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What Is a Business Phone System? A Complete Guide

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Ratnam Sinha

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category Contact Center calendar March 2, 2020 clock 15 mins read eye Reads: 1386

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Most businesses are adopting a phone system in their organization. But unlike many who think they know what a business pbx system is, there is so much more to it! 

In this blog, we will cover all the different aspects of a business phone system, and provide a complete guide about it. So, the next time someone asks you about a business pbx system or a PBX, you will not only know what it is but understand it completely. 

Let’s get started with one of the most basic questions: 

What is a Business Phone System?

To put it in simple words, a business pbx system is a multi-line telephone system which is generally used in businesses. These multiple telephones are interconnected in such a way that allows the users to enjoy a variety of features such as call conferencing, call transferring, call handling, call metering, call monitoring, etc. 

The size of business phone systems can range from as small as just a few telephones to a full-fledged private branch exchange or PBX system which is commonly used in large organizations. 

The most famous and most commonly known office phone is the traditional phone system. It generally has a single telephone line with one or maybe two handsets. 

But then, that doesn’t really answer the question of what is a corporate phone system? While traditional phone systems are used in many businesses as their phone system, to make them suitable and fall under the category of corporate phone system, there are a few additional elements that are needed. These elements are- 

  1. Extra or additional phone lines, as one telephone line is definitely not enough for business
  2. Basic software
  3. An internet connection or IP
  4. A Private Branch Exchange or PBX
  5. An advanced software, if required, for additional features

Business pbx systems are of different types. In fact, we will need another section to cover that. So why wait? Let’s get straight into it. 

Different Types of Business Phone Systems

A single type of phone system is not enough to fit the needs of all types of organizations. There are mainly three types of phone systems used in businesses to fulfil their needs.

VoIP Phone Systems 

VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol is the most advanced phone system out of the three. It is sometimes also called IP PBX. Like in the name, VoIP uses the internet to send and receive phone calls. The voice signals are converted into packets and then transmitted through the internet. After reaching the destinations, the packs are converted back to voice messages. 

VoIP phone systems can be on-premises if you set up the right hardware in your organization. 

However, if you don’t want to have the hassle of hardware, you can even access the VoIP phone system remotely as it can be hosted on the cloud. Because of this, it is often referred to as Hosted Phone System or Cloud-based Phone System. 

Although, the thing that you should keep in mind is that there is a significant difference in the price of setting up an on-premises VoIP telephone system as compared to a cloud-based VoIP telephone system. 

The reason being that cloud-based phone systems require less to almost no hardware installations, and as there is no hardware, there is no cost involved in maintaining the hardware either. Moreover, because of being cloud-based, it offers higher security and data backup options compared to the traditional multi-line and PBX phone systems. 

Businesses are shifting more to VoIP phone systems from old traditional phone systems as they offer more advanced features to the users. In addition to what the PBX offers, VoIP is loaded with features like call recording, call whisper, call barging, real-time analysis, etc. It can even be integrated with CRM software to more advantage. 

Also, as traditional ISDN phone is coming to an end in 2025, VoIP is going to take over the corporate phone industry and will dominate it as every business will most likely switch to VoIP by 2025. 

VoIP Telephone System in a Nutshell

  • Has multiple lines
  • Has multiple handsets
  • Option to choose from cloud-hosted phone system or on-premise phone system
  • Offers advanced software integration
  • Provides advanced call handling features
  • Is up to date with technology
  • Can be integrated with a CRM software
  • Provides higher security and data backup
  • Suitable for all kinds of businesses, be it small, mid-size or large enterprises
  • Has different pricing options depending on the needs of a business so, it is very cost-efficient.

Multi-line Telephone System

A multi-line telephone system is an upgrade to the traditional phone system. As the name suggests, this type of phone system has multiple phone lines which help to route different query calls to different departments in your organization. 

As every department can be dedicated to their own unique phone line, there is no hassle or interruptions for routing calls. 

If needed, you can even customize it, so every incoming call to the business has through go through a single handset. Where a dedicated agent will pick up the call and then manually redirect it to a suitable department. As each department can be assigned a different extension, even this process will be smooth.

Multi-line Telephone System in a Nutshell

  • Has multiple telephone lines
  • Has multiple handsets
  • Provides basic call handling features
  • Allows separate extensions for different departments
  • Is suitable for very small and small businesses
  • Falls in the low- to mid-price point

PBX Telephone System

A PBX Telephone System, also called Private Branch Exchange, is very similar to a Multi-line Phone System. While in multi-line phone system, call handling was manually looked upon, in a PBX system it is automatic. Let me explain this in simpler words. 

Let’s say a caller is connected to your business. In a Multi-line phone system, he will first connect to the center handset, where an agent will greet him or her. Then the agent will ask the query, and after the customer answer, the agent will redirect the call to the suitable department. 

Now for a PBX telephone system, when the customer calls, they will be greeted by an automated voice. Then they will be provided with a list of options of the extensions of different departments. The customer can select whichever department they see fit to solve their query. 

This eliminates the need of an additional agent to route calls to different departments, and this also offers a for customers, and they don’t have to repeat their query again and again to different agents. You can even connect a PBX system to the internet to avail of basic software integrations for your phone system. This will enable you to get insights on a lot of things. You can check the call length, call volume, and even how often does a customer calls your business. 

PBX Telephone System in a Nutshell

  • Has multiple telephone lines
  • Has multiple handsets
  • Has PBX hardware
  • Allows basic software integrations after connecting to the internet
  • Provides automated call handling and eliminates an additional agent to route calls
  • Is suitable for small business
  • Fall in the mid- to high-price point

Why Do You Need a Business Phone System?

It doesn’t matter if you have a small-scale business or a large enterprise; it is always beneficial to have a business pbx system rather than a traditional telephone system. Each business telephone system offers multiple reasons why to choose them. 

Helps in Building Healthy Relation with the Customer

It is essential to have a positive and healthy relationship with your customers to build a better reputation for your organization. Each business phone system solution helps build healthy customer relations for your business.

VoIP Phone System

  • Automatically redirects the customer to the most suitable department without any hassle or human interaction.
  • It provides an intelligent call forwarding feature, which ensures that no customer is ever lost as every call will be forwarded to any device of preference.
  • Offers CRM integration to ease the use and management.
  • Intelligent software integrations with multiple software to provide the best customer experience.
  • It has the option to select the music on hold for the customers to keep them patient.
  • Allows multiple voicemail features, so even if a call is missed due to any reason, the customer can still leave a message and, it will reach the business.

