{"id":15189,"date":"2022-11-30T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/integritech.io\/?p=15189"},"modified":"2022-10-29T18:08:18","modified_gmt":"2022-10-29T18:08:18","slug":"what-are-the-most-helpful-voip-features-for-small-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/integritech.io\/what-are-the-most-helpful-voip-features-for-small-businesses\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are the Most Helpful VoIP Features for Small Businesses?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just five or six years ago, VoIP was still considered a \u201cdifferent\u201d type of business phone system. One that wasn\u2019t the norm. But the pandemic changed that way of thinking. Now internet-based phone systems aren\u2019t simply the norm. They\u2019re mandatory for business continuity.<\/p>

During the pandemic, VoIP and video conferencing have skyrocketed by over 210%<\/a>. This is largely due to the move to remote work and hybrid offices. Sixty-seven percent of surveyed companies say switching to VoIP helps improve call handling.<\/p>

So, no longer is the business phone system tied to a physical location. This enables fluid management of a business with staff spread out over many locations.<\/p>

Additionally, VoIP significantly reduces costs for businesses. The technology is much cheaper to use than a traditional landline-based system. Calling plans are also often less expensive, and a company can add new numbers for very little cost.<\/p>

VoIP has several helpful features for small businesses. But owners are busy and may not have time to have all of them enabled.<\/p>

What are the best features to drive efficiency, productivity, and positive caller experience?<\/em><\/p>

Here are some of the best features of cloud-based business phone systems to leverage.<\/p>

Automated Attendant<\/h3>

In many small companies, the person answering the phone also has a lot of other duties. You can free up that person\u2019s time and give the caller a better experience with an automated attendant.<\/p>

An auto-attendant acts as a company directory. It will forward calls to the correct department or staff member for you. Record a pleasant greeting and ask the caller a few questions. Such as, \u201cPress or say 1 for sales, 2 for technical support,\u201d etc.<\/p>

The caller gets the person they need without having to explain why they\u2019re calling twice. Once to the person that answers the phone and once to the person they\u2019re transferred to.<\/p>

Find Me\/Follow Me<\/h3>

What\u2019s the most favorite user feature for VoIP? According to 77% of<\/a> surveyed employees, it\u2019s the Find Me\/Follow Me feature. This includes the ability to use a virtual phone number that is accessible from all devices. Staff can also transfer calls from one device to another with ease.<\/p>

Whether you are on a PC, in a conference room, or on your smartphone, you can get your calls. This feature reduces friction and allows people to give out a single phone number. Callers can then use that number to reach the person via mobile, home office, or onsite office.<\/p>

Hold Music<\/h3>

Playing pleasant music while your callers are on hold might seem like a small thing. But it can have a big impact on customer satisfaction and lead generation activities.<\/p>

We found some eye-opening statistics from a study on hold music versus silence. In the study<\/a>, researchers kept people on hold for 1 minute. Results showed:<\/p>