Most small business owners are always looking for ways to gain an edge over the competition. One way to do that: improving business communication.
Of course, we’re talking about VoIP phones. By switching to this system, you’ll be able to leverage a network you’re likely already paying for. Plus, this technology allows you to extend your communications capabilities to the cloud.
Need more convincing? Here are 5 key reasons to switch to a VoIP phone system.
1. Call Forwarding
Very few small businesses can afford to be open 24/7. In some cases, neither you nor your employees will be able to answer the phone in time. A VoIP system sidesteps this issue by allowing you to convert phone messages into emails.
Most VoIP solutions also offer advanced call routing features. For example, you should be able to receive calls at any time, regardless of your phone number or location.
2. Conferencing
These days, audio and video conferences are a vital part of many companies. This feature allows multiple people to take part in a single call. When it comes to public interaction, conferencing does wonders for boosting business productivity.
Instead of paying for a conference bridge, get a VoIP system that has that option built-in. Also, look for features such as chat messages, sending files, and sharing presentations. Most vendors refer to this as Unified Communications.
3. Auto-Attendant
People love talking to other people, but nobody is a fan of the “please hold” message. You could hire a phone operator to handle incoming calls, but this can be costly. Other than compensating for the position, you could miss some calls if the line is busy.
The auto-attendant feature is a great solution. It routes calls to the next available person in the relevant sector. You can also record greetings and announcements.
4. Service Continuity
Does your business rely on phones for communication? If so, do your best to prepare for potential internet outages.
VoIP systems need the internet to work, so you should come up with a recovery plan for service continuity.
Many VoIP systems are capable of detecting an anomaly in customers’ voice traffic. In an outage, they allow you to forward calls to a landline or mobile app. Clients should only hear about the outage after getting notified that VoIP service has resumed.
5. Centralized Management
The complexity of programming is another big reason for switching from traditional phones. Connecting all phones and listing them in the directory can take a while. Adding and removing extensions is another task we can do without.
Efficient VoIP solutions come with a centralized administrative portal. These make short work of managing features and adding, removing, and configuring phones.
More Benefits of a VoIP Phone System
Other than the features mentioned above, VoIP phones have other advantages. Due to their ability to run on existing networks, they’re inexpensive to install. Depending on the features involved, they could make a difference to your bottom line.
Not sure which VoIP phone system would be the right fit for your needs? Want to make sure investing in VoIP phones is a sound business decision? Check out our VoIP Phone section!