Multiline Telephone System

  • Allows the users to call straight to the required department, provided they know the right line.

PBX Telephone System

  • Automatically redirects the customers to a suitable department.
  • Offers basic software integration, which helps manage the customers better.
  • Provides basic call forwarding, which makes sure that no customer call is lost.

Provides Increased Mobility to the Employees

Why should the phone systems be static when the businesses are not anymore? Employees can be on the move or stay inside the office like they are, and business phone systems are designed to cooperate with that.

VoIP Phone System

  • It is also able to make calls internally and externally at the same time.
  • Able to redirect calls to any device of preference.
  • Can use the same number for multiple devices in multiple locations.
  • It can also collect customer call data to help boost the sales and marketing strategy of the business.
  • With a cloud-based or hosted phone system, any business can easily relocate, and the phone system will be ready to use in minutes.
  • All the features are accessible to the agent from any part of the world as long as he has an internet connection. 

Multi-line Telephone System

  • Can make calls internally and externally at the same time.

 PBX Telephone System

  • Can also make both internal and external calls at the same time.
  • Is able to redirect calls to mobile phone.

Better Communication with Employees Internally

While focusing on external communication with the clients, it is important not to ignore effective internal communication within the employees to make sure everything is streamlined in the organization.

VoIP Phone System

  • Can efficiently dial calls internally as well.
  • Easily transfers calls internally.
  • Voice, as well as video conferencing, is possible across other offices around the globe.
  • With software integration, even instant messaging is possible internally. 

Multi-Line Telephone System

  • Able to dial calls internally.
  • Can transfer calls internally.

PBX Telephone System

  • In addition to internal calling, external calling is also possible.
  • Can also transfer calls internally.
  • Hold conference calls with all other offices.

Increase the Productivity of the Business

As business phone systems automate a lot of processes, and they also provide efficient data, they increase the productivity of any business, be it big or small. 

VoIP Phone System

  • Provides virtual assistance to the customers and redirects them efficiently to the right department.
  • Offers Intelligent API that enables automated call answering.
  • Provides detailed data insight on each call which helps to recognize the best performing employees and the least performing employees.
  • With detailed data on each call, business voip solution can make better strategies to improve the ROI.
  • Can monitor data trends to make sure businesses capitalize on the time spent with the customer.
  • Can forward calls to any device anywhere around the world. 

Multi-line Telephone System

  • Provides each department with a different phone number. This ensures less time being spent on redirecting calls.

PBX Telephone System

  • Automatically redirects call to the suitable department.
  • Collect basic call data which helps in making business strategies.
  • Forward calls to mobile phones, so none of the important calls are missed.

Offers enhanced security 

VoIP-based systems are designed with high-end security in mind. This means that all of your customer information is encrypted and stored securely. These solutions are also regularly updated as per the latest standards to prevent data theft and malware attacks. Some key safety features that cloud phone systems offer include end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authorization, multi-layer firewalls, etc.   

As per Salesforce, 94% businesses have experienced enhanced security after moving their operations to the cloud 

VoIP Phone Systems 

  • Many VoIP providers use end-to-end encryption (like SRTP and TLS protocols) to protect voice data from interception during transmission. This keeps calls and data remain secure over the internet.  
  • VoIP systems can implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for user access, adding a layer of security beyond standard passwords. 
  • Regular software updates help patch vulnerabilities and counter new security threats, protecting the phone systems against malware and other cyber-attacks.

Multi-Line Phone Systems

  • Multi-line systems are generally more straightforward and less connected to the internet, which reduces exposure to cyber threats compared to IP-based systems. 

PBX Phone Systems 

  • Modern PBX systems use password-protected access and authentication protocols. This prevents unauthorized access and secures the system from internal and external threats.  

Some PBX systems offer encryption for voice data to secure conversations, particularly when sensitive information is involved. 

What Business Phone System Should You Choose?

As a business owner, you will only want the best for your business. But every business has different needs, and that’s why there are a few things that you must consider before selecting the right telephone system for your business. 

What is the future of your business? Is it Going to Grow?

A multi-line telephone system has limited scope for growth. Similarly, its call management capabilities are also limited. Though it is the cheapest of all the phone systems, it is definitely not made for the long run. 

A PBX telephone system, on the other hand, is a little expensive to install. However, it has much more call management features compared to multi-line phone system. It is also decently capable of expansion, which again is costly because you will require more hardware. Moreover, it can also be connected to the internet for a few extra features. 

A VoIP telephone system is without a doubt on top of both in terms of features and call management. And with the flexibility in its plans, it can be small or big. VoIP phone systems offer you the most scalability. 

What Should You Opt For? On-premise or Cloud-hosted? 

Both Multi-line and PBX telephone systems are on-premise. VoIP can be either on-premise or cloud-based, depending on your choice. So, let’s talk about on-premise first. 

On-premise telephone systems require hardware, sometimes heavy equipment, depending on the size of your business. And that hardware will also require maintenance. 

While it is relatively easy to expand a multi-line telephone system because of its simplicity, but it has a certain limit to its expansion. 

The more complex ones are the PBX telephone system and the VoIP telephone system. They will require a knowledgeable technical expert to properly maintain, update, or expand. Now the tech expert or “IT Guy” can be in-house or contracted, but in both cases, it is going to increase the cost of maintaining an on-premise phone system. 

Now coming to the cloud-hosted phone systems. Cloud-based VoIP is currently the only type of hosted telephony available. And the maintenance is negligible. There is no hardware required, and of the maintenance is done by the provider, and too remotely. This makes hosted phone system much more cost-effective than an on-premise phone system. 

What Features Do You Want in Your Phone System?

This completely depends on your business needs. Give a thought on why you are upgrading you business pbx system. Do you want more channels of communication, more extensions for more departments, better customer management, etc.? 

If all you want is a few more lines, then you should go for a multi-line system. It’s simple and should be sufficient for a small business which needs only a few lines. 

If you want more lines, and maybe some basic call management features, and would also like a little insight into the call data, you should opt for a PBX system. It will get you the basic features and should work great for you. 

However, if you are looking for advanced features, detailed analysis on each call, basically everything above, plus a little more, don’t hesitate and consider getting a VoIP telephone system for your business. 

Why are business phone systems the future? 

Businesses can no longer acquire ISDN or PSTN lines in the United Kingdom, with operations for analogue communications being set up for termination by 2025.  

It has been announced by the UK’s National Telecom Services provider that all PSTN and ISDN services in the UK will be switched off completely in 2025. The phase-down has begun and businesses will no longer be allowed to obtain these services. Needless to say, this is a big event with a far-reaching impact.   

