More About IP Phone Systems, Hosted PBX Systems, and Small Business Ph

1. MORE ABOUT IP PHONE SYSTEMS, HOSTED PBX SYSTEMS, AND SMALL BUSINESS PHONE SYSTEMS

2. Synopsis I. II. III. Why Your Business May Benefit from IP Phone Systems? Why More and More Businesses are Turning to VoIP Phone Systems VoIP Phone Systems and Features that Help You Run Your Business Efficiently Numerous Features Making IP Phone Systems a Top Choice Reasons to Switch to a Hosted PBX System Unique and Interesting Features of Hosted PBX Systems Features that Make a Hosted PBX More Useful than Other Options VIII. Some Special Features to Have in Your Small Business Phone System IX. Few Important Features to Check in Small Business Phone System X. Things to Check When Opting for a Small Business Phone System IV. V. VI. VII.

3. Why Your Business May Benefit from IP Phone Systems? ■ By using an IP phone system, arranging group calls will become a breeze. Depending on your service provider, you can actually connect several users at the same time and discuss your business strategies for as long as you want. ■ By opting for this service, you will be able to enjoy an interesting feature called "Music on Hold". It may seem a simple feature but it goes a long way in healing your callers to stay occupied and entertained while your representatives are busy serving other callers. It really makes sense to invest in something that would save your callers from hearing nothing but white noise while waiting for someone to respond to their calls. Interestingly, you can customize the audio to match your brand image – you can also use a specific playlist as well. ■ A phone menu or attendant menu is also available for people using the internet to make and receive phone calls. By using this particular feature, you will be giving your callers a chance to use their dial pad to reach their desired destination. You can also customize the attendant menu according to the nature of your calls. For instance, if you receive several calls inquiring about your physical location, you can have all the details recorded and let users listen to it without bothering any of your customer service representatives.

4. Why Your Business May Benefit from IP Phone Systems? ■ Business hour rule is another interesting feature that makes VoIP a great choice for all business. This cloud phone system setting helps you route your caller differently depending on your office timing. All you have to do is set some simple parameters based on day of the week and time of day and your caller will receive instruction about how to proceed. ■ By selecting IP phone systems, you can let your callers decide the person they want to talk with in your office. It means that they can call and spell out the name of the individual they want to speak with, and they can do it all using their dial pad. By providing this specific feature to your regular customers, you can reduce the time required to transfer calls.

5. Why More and More Businesses are Turning to VoIP Phone Systems possible because of a feature called "Find Me/Follow Me". Just like you can read your emails on your computer, laptop, and even mobile devices, you can receive your calls on the go. You can also select different numbers to have a call directed to them. You can even prioritize certain calls and receive them on certain numbers. Depending on the nature of your business, this feature alone can help you manage your business operations more efficiently. It is especially true for businesses that are heavily sales-oriented. ■ Many companies, small and large, opt for VoIP phone systems because they do not want to miss any call that their customers make. It has become ■ Many businesses opt for VoIP systems because they want to take advantage of coaching tools. It means that you can listen to how your customer representatives are dealing with your customers. You do not have to wait for them to hang up the phone; instead, you can guide them while they are on the call. You can do it using two interesting features – barge and whisper. By using barge, you can listen to the conversation between your agent and your caller. If you think they are not handling everything as professional as they should, you can utilize the whisper feature to provide tips, advice, and information to your employees.

6. Why More and More Businesses are Turning to VoIP Phone Systems virtual receptionist. The feature allows your callers to interact with a preset menu to select a suitable extension. By giving your callers the control over the menu, you can significantly reduce the time it takes to transfer calls from person to person. The availability of an electronic receptionist will also make your business look and feel more impressive and professional. ■ A large majority of companies choose VoIP phone systems because of the auto attendant feature. As implied by the name, the feature serves as your ■ No matter how proactive you are in taking and answering calls, there will be situations when you would not want to be disturbed by inbound calls. If that is the case, VoIP phone systems can help. Many businesses use this feature quite often because it allows them to temporary stop receiving calls to their phone. You can use this feature during conferences, meetings, and formal lunches. If you think that the feature will make you lose your customers, it is not true because you can divert them to your voicemail or have a representative attend those calls.

7. VoIP Phone Systems and Features that Help You Run Your Business Efficiently ■ Door Phone Entry Integration – By taking advantage of this feature, you can integrate your analog phone with your VoIP phone and enjoy two-way calling with your visitors. It is also possible to unlock the door from the phone whenever you deem necessary. The feature works amazingly well to improve the overall security of your premises. ■ Call Routing – A highly impressive feature of VoIP phone systems involves making it easier to receive calls irrespective of where you are. The feature allows you to set a list of numbers where your callers can contact you. Your callers will be dialing a single number but the call will be transferred to the high priority number you have selected in the list. If you are not available, the call will automatically be transferred to the next number in the list. You can also have your caller directed to your voicemail box in case you are not reachable at that moment.

