5 Features of VoIP (And How to Use Them for Business)

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Haven’t switched your business phones to VoIP yet? VoIP has been around for a while now, and many companies can’t imagine being without it.

Understandably, you may have concerns about losing convenient features offered by your current phone company.

There’s really no need to worry.

The truth is that VoIP phone service offers you a number of convenient features that are improvements over those offered by many traditional phone systems. In a nutshell – switching to VoIP allows your office to improve its efficiency while reducing your phone bills.

Here are 5 features of VoIP and how you can use them for business.

Hot Desking

Many modern offices are fluid, meaning that few employees stay put in one spot all day long. Your business may have multiple staff members using the same desk or have teams that work in various office locations.

VoIP phones allow you and your staff to transfer your extension to any shared phone without physically moving any equipment. You simply log into the system to access your profile. Clients can reach you wherever you are, as well as leave you a voicemail to your digital number – not tied to a physical phone.

In practice, that means you can effectively set up shop anywhere in the office without compromising your connection to clients or fellow employees.

Custom Voicemails

VoIP systems also give you full voicemail capabilities, allowing clients to leave voicemails and giving you easy access to those messages. You are able to tailor your message, just as you can with any phone system.

But unlike traditional phones, you can custom tailor a variety of different voicemails. You can set them for different reasons, such as:

  • Missed calls
  • On/off hours
  • Busy times
  • Declined calls

Some VoIP systems also offer visual voicemail, a program that transcribes the voice messages you receive and then emails the transcript to you. You can easily read those emails from work without interrupting meetings. You decrease the chances of accidentally deleting an important message when you have it in several formats.

Related: 5 Reasons Landlines Should Die Off

Call Routing

VoIP systems also allow you to route your calls to various numbers, including your cell phone. You never have to miss a phone call whether you are at home, on a business trip or on vacation. Business people are constantly on the move, and VoIP allows them to stay in touch at all times.

You can set call priorities and ring orders, too. If you’re unable to take the call, you can route it to someone at work that can.

Number Portability

No one likes to change phone numbers. You’ve probably given your phone number to countless people, had it printed on your business card and plastered on your letterhead. Changing it is inconvenient and can actually cause you to lose business.

VoIP systems allow you to “port” your local number to your new VoIP system, making the transition nearly seamless. In short, your customers will never know that you have changed your phone system.

Related: How Mobile VoIP & BYOD Policies are Changing the Way We Work

Easy Expansion

Hands down, VoIP’s adaptability is its best feature.

When your business grows, you don’t have to invest in expensive hosting hardware or make major tech changes to your office. Instead, you can simply add new employees to VoIP services as you hire them on a per-seat basis.

That amounts to scalability with little expense and no trouble. VoIP can handle any type of business growth spurt that your company undergoes quickly, unlike a traditional telephone service.

 

VoIP offers many features that make your business more efficient and employee-friendly. All of these features are delivered over the internet at a significantly lower cost than traditional phone services can offer.

VoIP technology is efficient and easy to use. Isn’t it time you made the switch?