This move essentially brings the curtains down on the use of analogous systems and kicks off a full shift to digital communications in businesses across the world.   

According to Cambridge management consulting, “the switch-off will impact an estimated 2 million UK businesses currently operating PSTN or ISDN. There is research showing that 42% of SMEs still use analogue lines for data.”  

Thus, it is more important than ever for small businesses to start thinking about their communications now and in the future as well. Moreover, we have all seen how business communication changed after the pandemic; face-to-face meetings have now turned into online video calls.  

Switching to a VoIP-based phone system can help prepare your business for the future with the technology and sail through 2025 and beyond!

How Do You Select Your Business Phone Service Provider?

What to do before choosing a service provider

This is going to be the last step before you get your business pbx system. The best thing to do here is do thorough research. Check multiple providers. Compare them, compare their prices. 

Check their reviews and their customer support. You need to make sure everything is perfect and good to go before you make a final decision on your provider. 

One thing that many people ignore is the contract. Always make sure that you have read and understood the agreement and then move forward with it. This is because you don’t want to sign a long-term contract if you want to upgrade to something new or different in a short amount of time. 

How Much Does a Business Phone System Cost? 

This is a question that cannot be answered directly. There are a lot of factors that affect the cost of your corporate phone system. 

  • The installation cost for your location. Is it big? Is it small? 
  • Cost of hardware, PBX system, the length of cables used, how many routers are needed? 
  • How many handsets do you require? 
  • How many lines are needed for your business? 
  • How much is the maintenance cost going to be, provided you don’t have an in-house tech expert, and you want to take the maintenance in your hand? 
  • It is hard to take an estimate of pricing for any size of business, as every business has its own unique needs. Although business pbx systems are designed to fulfil those unique needs, to get a cost estimated, the best way is to contact a provider and ask for quotes directly. 

You can contact the sales team of the provider, and they will be able to provide you with an estimate. 

If you are looking for a phone system in the United Kingdom, Acefone provides Hosted Phone System with loads of features with the most competitive pricing. Contact a solutions Consultant at 1888-859-0450

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Ratnam Sinha

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Ratnam is an SEO enthusiast and content writer working as a Digital Marketer with Acefone. He is fond of traveling and new experiences. He is a huge Marvel fan and is always open to learning.

How Cloud Telephony Systems Can Save Small Businesses

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category Small Business calendar February 27, 2020 clock 5 mins read eye Reads: 415

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Cloud telephony systems can not only open up new avenues of business to small businesses, but it can also save them money in a range of ways.

In this article we will go through the top ways small businesses can save money by switching to a cloud telephony system and show you how making this investment could save your business in the long run, leaving you to focus on making a profit and growing your business to its full potential.

Call Costs

Firstly, making calls over your internet connection is highly cost-effective. No matter where in the world you are calling, you will benefit from the same low prices without costly charges.

Depending on your provider, you might have calls factored into the monthly cost, or you may pay as you make calls; either way, compared to a traditional phone system you will find your business saving money daily.

Not only will calls be cheaper, but they will also be clear in quality too so you can save money without compromising on your business’ professionalism.

With Acefone, you can keep an eye on your call costs through our easy-to-use online portal, which gives you access to detailed costings, records of how many minutes you have used and the cost of each call so you can make sure you are getting the best possible return on your investment and that you are continuing to make savings.

Maintenance Costs

Traditional phone systems are extremely costly to keep maintained, with the need for regular work to keep everything working as it should and a lot of fuss to add and remove lines.

This cost is much lower with a hosted phone system as work can often be completed remotely, and many providers offer packages which include any maintenance which might need completing so you can rest assured that any work your phone system might need in future is covered.

With 99% uptime, the need for costly maintenance is lessened, and so you will find your business immediately starting to save money as the system is much more reliable and stable.

In the event of a disaster, cloud telephony systems are hosted away from your business so it can be quickly restored; something which could avoid a costly loss of business too.

Optional Features Can Be Added to Your Phone System

As Business phone solutions are built bespoke to your business’ needs, you only need to pay for the features you will use, and you will not need to waste money on phone system features you will never use.

You have the power to pick and choose from fantastic time-saving features; such as voicemail to email, call conferencing, virtual receptionist and more and all small business owners know that time is money – so in saving yourself time, you will save precious profits too!

The features on your phone system will work exclusively for you, so you will not need to worry about throwing money away on anything which will not bring innovative solutions to your small business.

Recruiting Remote Workers

If you are a small business owner, you may work alone or in a very small team of people. Particularly with seasonal businesses, it may become necessary to hire more staff to help ease the workload.

This can be done at no extra cost with a cloud telephone system – as long as the worker has access to the internet on any device, they can connect to your phone system from anywhere in the world.

As calls are made over the internet, this cost-saving feature will not cost you any call quality, each call will be crystal clear as if the caller is in your office with your other staff.

As lines can be added or removed easily, remote workers can become an essential part of your team, and you will not need to hire staff through traditional routes which can become costly if they are only with you for a short time.

You can manage remote agents work using Acefone’s online portal and can communicate with them free of charge through call conferencing; ensuring remote workers and your existing team are on the same page.

No Need for Business Premises with Cloud Telephone Systems

Cloud telephone systems eliminate the need for office premises all together as staff can connect from anywhere with you as a business owner still has all the control you need over their performance.

Office premises are expensive, so eliminating the need for an office saves a large amount of your budget to help grow your business in other areas.

A cloud telephone system will work seamlessly from wherever your staff are based, and you will never miss a call as you can switch from device to device while on the move.

Not only will this save you money, but this could also make you money from more staff being available to call customers and chase up any leads you might have missed if working from an office with a small team.

Without the costs for business premises, you are free to invest your money into marketing or into other avenues to help you continue to run and grow your business effectively.

These innovative solutions a hosted phone system can provide are sure to save your small business plenty of money which can be invested in your business’ growth – if you would like to find out more contact Acefone on 1888-859-0450 .

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Acefone provides a broad range of cloud communication services to businesses of all sizes, which includes Hosted Phone Systems, Free Phone Numbers, and Cloud Contact Center Solutions. Being the UK's leading provider of VoIP service provider, we always strive to provide excellent customer service and high-quality custom solutions to our customers.

Which Features Should You Look For In Hosted Telephony?

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category Contact Center calendar February 26, 2020 clock 5 mins read eye Reads: 401

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If you are new to hosted telephony, then it can be a confusing time looking through information on all of the amazing features this type of telephone system can bring to your business. You might feel overwhelmed and need some advice on what it is you really should be looking for; so Acefone has put together a short guide on which features you need to have when investing in hosted telephony.

