Use of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems has become more widespread in recent years, but there are many more businesses still using older phone systems. If you are one of these companies, and are curious about VoIP, you may be interested to learn about the benefits VoIP can provide. Here are five features that small to medium businesses can benefit from.
1. Voicemail/call forwarding
Most smaller businesses simply can’t be open 24 hours, which means there will be times when customers might try to reach your company, and your employees will be unable to answer the phone. VoIP offers you the ability to convert phone messages into emails, which could be a great help in this situation.
A good VoIP solution will also provide you with a voicemail system and a feature called Find me/Follow me. This is a call forwarding feature that allows users to receive calls regardless of their location or phone number. This makes it easier for you and your managers to be reachable when they are outside of the office, especially if calls can be forwarded to their mobile phone.
2. DND
DND, or Do Not Disturb, is an important feature for those who spend their day working directly with clients. When you are talking to a client and trying to solve a problem or make a sale, the last thing you want is to be interrupted by a phone call. VoIP systems offer advanced DND features, like the ability to send calls to voicemail, or transfer to another colleague who may be able to answer the call, at the press of a button.
3. Conferencing
You can pretty much guarantee that you will eventually need to make a conference call. Some managers and owners may even make this type of call on a regular basis. The best VoIP systems go further than just supporting conference calls, including the ability for users to send files or chat messages, collaborate on calendars, or share presentations and even desktops. This is often called Unified Communications by many vendors.
4. Auto Attendant
This feature gives your business a bigger “footprint” by allowing you to set up multiple numbers in local areas, and use a menu system like large companies. This means you can setup a system where a caller can easily get into contact with different departments, or even a live operator.
Some VoIP users prefer to avoid this feature because they see it as an impediment to immediate customer service – think of the last time you had to navigate a menu system with your phone – but it comes down to personal preference.
5. Call Recording
If your company operates in an industry that is regulated, you may need to record calls. Or, you may want to record calls to track customer satisfaction and questions. Regardless of your need, a good VoIP system will allow the user to easily record calls, often at the click of a mouse, and store them in an audio format that can easily be replayed later.
These are just five of many features offered by many VoIP providers. If you are looking for a new telecommunications solution, contact us today to see how we can help.
