Top Features to Look for in a Business Phone System
A business phone system is a great way to keep in touch with your customers and colleagues. Many modern systems offer a variety of valuable features, from call queues to integrations with popular business tools.
Whether you’re looking for a small business phone system or a unified communications platform, there are a few key features you should look for. These features can help your business run smoothly and make your customers happy.
Voicemail
A business voicemail system allows callers to leave a message when their calls can’t be answered. The system records the caller’s voice and stores it for later retrieval.
A voicemail system can be a standalone solution or work hand-in-hand with your business PBX. The PBX routes incoming calls to extensions and forwards busy or unanswered ones to the voicemail system.
Unlike analog systems, voicemail messages are digital data packets that can be processed in ways that weren’t possible before. They can be transmitted through messaging applications, email, and even the web.
When looking for the best phone system for your business, voicemail is one of the top features to look for. It’s a great way to streamline communication with your team. It can also save you money on hiring a receptionist or paying overtime.
Auto-Attendant
Auto-Attendant is an automated phone system feature that directs incoming calls. It’s like that automated menu you hear when calling a local business, “Press 1 for sales, 2 for support.”
A business VoIP system may include this feature as a standalone application, or it can be included in a PBX suite that offers other telephony features.
An auto attendant can help your customers find what they need while saving you money by reducing the need for a receptionist.
An auto attendant also helps keep customer satisfaction levels high. Callers can reach a live person quickly and are more likely to return.
Unified Communications
Unified communications is the term used for integrating multiple business communication tools such as VoIP, instant messaging, video conferencing, business SMS, screen sharing, and more into a single, cohesive application.
It also allows users to access and communicate across any device at any time. Today’s always-on mobile culture empowers teams to collaborate better, fosters effective use of data, and facilitates seamless connectivity from anywhere.
UC systems can be integrated securely with other essential business applications, including email, file storage, and CRM solutions to boost productivity and customer retention. These integrations are easy to deploy and do not require heavy training or implementation costs.
Call Routing
Call Routing enables businesses to direct inbound calls to the most appropriate team members based on rules and criteria you set. It also helps improve customer satisfaction by ensuring callers get the right help on the first call.
Call routing is a crucial feature for businesses with multiple locations or departments. It can streamline inbound customer service by delivering calls to suitable agents and departments with short hold times.
The reason for the call, the day of the week, the hour of the day, the agent’s skill, and many other factors can be used to route calls. These capabilities can assist you in personalizing your company’s operations, cutting staffing costs, and raising client happiness.
Businesses may connect calls to employees who are always away from the office thanks to call routing. Lowering, equipment needs and raising worker productivity, can save costs.
Call Forwarding
One of the key functions you need in a corporate phone system is call forwarding. No matter what happens to your network, this feature makes sure you never miss a call.
This might be the difference between a happy and pleased customer and one who will take their business elsewhere, particularly for companies who offer customer care. When these clients call, you must be available to take their calls and respond to their inquiries immediately and effectively.
You, therefore, require a feature that will enable you to maintain your professional image and be reachable to your clients wherever they may be at any given time. Fortunately, there is a technique to accomplish this.