Analytics and Monitoring

Firstly, if you are making the investment of bringing hosted telephony into your business, then you want to measure exactly how much impact this is having on your business. Acefone’s hosted telephone systems come with an easy to use the online portal as standard, where you can access detailed analytics on everything from number of inbound and outbound calls to call costs.

These analytics give you a great indication of an agent’s performance and gives you an opportunity to focus on where your team might need training; this gives you a more productive team and of course, makes your business much more productive and profitable.

You also have access to live data on calls and can ensure all agents are working effectively to deal with your customers. Part of the monitoring capabilities of a hosted phone system is access to call recordings at the click of a button.

This can help with staff training or protect your business in the event of a complaint, the call can be listened to, and you can have proof of everything discussed in a call should you ever need it.

Scalability

You want your business to grow, and your hosted phone provider should make too! At Acefone, you can add and remove lines whenever you need them from the online portal, so it is easy to scale your business up or down to deal with the level of demand.

We do not want to hold your business back, so we empower you to use the online portal to your advantage; freeing you up to hire temporary workers who can be based anywhere in the world.

IVR System

An IVR system on your phone is a must-have for any larger business with multiple departments. Customers can call one main number and then be presented with personalised options to choose which department is best suited to answer their query. This does not just save time for customers, but also allows your staff to provide a smoother and more efficient service to customers.

For example, a customer looking for answers to a technical question without an IVR may be put through to a department who misunderstand the query and either give wrong information or turn the customer away; this can be bad for your reputation and customers will have less trust in your business.

So to ensure they get their queries answered accurately, an IVR system is a great way to give customers the power to choose who they speak to.

IVR systems do not just make things easier for customers, though, they also give your business a more professional look. If a customer is researching and calls a business with a professional phone system which allows them to choose who to put the enquiry through to, they are sure to be impressed with the level of customer care.

They could then call a competitor who does not have a professional phone system, and this could help them decide to choose your business over a competitor.

Virtual Assistant

For smaller business owners, you should always look out for hosted telephony with virtual assistants. A virtual assistant will take calls while you are on to go or to have a well-earned break! If you are a sole trader and do not have the staff to back you up and take calls, then the virtual assistant is a cost-effective way of ensuring all your calls are answered.

Virtual assistants ensure that you never miss a lead, no matter the size of your business and that you never leave a customer unanswered.

Messages will be forwarded as voice files to your email address too, so you can easily get back to customers when you are on the go.

A virtual assistant ensures you are not chained to your desk phone, as at Acefone we understand you need to go where the business is; so your virtual assistant will ensure all leads are captured for when you return.

Custom Numbers

Hosted telephone systems allow you to choose custom numbers based on whatever image you would like to put across to customers. You can create a free phone number to appear more professional and as a larger, more national business; this breaks down barriers for customers calling your business and can open up lines of communication, potentially leading to increased sales.

If you want to appear as a more local business and increase community ties you can have a local number, which may help build trust with customers as they see you are based close to them should they ever have an issue. Hosted phone systems give you the opportunity to make your phone number work for your business.

If you would like to find out more about hosted telephony and all of the features you should be looking out to get in touch with our expert team on 1888-859-0450 .

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Acefone provides a broad range of cloud communication services to businesses of all sizes, which includes Hosted Phone Systems, Free Phone Numbers, and Cloud Contact Center Solutions. Being the UK's leading provider of VoIP service provider, we always strive to provide excellent customer service and high-quality custom solutions to our customers.

Number Masking: What, Where and How

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category Contact Center calendar February 25, 2020 clock 6 mins read eye Reads: 627

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Privacy can no longer be taken for granted. From a call to a pizza delivery company to tip-off helplines, citizens are growing more wary about their personal information with every passing day, regardless of the intent of those on the receiving end. They want security, and they want it now. Businesses, too, must understand a customer’s desire for solitude from marketing communications—leaving them frazzled with call after call isn’t a great idea. If companies want to amp up profits without disgruntling callers and the threat of disclosing trade secrets, number masking is the one-stop cloud solution.

Number masking is a service offered by most cloud telephony providers. Clients can subscribe to it singularly or buy it as part of a larger bundle. The latter, if diverse in its scope, helps strengthen the level of confidentiality offered by a company.

In a nutshell, number masking employs unique virtual phone numbers, instead of your actual registered phone number, for discreet communications between a business and a consumer. Separate virtual phone numbers are allotted to both the company agent making the call and the customer on the receiving end. When a customer initiates a voice call using a business’ application, they are assigned a temporary virtual number by the business’ server. The call request is then patched to the agent on duty.

This process is automated, meaning once your cloud telephony dashboard is set up, no human intervention is required to ensure the masking happens.  Let’s take a look how number masking  plays a significant role for different scenarios:

For communications on a short-term basis:

Other than trusted friends, family, colleagues and service personnel, consumers now prefer keeping phone numbers close to their chests. For tasks that involve conversations for limited periods, like getting a delivery or talking to vendors, drivers, technicians or any other service personnel, people don’t want to reveal their personal information, lest a stranger harangue them.

This is especially true for younger populations migrating alone to large cities for study and work. Once transactions and similar deals are done and dusted, number masking ensures things can stay strictly professional without (even accidental) safety risks like going off business platforms and into the personal.

To prevent misuse of your data:

When you punch in your card details, the asterisks masking them help prevent fraud. Similarly, number masking ensures that your personal contact information—if it falls into the wrong hands—cannot be exploited under your name. As technology advances, so does plenty of non-ethical hacking and strategic networks of fraud. The fewer places your phone number is visible, the fewer avenues there are for scammers, phishers and malware attackers to log into personal accounts that are connected to it.

This is also a boon when you are buying or selling products on platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Etsy, and Redbubble, as well as smaller independent brands. If your number is required during a transaction, and if it is masked, you can complete the entire process safely on the requisite platform without having to switch to another medium. If your business page is using web advertising tools, it also helps the company monetise this time the customer spent on their platform.

As a powerful combination with call recordings:

Mitigating user problems gets easier when you have more information to review and work with. Cloud telephony providers offer a double-layered cocktail of customer satisfaction by not just masking numbers, but also recording the calls they are used on. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a well-balanced give and take to ease a customer’s mind—a corporation can’t ascertain their identity, but can still listen to, understand and resolve any discrepancies and buyer disputes.

