We discuss the top 7 common features of a business class VoIP phone system. The way your business communicates with customers is constantly changing. From emailing, to social media, to companies embracing VoIP technology, there is always an easier, faster, better way of reaching your customers.
However, everyone uses different features of communications platforms for different reasons. Regardless of your platform or service provider these are what we perceive to be the top 8 common features that our customers love about their business class VoIP phone system.
1 - Ability to quickly route or point phone numbers anywhere
When you move away from a traditional phone system at your business and transition to VoIP technology, one of the best features is number access. Because of the flexibility of the internet, you can have physical numbers for call forwarding, usually done through a website or a “portal” for managing your system.
This is extremely common place with VoIP phone systems, and from what my customers tell me, a very, very useful feature.
2 - Voicemail to Email/Text
Businesses need to make the most of their time, and one huge time saving benefit of a business class VoIP phone system is the option of receiving voicemails via text or email.
Imagine that instead of having to wait to sit down at your desk and punch in a bunch of numbers to get your messages, you can listen to them easily opening an email and listening to an attached audio file.
This feature is very commonplace with business class VoIP solutions, and in my opinion, one of the greatest things to ever happen to voicemail.
3 - Easy to Use Administrative Portal
Managing a phone system in the past used to be a serious pain. Everything was complicated, from recording auto attendants, to setting up after hour messages, to even things like setting up a voicemail.
With VoIP, that’s not the case anymore. The admin side of your VoIP phone system is all handled through a web-portal, which can be easily accessed by any device connected to the internet. The feature alone makes managing your own phone system a breeze, and allows you to forego relying on a “phone guy” to come in and handle your system.
4 - Mobility with iPhones and Droid smart phones
Your smartphone works pretty much anywhere. Even if your out of the country you can use wifi to use apps and the internet to stay connected. With VoIP, you take advantage of apps on mobile devices or computers to stay connected, whether you're working at home, working in the field, or working while sitting on a beach somewhere warm and tropical.
Even better, the mobility applications that normally come with business class VoIP systems can easily mask your mobile ID, making it look like you're still taking and placing calls at the office. Of course, hearing waves or seagulls in the background might be a dead giveaway, but I think you get the idea.
5 - Web-Faxing
This is exactly what it sounds like - you can send and receive faxes via email. It’s like getting an email with a pdf attached. You can ditch that dinosaur of a fax machine you have, and use a web interface to easily send faxes to anyone. If they’re still using an old school fax machine, your fax will come through like normal. If they fax you, it’ll show up in the form of a pdf in your email. This, like getting voicemails in your inbox, is another great way to streamline how you communicate with your customers.
6 - CRM Integration and Plugins
These days everything talks with everything. Your mobile apps scan your contacts and can link up with just about anything. You can use your Facebook or Google login to get into virtually any website anymore.
VoIP sort of does the same thing. In a way, you can use software to integrate with various products like Salesforce, Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Outlook, web browsers, etc. Of course this is going to heavily depend on the business class VoIP phone system you’re looking at, as well as application you want it to “talk” to.
One great example is various VoIP phone systems that feature Microsoft plugins. They integrate with outlook and allow you to “click and dial” your contact using the softphone on your computer. It’s easy, seamless, and fast way to get in touch with your customers.
7 - Ability to Share Lines Across Offices for multi-site businesses
This is a great thing for offices with multiple locations. With business class VoIP phone systems, you can have one plan, for one location, and let users in various other areas be a part of that system. You’re paying for the users, not the offices.
There’s two great benefits here. First off, you can eliminate many costly phone lines from multiple locations. And second, you can easily connect to another office on the other side of town, or the country, by pressing a few buttons. This allows for a sense of connectivity that traditional phone systems can’t provide.
What’s the best feature of a business class VoIP phone system?
This is a common thing I hear, but the answer of course depends on you, the end user. Each person is going to have something about a VoIP phone system they really benefit from, meaning there is no one best feature of a business class VoIP phone system. Instead, there are countless features VoIP phone systems off that business of all types will be able to take advantage and benefit from. To learn more about VoIP phone system at your business click here to contact us online or touch base with us at 908-481-1200.
By Mark Johnson
Director of Operations, Tele-Data Solutions
E-mail: mark@tele-datasolutions.com | Direct Line: (908) 378-1203
I’m responsible for the daily operations of Tele-Data Solutions, and I’m proud to bring over ten years of experience to this position. I’m all about building relationships with my clients and applying technical expertise to solve their problems. I currently live in Basking Ridge with my wife, Linda, and our twins.
