Top 3 Secrets: How VoIP Helps Service and Trade Organizations

For B2C and small businesses, hosted Internet-based phone systems can mean the difference between missing the call (and losing the sale) and gaining new customers. A VOiP system is a great way for small businesses to gather the business intelligence they need to stay competitive, to track calls, and to follow through easily on leads that comes in by phone. Not to mention, VOiP saves the small-business owner money over traditional phone systems, sometimes in unexpected ways, thanks to the many features available.

Here’s one example of how a VOiP system installed by Tele-Data kept the sales pipeline flowing for a Roto-Rooter franchise owner—and saved the business owner a lot of money as well. This hosted VOiP system was the perfect solution for this B2C company since the operator has a small office and is often out on service calls.

This customer had been spending $200,000 a year on telephone directory ads—without any idea of how many calls were actually coming in from the ads. He might as well have been throwing money down the drain since he was unable to accurately track the ROI on his ad expenditure. Tele-Data recommended a hosted VoIP small-business phone system that helped him build his customer base and improve his cash flow through the following features:

• Automatic call rollover for business continuity – VOiP enables business owners to have incoming calls rolled over to alternate numbers seamlessly. In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, when phone and internet lines were down, this small-business owner did not miss any calls because they all rolled over to his cell phone. Not only did he stay in touch with his existing customers, he was able to pick up extra business his competitors lost because their traditional phone systems were out of service.
  
  
• Automatic call recording – VoiP records all incoming service calls to provide an accurate history of customer requests and business transactions, which in turn helps with receivables and customer service. For the Roto-Rooter operator, this feature helped in two crucial ways.
  
  
• Accounts receivables -- An employee at a large home improvement store called him to perform his services. However, because he was not an authorized vendor, internal problems created an issue with getting paid. His recorded call enabled him to prove that the store employee had indeed contacted him to do the work and he was paid for his service call.
  
  
• Proof of service and communication -- After one service call to the home of a difficult client who was ill, the client called for two more visits which she did not want to pay for; he returned twice at no additional charge. Regardless of his efforts, she then threatened to sue Roto-Rooter for discrimination. He played back his recorded call for Roto-Rooter’s corporate office; it proved he had not charged for the subsequent visits and had even offered to refer her to another provider. The customer backed down.
  
  
• Lead generating forms – he is now able to track all calls from his special tracking phone number and get a report. He can assess his ROI and not miss a sales call.

As a result of his VOiP installation, this small-business owner was able to save significant money by cutting his advertising expenditure in half; he is able to showcase his superior customer service by always getting his calls and being able to respond quickly; he get paid properly for every job, thanks to call recording; and sales have never been better.

If you’re considering a switch to a voice over internet phone system for your small business, call Tele-Data at 908-851-0444 to find out more about how VOiP’s features can help you build your business and save you money.