Unless a caller reveals their private details during the call, it can be said with some certainty that the problem-solving process remains largely objective. In case there are any grey areas, companies can pore over them in greater detail by noting aspects like call duration, timings, and abandonment.

To give customers the comfort of a local conversation:

Landline numbers, using a company headquarters’ location codes, help create an authentic feel to number masking. The idea that someone from a similar area, and possibly background, is available to address queries gives customers a sense of trust and relief.

Granting the right to privacy isn’t just a highlight enjoyed by select companies. Any industry can incorporate it via number masking for seamless customer experience. Here are a few examples of the niches that employ number masking via cloud telephony services. In case your business fits into any of these sectors, know that it is most well-suited for this feature:

  • Shared transport—via mobile apps, for safe contact between the driver and the passenger (e.g. Uber Technologies, Ola Cabs, Grab, Shuttle, Lyft)
  • Dating applications—where a person’s identity cannot be positively confirmed until in-person interactions. A hidden number keeps your personal information secure against potential incidents of catfishing (e.g. Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, OkCupid, Happn, The League)
  • Food and other delivery companies—where address confirmation and any other queries are often clarified over call. Since location details are inevitably given to a delivery partner, number masking helps in stopping the sharing of additional personal detail (e.g. Swiggy, Zomato, FoodPanda, Postmates, Dunzo)
  • Accommodation rental—for staycations, homestays, bed and breakfasts and similar bookings. Often the intricacies of pricing and room configurations are discussed peer-to-peer without a recognised, reputable brand acting as the middleman. In such cases, number masking may be the best path forward, especially if you cancel your booking at the last minute. (e.g. Airbnb, HomeAway, Vrbo, Booking.com, Flipkey, VacayHero, Nestaway)
  • Medicine—it goes without saying that your medical history is only for you to know. Restrictions in sharing sensitive biological data need to be in place. With the rise in phone-based medical consultations and clinical enquiries, confidentiality between a patient and a doctor must be strictly followed. To withhold the amount of private information being relayed, number masking helps potential patients call or SMS their healthcare providers without any additional anxieties.

Number masking is a modern approach that doesn’t need much persuasion. Its positive traits are easily understood and available for the layman to understand in the public domain, and its success stories are a dime a dozen. When a business steps up to shoulder some responsibility for a customer’s privacy, it’s no surprise that their ratings go up. To have a fast-growing model that adapts to current consumer and B2B demands while staying ahead of competitors, number masking is an easy cloud telephony service that can be added to your management arsenal.

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Acefone provides a broad range of cloud communication services to businesses of all sizes, which includes Hosted Phone Systems, Free Phone Numbers, and Cloud Contact Center Solutions. Being the UK's leading provider of VoIP service provider, we always strive to provide excellent customer service and high-quality custom solutions to our customers.

How VoIP Transforms Communication Across Industries

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VoIP business phone Systems can be used in different ways and for different reasons depending on the industry you are in. Due to the flexibility and wide range of features available to users of VoIP phones, many industries can benefit from these hosted phone systems.

Examples of the industries that could benefit from a VoIP system and the role a hosted phone system could play.

 

1. VoIP in the Customer Service Industry

Customer service is difficult, agents can be subjected to a range of different types of queries, and they need to have all the information they need at their fingertips, with customers wanting quick and efficient resolutions to their queries.

A VoIP phone system makes this easy, by linking up seamlessly with CRM systems to ensure all data is in one place on an easy to use online portal. With the click of a button, agents can bring up everything they need to know about a customer and make detailed notes so the next agent can pick up where they left off.

VoIP phone systems also give you the ability to monitor both where customers are coming from and agent performance. This means you can make improvements to the customer journey and ensure your agents are performing well and delivering great service, and if they need improvement you can use the statistics and call recordings to deliver further training.

Having VoIP phone service can make customer service much more efficient and ensure customers can always reach you. It offers several advantages: enhanced reliability for crisp, clear calls, the ability to place agents all over the world who can easily connect with your phone system, and 24/7 availability so someone is always online to take your call.

2. VoIP in the Hospitality Industry

The hospitality business by nature is a fast-paced, 24-hour business; so round the clock communications are key to building and running a successful business. For hotels, you may have multiple locations all over the world, so VoIP provides free conference calling between sites.

This means you can easily liaise with colleagues all over the world to ensure a smooth service for customers. VoIP systems can also handle multiple calls at once, automatically diverting them to a customer service agent who is free at the time; this means no matter how many enquiries you get you will not miss a customer call again.

If your staffs are busy, the VoIP system has them covered. A virtual assistant can take any messages from a customer and send it to an email address of your choice, and you can answer these messages on the go and make sure customers are responded to in a timely fashion.

The support a VoIP system can give to a hospitality business is unrivalled, with amazing features making life easier for hospitality professionals; you are even able to customise your phone number to enhance your branding and make it easier for customers to remember.

3. VoIP in the Finance Industry

The finance industry is so fast-paced and never sleeps, but a VoIP phone system is robust enough to handle the pressure. In finance, every penny counts, so of course, using a cost-effective business phone systems is beneficial and shows great business acumen.

Aside from the cost, a VoIP phone system has the flexibility to keep up with the fast-paced financial industry; often accountants will need to visit clients or be on the move, and this is no problem for a VoIP system as staff can connect to your phone line from any device with internet connection, meaning they can go where they need to with no concern about missing an important call. They can also check any messages on the move with voicemail to email.

A finance professional needs to be reactive to changes, something which a VoIP phone system can help with. With the ability to add as many lines as you need, your business can cope in busy periods with ease; adding customer service agents who can direct your calls to the correct person or deal with new leads and enquiries for you.

The financial industry also operates globally, so with low call costs no matter where you are calling, you will not need to worry about running up a large bill, you can just focus on business.

Check this Blog: Why Every Business Needs VoIP Solutions

4. VoIP in the Construction Industry

Construction workers are rarely based in an office, so need a flexible and portable phone system to move with them and not hold them back. VoIP phone systems are designed to be portable and can operate on any device with an internet connection, so construction workers can always be reached by customers and management no matter where they may be.

They can choose their preferred device and use their mobile phones to ensure they do not miss any customer enquiries.

A construction business may also have a number of different departments, so to ensure that customers/clients get straight through to the department they need VoIP phones can also have an IVR added to them to let customers choose the option which best matches their query.

VoIP phone systems can provide innovative solutions to many different industries and can help any business save on costs and grow on a global scale.

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Acefone provides a broad range of cloud communication services to businesses of all sizes, which includes Hosted Phone Systems, Free Phone Numbers, and Cloud Contact Center Solutions. Being the UK's leading provider of VoIP service provider, we always strive to provide excellent customer service and high-quality custom solutions to our customers.

