgrade my Virtual package if I grow my business, and how does it work?
Answer
Yes, you can upgrade at any time. When you upgrade you only pay the set-up fee difference between your current package and the package you want to upgrade to. If you add new Virtual Office users then there is a prepaid call deposit of R350,00 payable for each new user.