For a solo attorney or a small law firm, the front desk is the first impression. Someone has to pick up the phone, greet a potential new client with care, and take a message when an existing client calls about their case. That work matters. What doesn't always make sense is paying for a full-time in-house receptionist to do it.
A remote virtual receptionist can cover those same tasks during business hours, without the full cost of a hire. Here's the math, and how Virtual Business Solutions of Florida helps with calls, new-client intake and messages for the attorney.
The Wage Number Most Firms Start With
It's a simple sum, and it's already a large one:
$20 an hour × 40 hours a week × 52 weeks = $41,600 a year
That's about $3,467 a month, in wages alone, and it does not include the costs that come with an employee.
What Gets Added on Top of Wages
The figures in this section are illustrative estimates for a full-time employee, for educational purposes only. Your actual costs will depend on your firm, payroll setup, insurance and benefits.
On top of the $41,600, a typical hire can also bring employer payroll taxes, workers' compensation, unemployment tax, recruiting and training, paid time off and sick days, coverage when that person is out, plus a computer, phone, software and a desk. Health benefits, if you offer them, add still more.
In our breakdown of in-house receptionist vs. virtual receptionist cost, an illustrative fully loaded estimate for a $20-an-hour receptionist in Florida lands around $54,700 a year before health insurance, and around $61,700 with an employer's share of health coverage — roughly $4,560 to $5,140 a month. Those numbers are estimates, not a quote for your firm. Even if your costs come in lower, the wage is only the starting point, and you still have one person who takes lunch, gets sick and can only answer one call at a time.
What a Virtual Receptionist Costs
At Virtual Business Solutions of Florida, virtual receptionist service is a flat monthly fee of $250 to $600 a month, depending on your call volume and the help you need. That's $3,000 to $7,200 a year. You pay one predictable fee for trained receptionists who answer during business hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with no payroll tax line, no PTO reserve and no extra desk in your office.
The Savings at a Glance
All figures below are illustrative math, using the wage total and the fully loaded estimate described above. Your savings will depend on your actual payroll costs and the plan you choose.
Annual cost | Monthly cost | |
In-house receptionist, wages only ($20/hr, 40 hrs/wk) | $41,600 | ~$3,467 |
In-house, illustrative fully loaded estimate (no health benefits) | ~$54,700 | ~$4,560 |
In-house, illustrative estimate with employer health coverage | ~$61,700 | ~$5,140 |
VBSFL virtual receptionist (low end of range) | $3,000 | $250 |
VBSFL virtual receptionist (high end of range) | $7,200 | $600 |
Illustrative annual savings compared with wages alone: about $34,400 to $38,600. Compared with the fully loaded estimate (no health benefits): about $47,500 to $51,700.
How VBSFL Helps a Law Firm During Business Hours
Here's what we do for attorneys and small firms, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
We answer your calls professionally
Callers hear a live, polished greeting in your firm's name. We follow the scripts and instructions you give us, so the experience feels like part of your office. For South Florida firms, that can include greeting callers in English or Spanish.
A potential new client often calls more than one firm. The office that picks up and sounds calm and professional has a clearer shot at the conversation. Unanswered calls are easy to underestimate; we looked at that risk in Missed Calls = Lost Revenue.
Because we assign two trained receptionists to your account, a lunch break or a busy line doesn't have to send someone to voicemail.
We complete your intake questionnaire for potential new clients
When a new matter may be coming in, you usually need the same basic information before you can follow up: who is calling, how to reach them, what the matter is about and the details your firm always asks.
You provide the intake questionnaire. We walk the caller through it, fill it out and pass it to you the way you've asked. You get a complete intake, not a vague "please call them back" slip, and you stay in control of what is asked. This is administrative support during business hours, not legal advice, and not a substitute for your professional judgment about a matter.
We take messages from existing clients and get them to you
Existing clients call for updates on their case. They want to know someone heard them, and they want the message to reach their attorney.
We take a clear message — who called, how to reach them and what they need — and pass it to you according to your instructions. You decide when and how to return the call. Your client isn't left talking to a voicemail system, and you aren't pulled off a hearing or a client meeting just to pick up the phone.
What You Get Back, Besides the Savings
Your time stays on the legal work. Calls you don't have to answer yourself are time you can spend on matters that require an attorney.
A predictable monthly cost. You can budget $250 to $600 a month, not a payroll that moves with overtime or a sudden vacancy.
No HR load. You don't recruit, train, schedule or replace a front-desk employee.
Coverage that doesn't depend on one person. Two receptionists means the phones can still be answered when one is unavailable during business hours.
Some firms still need someone in the office for walk-ins or paper files. You can keep that person for in-person work and add virtual support for the phones.
What About…?
…will callers know they're not speaking to someone in my office?
We answer with your firm's name and follow your greeting and scripts. Most callers simply hear a friendly, professional voice that picks up.
…what hours do you cover?
We cover business hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the hours most clients call a law office.
…can you use our intake form?
Yes. We use the questionnaire your firm provides and send the information back the way you've asked.
…what if I already have a receptionist?
You can use us for all incoming calls, or only for overflow and coverage when your in-house person is busy or out during the day. You don't have to replace anyone.
A Professional Front Desk, Without the Full-Time Price
An in-house receptionist at $20 an hour costs $41,600 a year in wages alone, and an illustrative fully loaded estimate is considerably higher. A VBSFL virtual receptionist, at $250 to $600 a month, comes to $3,000 to $7,200 a year, with live answering, intake support and message-taking during business hours.
If you'd like to see how that would look for your firm, Virtual Business Solutions of Florida is happy to walk through it with you. No pressure, just a clear conversation.
📧 OFFICE@VBSFL.COM
📞 (305) 646-9101
Cost figures in this article are illustrative estimates for educational purposes, not tax, legal or HR advice. This is general business information, not legal advice. Check payroll and insurance costs with your accountant or provider.
Originally published on vbsfl.com.