Why Indian Entrepreneurs Rely on Virtual Phone Number

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category Contact Center calendar February 11, 2020 clock 5 mins read eye Reads: 542

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Dress for the job you want, not the one you have. The rule of thumb does not apply just to you but also your startup. The Indian market is getting increasingly competitive with a glut of new businesses joining the fray. The country has risen to host the highest number of startups after the US and China. 

Your up-and-coming firm may be on its way to international funding round or still based out of your friend’s basement, but it needs legitimacy to thrive in a cut-throat market. 

This is where a virtual phone number comes in. A virtual business number is automatically programmed to forward incoming calls to any number or device that you choose. Unlike conventional telephone numbers, virtual phone numbers are not linked to any physical telephone line. They can forward incoming national and international call answering service for business to a variety of telephone numbers as selected by you. Indian startups are increasingly adopting virtual phone number services as a centralized tool to boost customer communication.

A third of all potential customers will call a business directly and frequently when they are considering a new product purchase. Most smart entrepreneurs are choosing a virtual phone number service instead of using their personal phone number for their business. No matter the size of the staff, a virtual phone number ensures that the people-facing end of your business is always smooth and streamlined. 

You can choose the right number for your startup, which will automatically forward incoming calls to your personal phone, so you never miss a call. This means that you don’t need to share your personal phone number publicly. You also don’t need two SIM cards for separating personal and business calls. You can set up separate ringtones to differentiate professional and personal calls and make life easier for yourself while remaining lean on staff and physical equipment.  

How to make a virtual phone number work for you

You can choose a local area number as it builds trust among consumers. They find a business more accessible when the number begins with the STD code of their state. You give your customers the sense that they are dealing with someone just around the corner. Depending upon the type of business you’re looking to build, this could absolutely be to your advantage. 

That’s not to say that choosing a national toll-free 800-XXX-XXX number does not build trust. In fact, it gives the impression of a more established firm that is active across the length and breadth of India. It is also ideal for a startup that’s quickly scaling up to more states. A toll-free number also helps people stay assured they won’t be charged for calling in with their queries about your product. If you’re trying to gain a national footprint, having a toll-free virtual business number implies that your company does business from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and everywhere in between. 

You can also choose premium numbers that are easy to recall. Business who go for “vanity numbers”, as they are called, swear by their branding advantage.

One number, so many benefits

Not all virtual business numbers are the same. Some are simply what you might call “forwarding addresses”, while others include the auto-attendant feature. With this feature, you can choose to have all calls to your business number—or during specific times of the day—answered with an automatic response that presents the caller with a quick choice based on the nature of their query, streamlining the customer service process and saving your time. After all, customer expectations can be ruthless. If your business phone ever goes unanswered, it could give a very unprofessional message.

Virtual phone numbers also assist in gathering data on the busiest days and hours for customer queries. After the launch of a special product, for instance, a virtual phone number can be a useful tool to track fluctuations in customer reception and concerns. 

Virtual phone numbers help business leaders in boosting revenue and improving customer loyalty by efficiently manning every incoming call. Entrepreneurs who don’t have a lot of time on their hands opt for cloud-based virtual number solutions to manage incoming calls proactively without increasing time or resource overheads. The sophisticated virtual number solutions come with call management suites and support interactive voice response (IVR) solution. 

Today, you have the option to choose from several virtual number services in India. But no business can manage incoming calls optimally without getting the right virtual phone number. Hence, it is prudent to compare various service providers and opt for a virtual number that comes with robust features like call management suite, IVR integration, real-time reports, and SMS notifications. 

In the knowledge economy of the modern world, a physical working space is less valuable than virtual networks and business clusters. Science technology parks and innovation centers, virtual incubators, and business information centers could be a far more convenient way to support startups in scaling up their disruptive and innovative technologies into competitive and profitable businesses that create wealth for investors. A virtual phone number is an excellent example of a “cognition technology” that plays a vital role in the knowledge management process, helping entrepreneurs learn and solve lots of different problems more effectively. 

Make sure that you also have a big presence by using a virtual business phone number. Because at least as long as clients and customers are concerned, there is often very little difference between perception and reality.

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Acefone provides a broad range of cloud communication services to businesses of all sizes, which includes Hosted Phone Systems, Free Phone Numbers, and Cloud Contact Center Solutions. Being the UK's leading provider of VoIP service provider, we always strive to provide excellent customer service and high-quality custom solutions to our customers.

How IVR has Transformed Election Management Altogether

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category IVR Service calendar February 7, 2020 clock 5 mins read eye Reads: 360

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Over the years, political systems across the globe have witnessed a technological revolution. Specifically speaking, the impact of technology on political elections has been significant. While poll campaigning was initially a completely manual process, political parties have gradually adopted specialized technologies to connect with the voters, gather polling trends and information, and influence the electoral base to be on their sides. One of the technologies that have come to the forefront in this context is Interactive Virtual Receptionist (IVR). Essentially, IVR is an automated cloud telephony system, which interacts directly with the target audience for routing the calls to the specified recipients and gathering useful information through telephonic surveys.

Let us see how it works to empower political campaigns and connect with the voters.

How Does IVR System Empower Election Management?

In the context of elections, IVR technology enables callers to respond to the poll questions by pressing the specific phone keys or by responding with voice answers. The information is thus recorded for later analysis without the need for human intervention at the collection stage. It can serve useful insights for the political parties, which they can use for creating result-oriented strategies. So, an IVR solution definitely becomes a strategic investment for any political party that wants to improve its prospects in the electoral landscape. The utility of IVR is not confined to electoral surveys by political parties. It can also aid the local authorities in confirming the voters’ registration as well.

How IVR can Empower Political Campaigns

Now that much has been said about the role of this technology in political campaigns, it is time to highlight the advantages of embracing it for political campaigns. Here are the key advantages of the automated polls that political parties can derive with an IVR system in place.