8. VoIP Phone Systems and Features that Help You Run Your Business Efficiently ■ Voicemail Messages – Receiving and reading voicemail messages will become a breeze with VoIP phone systems. You can access all recorded messages online, so you can listen to them and delete even if you are not in the office. Another interesting option is to have your voicemail messages transcribed to text and delivered to your selected email address. The feature saves you from wasting time scribbling numbers, names, and addresses. You can also read your emails whenever and wherever you want. ■ Bandwidth Utilization – By becoming VoIP user, you can have full control over your subscription and the way everyone in your office uses the service. Bandwidth utilization is one such feature to help you have full details of calls and bandwidth used to make those calls. In other words, the feature makes data tracking a lot easier. You will also get a better idea of where and how to utilize your company's time and energy. You can get full detail regarding bandwidth utilization when you opt for a managed, cloud- based VoIP service. You can gain access to the data related to call history, including duration, rate centers, destination, originator, and cost.

9. Numerous Features Making IP Phone Systems a Top Choice ■ Caller ID: It helps you get information about who is calling you to request information. ■ Group Directory: The feature gives your callers the opportunity to navigate through your corporate directory to choose the person they want to speak with. ■ N-Way Calling: By making use of this particular feature, you will be able to make three-way calls through your handset. The feature utilizes different applications to make the call. ■ Overhead Paging: With the help of this particular feature, it becomes easy to connect with a third-party speaker system. The feature makes paging a breeze and helps you connect across different locations. ■ Call Forwarding: It may be a basic feature, but it is quite useful for your business operations because it allows you to redirect incoming calls to a specific number. You can also use the feature when the caller receives a busy tone after dialing your number. Similarly, you can have calls forwarded to different numbers when the caller receives no answer after a specified number of rings.

10. Numerous Features Making IP Phone Systems a Top Choice ■ Unified Messaging: By using this particular feature, it becomes easier to manage your voicemail messages. You can choose to receive those messages on your handset or have them delivered to your email address. ■ Voice Platform API: The interesting feature makes your IP phone systems much more efficient and allows you to integrate business applications with the system to utilize features, such as caller ID lookup, click to call, screen pop, etc. ■ Twinning: The feature makes it easy for you to receive calls on the go. You will receive calls on your mobile device, and if you do not want to receive it, you can transfer it to other extensions. It is also possible to use the feature to make calls using your business caller ID. ■ Line Monitor: This interesting feature helps you use your phone system more efficiently because you can use it to monitor the status of other extensions and make corrections. ■ Shared Call Appearance: The feature works effectively to make it easier to share call between different devices. It also helps certain devices have the appearance of a particular extension.

11. Reasons to Switch to a Hosted PBX System ■ Landline-based PBX systems are becoming a thin of the past because they are extremely equipment-heavy. It is also difficult to update those old phones. Hosted PBX phones are different in the sense that they are not that expensive to install and can be updated to suit your unique business needs. These new phone systems are equally beneficial for small and large business organizations. You can have new features added to the system to cater to the needs of your growing business. ■ When talking about hosted PBX systems, the biggest advantage is its low cost. Compared to other options, it is extremely easy to install these systems. You will be able to save a lot of money because the system does not require any expensive equipment to start serving you. With lower upfront cost, PBX systems are a great choice for small businesses. With hosted PBX systems, you also do not need to worry about appointing a specialist to take care of everything in your office. The reason is that whatever you need to make phone calls resides in the service provider's data center. The service provider is responsible for keeping their system up-to-date. You can talk to them and share your feedback, and they will take all necessary steps to provide you with a seamless telephony experience. It means that there is actually no maintenance and management cost involved in hosted PBX systems.

12. Unique and Interesting Features of Hosted PBX Systems ■ Voicemail Box – With a hosted PBX system, you will be able to take full advantage of voicemail box feature. By having a voicemail box in place, you do not have to worry about losing an important message from your valued customers. Whenever there is no one to answer your customer's call, they can easily go to the voicemail box and leave their message so you could return their call later. Interestingly, you can also manage your voicemail messages by using a hosted PBX system. Some service providers grant you access to web portals where you can check all your voicemail messages. You can listen to recordings, check information related to the calls, and delete messages. It is also possible to customize voicemail greetings to suit your business and brand. ■ Direct Inward Dialing – Another interesting service that makes hosted PBX a great solution is Direct Inward Dialing (DID). It means that you can select one number for your whole office but use different extensions to direct calls to specific people in the office. With this feature, you do not have to buy new phone lines to facilitate a new employee. You can easily scale the existing phone line. On the other hand, your callers can connect with you easily by dialing a 3-4 digit extension.

13. Unique and Interesting Features of Hosted PBX Systems ■ Conference Bridge – By using this particular feature, you can allow multiple people to join you in a single call. It helps you make group calls with utmost ease. Users only need to dial an extension to take part in the conference bridge – It usually requires a pin to join the conference bridge. Depending on your service provider, you can generally allow 10-15 people to join in a group call. You will benefit greatly from this feature if you have several offices or have to manage remote employees. Some service providers offer free internal calling, so it costs nothing to arrange these group calls. ■ Ring Group – By using a hosted PBX solution, your employees can take advantage of a feature called 'Ring Group'. It means that multiple users can use a single extension to answer calls. By using ring group feature, you can ring several phones simultaneously to start a group call. You will find this feature quite useful if you do not have customer representatives sitting like agents in call center type setting.

