How up to date is your small business phone system? When you’re running a small business, the right phone system is key to smooth and efficient operations. As well as having an impact on the way your team works together and how your business runs, your phone system also has an impact on customer service. The bottom line, getting the right phone system for your business is of vital importance. Your business phone system needs to be mobile and flexible, which is where VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone systems come in.
Businesses Move from PBX to Mobile and VoIP
A PBX (Private Branch Exchange) is an old-style phone system with lines and switch boxes and phones sitting on desks. For many small businesses these days, a PBX system simply doesn’t provide the flexibility they need to run effectively. As the article “How a Mobile Workforce Affects Your Phone System” points out, a VoIP phone system provides businesses with a more flexible solution that has many benefits. Calls are made and received using an internet connection, meaning your VoIP system can be used by you and your employees when you are out and about. VoIP is compatible with many mobile and specialty VoIP handsets.
Related Article: Is VoIP in Your Small Business Plans?
Advantages of a VoIP Phone System
A VoIP phone system impacts your business in a positive way, bringing flexibility, cutting costs, and helping to increase customer satisfaction. Here are some of the ways a VoIP phone system can impact your small business:
- You can do business on the go: Using VoIP makes it easier for you and your team to do business on the go. You can make and receive calls from anywhere with an internet connection. This is especially valuable if you have employees who telecommute or need to go out and about on a regular basis. It makes it easier to keep in touch with colleagues, other businesses and customers, and stay on top of your business communications;
- It’s easier for customers to get in touch: Customers expect to be able to get in touch with you quickly in order to get queries answered and problems resolved. Having to play “telephone tennis” or leave constant messages won’t help your reputation. Luckily, many VoIP systems come with advanced call forwarding, including “find me” and “follow me” features that will call a sequence of numbers in order to locate you. Customers can reach you more easily, which leads to greater customer satisfaction;
- More possibilities for collaboration: VoIP makes it easier for your employees to collaborate with each other, and with you. Many VoIP systems support conference calls, video conferencing, and instant messaging services. That means no more struggling to set up a meeting that relies on everyone being at one physical venue, and no more delays in operations while waiting to talk to other colleagues;
- Flexible upgrading: PBX phone systems can be costly and difficult to upgrade if you need to add in extra phone lines. Adding new VoIP handsets is quick and easy, making it easy for your VoIP system to grow with your business, or even down scale if that’s what you need;
- Ease of use: VoIP systems are typically more user-friendly than PBX. Even advanced call forwarding features are integrated into familiar and easy to use systems, with no need to spend hours setting them up, or remember complicated passwords or key codes;
- Less strain on your budget: VoIP systems typically cost less than PBX phone systems, which is good news for your business. As well as being easy to do, adding numbers to your VoIP network is usually cost effective, too. Your actual bills are likely to be smaller, too.
A flexible phone system such as VoIP has a lot of positive benefits for your small business, helping you to run it effectively, and keep your customers happy at the same time.
Author: Tristan Anwyn writes on a wide variety of topics, including social media, SEO, VoIP phone systems and business communications.
Published: December 30, 2014
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