  • Wider Acceptance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      As people are pressed for time these days, they are more likely to embrace IVR-based surveys because of the flexibility and convenience they offer. On the other hand, they are less likely to stop in the middle of a busy day and respond to an in-person survey organized by a political party. Another reason why these telephonic surveys make a smart move is that smartphones have become a way of life for people. So, users are more than willing to be a part of telephonic surveys that can respond to with a few clicks and on the go.
  • Zero Dependence on Manpower                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    When it comes to campaign-related expenses for political parties, hiring massive manpower just for promoting the campaign is the biggest challenge for parties. Beyond just the onboarding expenses, they also need to incur on training and managing the workforce. This may not be a feasible investment for political parties as they are always pressed for funds. Embracing IVR service, on the other hand, is a smarter alternative because it saves money due to zero dependence on manpower. All that they need to do is collaborate with a reliable IVR service provider to set up the system and they are good to go.
  • Wider Coverage                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Considering the population size in the country, political parties need to target a huge audience base with their campaigns. They often have a long list of contact numbers to target, which is probably not feasible to handle with manual calling. IVR calling irons out this challenge because it eliminates the need for human reps to call each and every single person on the target list. Further, the possibility of missing out on any target user is reduced to the minimum.
  • Reliable Feedback                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       IVR service, as a part of the electoral strategy, brings the benefit of the accuracy of the surveys it offers. This is because these calls completely eliminate the possibility of any bias on the part of the survey takers and respondents. All the individuals who are a part of the survey receive the same questions that are presented using a recorded message. This eliminates any questioner’s bias (since there is no human involvement) and allows the respondents to answer questions and share feedback more honestly.
  • Accurate Reports                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     The challenge with manual feedback methods is that a lack of understanding or communication may result in inaccurate reporting. Conversely, IVR renders assured accuracy in the survey collection and reporting processes. All the respondents get the same set of multiple-choice questions which they have to answer by pressing on specific buttons. As a result, the system can be completely trusted for generating accurate reports. Accuracy of information is mandatory for getting useful information.
  • Time saving                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            When it comes to assessing the value of this technology for poll campaigns, it goes beyond just the aforementioned benefits. Obviously, parties can save a lot by joining hands with an IVR service provider. Besides saving on funds, they can save the precious time of their workers who would otherwise have to spend hours and days for gathering useful insights from the target group. Rather, they can invest this time in action-oriented activities such as campaigning for the party. Additionally, real-time dashboards serve useful data and information, which can be used for faster decision making.
  • Measurable and Accountable                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The results that IVR delivers are measurable and accountable. Every single call can be measured in terms of its length, which makes it possible to know whether the recipient has heard the main message. Further, the information captured through polls (both keyboard and voice) can be organised into a database and shown as easy-to-read reports. As a result, it emerges as a fully accountable outreach investment for political players.

Now that the value of IVR technology for electrical campaigns is clear, the next obvious step for parties is to find a partner they can trust. Acefone  is a leading IVR service provider that offers reliable solutions for businesses and political parties. You can trust our solutions for handling your electoral surveys from end to end and delivering valuable insights for your campaigns.

To know more call us.

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Acefone provides a broad range of cloud communication services to businesses of all sizes, which includes Hosted Phone Systems, Free Phone Numbers, and Cloud Contact Center Solutions. Being the UK's leading provider of VoIP service provider, we always strive to provide excellent customer service and high-quality custom solutions to our customers.

End Of ISDN: How This Is The Best Opportunity For Businesses

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ISDN, or Integrated Service Digital Network, will be switched off in 2025; this means businesses will have just under five years to find an alternative solution. This should not be a worry for businesses, as this provides a great opportunity for businesses to upgrade their telephone systems and ensure they are getting the most they possibly can from their phone systems.

Opportunities To Save Money

Hosted phone systems are much cheaper on call costs than traditional phone systems, so the sooner your business changes their phone system over the sooner you can start saving money. A hosted phone system will not hold back your business’ growth either, you can add as many lines to your phone system as you need at no extra cost; this means there are unlimited opportunities for your business to grow with no extra costs involved.

Opportunity To Increase Security

A traditional phone system is much less secure than a hosted phone system; if anything should happen to your business’ premises your phone system can quickly be restored and you can seamlessly continue calls on any device you use. Adhering to security regulations, your data is stored remotely to ensure that it is safe from attackers and that the trust between your business and customers is maintained.

If something happened to your business’ premises a traditional phone line could be lost along with all of your customer data. So, changing to a hosted phone system can give you the opportunity to safeguard your phone system, customer data and business’ reputation.

Opportunity To Add Features To Your Phone System

If you have always had a traditional phone line, you will not have been able to enjoy the amazing features of a hosted phone system; so you can take this opportunity to introduce them into your business. Add a virtual assistant to take any calls when you cannot, customise your number to a freephone number, use video and conference calling and much more right from your phone system. Your phone system works for you too, being able to move seamlessly between devices means you can work from anywhere in the world with an internet connection and you can hire staff in any location.

Opportunity To Widen Your Talent Pool

A hosted phone system, unlike ISDN, allows your staff can work from anywhere in the world without any issues. This means you can widen your talent pool to anyone suitable all over the globe and can ensure that you hire the best people for the job, with no restrictions on location. This also means that you can ensure someone is online at all times to deal with customer queries no matter what time zone your customers are in.

With a traditional phone system, this would be almost impossible without opening new premises in a different country; however, with hosted telephony you can recruit anywhere with no need for expensive premises, plus call costs are low so you can expand as far as you want to. Staff can also keep in touch with their colleagues around the world with conference calling and video calling through your hosted phone system.

Opportunities To Keep Ahead Of Your Competition

With all of the features, security and freedom a hosted phone system can give you compared to a traditional phone system you can make sure your business stays up to date with technology and also keeps up with the competition. If your business has access to amazing features such as virtual assistants, customised numbers and video calling this means you can serve customers much more effectively than your competitors. The improved customer service is sure to impress existing and prospective customers and make them more likely to purchase from your business over that of a competitor; helping you increase profits and maintain an edge on the competition.

If you’d like to take advantage of all the opportunities a hosted phone system could bring you and are tired of being restricted by your traditional phone line then get in touch with our team of expert hosted telephony advisers who can take you through the whole process on 1888-859-0450 .

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Acefone provides a broad range of cloud communication services to businesses of all sizes, which includes Hosted Phone Systems, Free Phone Numbers, and Cloud Contact Center Solutions. Being the UK's leading provider of VoIP service provider, we always strive to provide excellent customer service and high-quality custom solutions to our customers.

What CxO’s Should Know About VoIP

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Are you considering a VoIP solution for your business but need to present your idea to senior management? If so, you need to know all the benefits and features which a hosted VoIP phone system can bring to your business and Acefone are here to help. Here is everything your senior management team should know about VoIP systems.

VoIP Is Reliable And Secure

With 99.9% uptime and adhering to security regulations (Acefone stores customer data in the cloud adhering to PIC, FCC, GDPR and CPNI) your CxO’s can be sure that their business’ data is securely hosted in the cloud. If they are unfamiliar with the latest digital technology they may be reluctant to put their customer data into a new system; however, they should know that if anything did happen to their office premises, a traditional phone system would be lost along with all the data which goes with it but a cloud hosted phone system allows you to pick up right where you left off with any device – so the business can continue as normal and your data is safely secured in an off-site location.