14. Features that Make a Hosted PBX More Useful than Other Options ■ It helps you work from remote locations by providing you with a feature like "Find Me/Follow Me". The feature is extremely useful if your business involves working with sales representatives, field workers, and even home workers. With this feature, everyone working for you will be accessible whenever you want. The feature lets you have one phone number and allows you route calls to any number or device. ■ It helps you answer your calls when you are not around. It becomes possible with the feature called "Auto-Attendant". Working more like your virtual secretary, the auto attendant feature ensures that every inbound call receives a reply. The good thing is that you can customize your auto- attendant in any way you like. It can deliver a formal or informal message to support your brand image. The feature also ensures that every inbound call goes to the right department. It will provide your customer with an opportunity to receive quality assistance without having to go through several representatives.

15. Features that Make a Hosted PBX More Useful than Other Options ■ It helps with queue management. What it means is that you can use a hosted PBX system to have an appropriate system in place that organizes calls in a proper way. This way, every caller will receive a response in a timely manner. Interestingly, it is possible to override the call queue to prioritize certain calls. You can also select how long each caller will have to wait until they receive a reply. Your representative will also be informed when a caller reaches a specific duration, which helps them to wrap up the call offering the most suitable resolution. ■ It helps you make conference calls in a convenient fashion. Both small and large business organizations can benefit from this particular feature. Due to its impressive call quality, a hosted PBX system helps you take full advantage of call conference feature. The good thing is that hosted PBX systems offer a number of conference call features, including the ability to manage conference call activity, web conferencing, and integrated audio. You can also check call record history and take advantage on online call scheduler.

16. Some Special Features to Have in Your Small Business Phone System ■ Conferencing – Even if you think your small business can survive without this feature, it is still a good idea to have this feature in your phone system. If you do not require it now because of a limited number of employees, you might need it in future with the expansion of your business. With this feature, you can enable multiple extensions to connect with each other for multi-person discussion. In case you are interested in having this feature in your small business phone system, you need to know exactly how many lines you can include in the conference. Keep in mind that some phone systems have conferencing feature, but it allows you to connect only two additional callers. ■ Hunt Group – Whatever the size of your business, you can always benefit from the 'Hunt Group' feature. It is useful feature for important inbound calls, such as customer service and sales inquiries. With this feature, you can ensure that certain calls do not go to the voicemail directly. You can configure hunt groups as per your own preferences and ensure that important incoming calls are routed to the available extension in a seamless way. You can have several local extensions in place to ensure that the incoming calls go the next available extension if the first extension is not free. It ensures that your important customers do not have to wait or go through any hassle to connect with your business representatives.

17. Few Important Features to Check in Small Business Phone System ■ An Auto Attendant – Be sure to check the availability of an auto attendant. With the availability of this feature, you can ensure that no inbound call goes unanswered. Your customers will receive a response even when your staff is too busy to receive the call at that moment. It is an important feature for small businesses; in fact, the unavailability of automated phone attendant is often considered highly unprofessional in today's world. ■ Voice Mail – You should also check the availability of voice mail when selecting a small business phone system. It is true that almost all phone systems now have voice mail features, but you need to be specific about what you need. For instance, you may require voice mail with remote access to messages. It means that you will be able to gain access to all your messages irrespective of your physical location. ■ Caller ID – It is important to find a small business phone system that allows you to see the identity of your caller. Caller ID is an important phone system feature because it helps your sales people to be more efficient while communicating with others.

18. Things to Check When Opting for a Small Business Phone System ■ In order to make a correct choice, you should pay attention to a few important things. For instance, you need to consider how you are going to use the phone system. It means that you should assess your needs clearly and then compare the available options to make a choice. Consider what types of inbound and outbound calls you get more often. Do you get one-to-one phone more often or your business also need to handle conference calls? Consider how many people you have in your company, and then select a phone system accordingly. You should consider whether you get international calls along with local calls. You may need a different phone system if you get inbound calls after office timing. Not all phone systems will help you handle calls during off hours. ■ In addition to getting more information about how you are going to use your small business phone system, you should also consider who is going to use that system in your office. You may want a phone system at receptionist's desk. Depending on the nature of your business, you may need a phone in public areas, like waiting room, lobby, hallway, and break room. You may need a phone to facilitate additional contract, temporary, or part-time employees. While most small businesses do not need to worry about too many phone lines, you may have to think about your needs in the near future. ■ Another important thing to keep in mind is that not all phone systems will suit your needs in a couple of years time, especially when you can foresee your business expanding in the near future. Therefore, you need to pay attention to scalability before going any further. Take your time to get familiar with how your phone system requirements are likely to change over time, and then select a system that is going to scale with your business needs.

19. The End For more details, please visit:  http://www.dcstelecom.ca/voip-digital-phones/  http://www.dcstelecom.ca/pbx-phone-systems/