Put a Professional Face on Your Small Business with a Virtual Phone System

Small businesses are opened in many different locations, sometimes even out of a basement or spare room within the business owner’s home. Since landlines telephone service is stationary and cannot be mobilized and business owners are generally not interested in providing their personal cellular numbers to the general public, a virtual phone system can certainly be a life saver. Business Credibility 24 Hours a Day In order to save money, business owners who operate out of their homes will sometimes add a second telephone number to their existing telephone line. While this is very inexpensive and only costs a few dollars per month, it poses several issues. First, if the primary telephone number is in use, callers who dial the second number will hear a busy signal. Even when call waiting is present, the person on the telephone must end their call immediately and find the business proprietor to take the call. A better way to do things rests within a virtual phone system. It provides a telephone number that is always available and rings to any telephone the owner designates, promoting credibility. Work from Anywhere Many business owners operate web-based businesses or simply operate out of their homes until they determine whether or not the business will actually take off. While landline telephone service restricts people to their homes to wait for incoming telephone calls, a virtual phone system is much more flexible. With just a few clicks of the mouse, business owners can forward calls from their business numbers to their mobile phones, their landlines or even to a hotel room, if necessary. This way, they can operate from any location and the calling parties will never know the difference. They will still maintain a positive and professional mental image of the company. Extensions While extensions are certainly available from landline telephone companies, these are generally expensive and require a business owner to purchase multiple telephone lines and telephone numbers. The monthly cost can soar as the business grows. However, with a virtual phone system, this is not an issue. All of the extensions are virtual, meaning that no additional equipment—with the exception of an actual telephone—is needed in order to provide telephone service to each person or department. In fact, extensions can be assigned to people across the country if the need should arise. This way, customers can always reach the requested party. A Multitude of Features Aside from being convenient and cost-effective, a virtual phone system provides a host of optional features from which business owners can choose. For instance, an auto attendant greets every caller with a friendly tone and allows consumers to route their own calls based on their selection. Call screening allows business owners to filter out marketing calls and solicitations so that they can focus on their customers during business hours. Finally, the call capture feature records the time and telephone number of every incoming call—even after business hours—to ensure that leads are never missed. A virtual phone system is certainly a great way to promote professionalism and increase the overall credibility of any small business. With it, business owners can operate from virtually anywhere and provide customers with the service they expect and deserve.