At Answer4u, we’re incredibly proud of the talented people behind our success. Every call we answer from our Nottingham call centre reflects the professionalism, warmth, and dedication of our team.
In this interview, we spoke to Kate Richardson, one of our part-time Virtual Receptionists. Balancing her master’s degree with evening and weekend shifts, Kate shares what it’s like to represent hundreds of UK businesses and why she loves being part of the Answer4u family.
How long have you been part of the Answer4u team, and what first attracted you to the role?
“I’ve been with Answer4u for two and a half years,” Kate smiles. “I’d just finished my undergraduate degree in business and I’m doing my master’s so I’m working part-time mainly at the weekends and really enjoying it! I saw the job on Indeed and, at first, thought it was just another call centre role. But when I looked into it properly, I realised it was so much more. I thought, I think I’d do alright there!”
How would you describe your role as a Virtual Receptionist in one sentence?
“A little bit of everything! We handle calls for so many different industries, which makes it brilliant. No two days are ever the same.”
What types of businesses do you typically take calls for?
“It depends on the shift,” Kate explains. “Evening calls can be completely different from the daytime. One minute it might be a roof that’s fallen down, the next it might be ordering a mattress for a hospital bed. Absolutely everything!”
What does a typical working day look like for you?
“I’ll log on, check any client updates, have a quick chat with the team, and then it’s straight into calls. Depending on how busy it is, I can take upwards of a hundred calls in a shift. But it never feels repetitive because every call is different, and that’s what I enjoy!”
How do you prepare yourself before a shift?
“I always take a moment to reflect, make a cup of tea or coffee, and check the client updates so I know what’s going on. Then I get stuck in headfirst!”
Handling so many calls must take focus. How do you stay calm and professional throughout?
Kate nods. “You have to learn to detach a little between calls. If one call is emotional or difficult, you take a breath, finish it, and move on. You can’t let one conversation spill into the next. Every caller deserves your full attention, so you have to reset after each one.”
She continues, “You do become a bit desensitised, but in a good way. It’s about keeping that human element even though you’re not face-to-face. People can tell when you understand them. Once they know you care, the tone of the call changes completely.”
Can you share a memorable call that’s stayed with you?
Kate recalls one evening when she took a call from a tenant whose bathroom had sprung a severe leak. The caller was in tears, clearly distressed and unsure what to do next. “I reassured them that help was on the way,” Kate explains. “I contacted the emergency repairs team straight away and made sure everything was arranged.”
By the end of the call, the caller’s tone had completely changed. “They thanked me for listening and understanding,” she says. “Turning a moment of panic into something calm and manageable is incredibly rewarding. Knowing I’ve helped someone through that kind of situation gives me real satisfaction.”
What do you find most rewarding about your job?
“Helping people in many different ways,” she says without hesitation. “Some of our clients work with customers from the older generation who may need a little extra time or reassurance over the phone. Those clients have asked us to take a gentler approach and spend as much time as needed to make sure their customers feel supported. It’s lovely to know that even a few extra minutes of conversation can make such a difference. Being that friendly, patient voice at the end of the phone is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.”
What skills do you think make a great Virtual Receptionist?
“Personality 100%!” Kate says firmly. “You can hear a smile through the phone. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it’s true! People can tell when you mean what you say, and being able to convey your emotions to help people is important.”
How did the training at Answer4u prepare you for the role?
“I trained with Mary, and it was brilliant. We had two full days in the training area where we practised different call types. There’s so much to take in at first, but you get to be in this safe space with people who are in the exact same boat. She talked through everything and went over it so many times! I think it was great to be secluded for a little while before you start the role.”
How do you and your team support each other during busy times?
“Really well, I think,” Kate says proudly. “It’s kind of an unspoken rule that we all help each other out and pick up the workload when things get busy. If you’re finishing a shift but still have a call to pass on, you can just pop a message in the chat asking if someone can help, and there’s always someone willing to step in.
Even new starters will come up to me — and I’m not even a Team Manager — and say, ‘We worked together in training, could you help me with this call or show me how to do this on the CRM?’ Everyone’s just really supportive.”
What tools or systems help you manage your calls effectively?
Kate laughs. “Obviously we’ve got our systems, but my go-to is having a blank notes page on my computer and scribbling everything down to make sure my messages are clear. It can be such a rush, especially when emotions are high, so this method works best for me.”
What’s the most challenging part of being a Virtual Receptionist?
“Not being face-to-face with people,” Kate admits. “Sometimes you can’t read how they’re feeling, so you have to listen carefully and trust your instincts. But over time, you get really good at picking up on tone and language. Experience teaches you how to handle it.”
What’s one thing you wish people understood about what you do?
“That it’s not a boring call centre job! When I told my dad I was applying, he said, ‘Oh, why?’ and I said, ‘No, this is different.’ We represent so many different businesses, and every call is unique. It’s not repetitive at all. It’s challenging and rewarding.”
What makes Answer4u different from other places you’ve worked?
“The culture, 100%,” Kate says confidently. “In some workplaces, things can get a bit toxic or people talk behind each other’s backs, but here it’s genuinely supportive. Everyone wants to see you do well and develop.
Opportunities like this are brilliant too, it shows the company values its people. It’s a really mature and positive culture, and that makes it a lovely place to work.”
Finally, do you have any rituals or habits that help you stay positive throughout the day?
“Cherry Pepsi Max from the vending machine. That thing probably gets most of my wages! It’s my little pick-me-up. I also make sure to take short ten-minute breaks when I can. Just stepping away for a bit really helps me reset and stay positive throughout the day.”
Find out more about Answer4u
At Answer4u, we’re proud to have built one of the UK’s leading call handling teams right here in Nottingham. Behind every call is a real person like Kate, friendly, professional, and committed to delivering exceptional service for every client.
Learn more about who we are and what we do, and, if Kate’s story has inspired you to join our growing team, head over to our Careers Page to see our latest opportunities.