VoIP Can Improve Customer Service

With a VoIP phone system, staff can easily see all customer data through our easy to use online portal. This means that staff can see notes on previous customer calls, and all the products/services that customer uses – giving them more time to focus on the issue at hand rather than gathering background information every time a customer calls in. Some issues may take more than one call to resolve, so from a customer experience point of view, the less repetition involved the more satisfied that customer will be as they will have been dealt with in a prompt and efficient manner.

VoIP phone systems can also interact with your CRM system, so any new information or new customers calling in will have the ability to be added to your system with ease – so no lost leads and much more information for your sales team to call with.

Save Money With Professional Features

A VoIP system is not just a phone system, there are plenty of extra features which can be added to your hosted phone system to give a more professional feel to your business. All of these features are managed right within your phone system, so no need to go to multiple suppliers. You can add a virtual assistant to take calls when staff are not available, you can have cloud voice mail forwarded to email for easy access when you open again the next day; the possibilities with a VoIP phone system are vast.

If you would like a local number for the different areas your business operates in you can have this simple and quickly with a hosted phone system. You can enhance your marketing with a memorable or campaign-specific number – with a hosted phone system your choices really are endless and you can really make your phone system work for you.

VoIP Phone Systems Grow With Your Business

A VoIP system does not hold your business back. If your CxO’s are planning to grow the business and have concerns about investing in a phone system which could become costly when adding new lines – they should know that with a hosted VoIP system you can add as many lines as you want to your phone system at no extra cost. You can also remove lines too, a VoIP phone system is completely flexible, and lines are quick and easy to add or remove. This is particularly useful for businesses which experience seasonal changes, so they may need more staff at certain periods – you can easily add temporary staff to your phone system and remove their lines when their contract ends all from your easy to use online portal. With a VoIP system, you have control over your phone system and will have access to expert support from your provider along the way.

To Know more about Important VoIP Statistics: Important VoIP Statistics You Should Know

Low Costs, Wherever You Are Calling

A VoIP system will save your business money no matter where you operate. Whether your calls are national or international, as your VoIP system is hosted online the need for paying high call connection costs are over. Call costs are extremely reasonable and will no longer eat into your profits, plus they can be monitored easily using the online portal; which gives you accurate information about the calls made and costs incurred. You can always amend your hosted VoIP plan with Acefone too if you find you need to make more calls or less we can provide a bespoke plan to suit you.

Detailed Analytics Available At Your Fingertips

With your current phone system, you will not be getting all the analytics and information a hosted VoIP system can give you. If your senior management team would like more control and information about call time, agent performance and more with the ability to easily pull up call recordings and much more – they can have this as standard with a hosted VoIP system. With the information available to them they can help agents perform better by listening to calls and seeing where they might need extra support, they can also use call recordings to train new agents and give them a feel for what types of calls you receive from customers.

The analytics available on our online portal also helps senior management manage those workers who might be offsite, as hosted VoIP can be used from any device the option to hire remote workers is much more viable so a challenge may arise in how to manage them. This problem is solved by hosted VoIP as you can communicate freely over the phone or via messaging with remote workers and can see detailed analytics on their performance, call times etc; allowing managers to manage remote workers with ease.

If you would like more information on hosted VoIP and the benefits it can provide to your business, contact our customer service team on 1888-859-0450.

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

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Acefone provides a broad range of cloud communication services to businesses of all sizes, which includes Hosted Phone Systems, Free Phone Numbers, and Cloud Contact Center Solutions. Being the UK's leading provider of VoIP service provider, we always strive to provide excellent customer service and high-quality custom solutions to our customers.

How Adopting A UCaaS Solution Can Boost Your Customer Service In 2020

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Unified communications as a service, or UCaaS, allows you to integrate multiple communication methods through a single cloud provider; including messaging, telephone, communication, video conferencing and more to facilitate team communication. With a team able to communicate effectively, your customers are sure to benefit and are much more likely to spend their money with you. Here are our top ways of adopting Unified Communication as a service (UCaaS) solution can boost your sales and customer service in 2020.

Support customers in innovative ways

If your business is in a position to provide support in a way which suits the customer, a customer is much more likely to buy more products from you as trust is increased and customers have an easy experience. With video conferencing customers could video call you and demonstrate an issue they might have with your product, or you could offer product demonstrations to them over a video call. You can also use messaging to communicate with customers or traditional voice calls; by giving the customer a choice, you are making them feel much more valued and they can select the option which best fits in with their daily life, meaning calling your company is not a problematic event.

Store product details to answer queries more effectively

Product details can be stored simply by scanning a barcode/QR code right into your cloud phone system, so agents can find exactly what the customer is looking for without trawling through your whole product catalogue. If your agents have all the information to hand, they are much better placed to talk to customers in more detail about your products; potentially upselling more products to the customer and increasing your sales. While this product knowledge will inevitably increase your business’ sales, it will also give customers much more confidence in your business and your expert agents and your customer service and customer satisfaction will increase too.

Important information can be stored in your system and can be accessed globally by your staff, searchable by keyword. So staff can always keep up to date with changes in your products or business and can use their time not interacting with customers to give themselves some training on the products you carry; more knowledgeable staff will mean much more satisfied and informed customers.

Team communication can help customers get to the right place, first time

If your teams are remote, or you have a large office premise, they might not communicate as effectively as you would like them to. Using a UCaaS solution, you can encourage open communication (at no extra cost to your business) and encourage staff to share expertise through conference calls and video calls. If your staff are united and communicate freely, they are more likely to know where each other’s strengths lie. So, if a customer comes through asking a query which they are unsure of, they will know exactly which department or member of staff to transfer the customer to; ensuring the customer has a great experience and has their query solved on the first call.

Get ahead of the competition digitally while giving world-class customer service

Getting ahead of the competition is important for any business, but particularly for those in a crowded market. If your customer’s see you are invested in the very latest technology and have invested money in moving with the times digitally, their confidence in the abilities of your business will be increased as will the trust between customers and your business. This confidence and trust will lead to you getting more leads and therefore more sales; as customers will tend to choose a business which is more progressive and will, in turn, keep them up to date with digital advancement. Even when competitors follow your lead by implementing these digital advances, your business will still be steps ahead as your UCaaS solution will keep you at the forefront of digital technology.

Complete records for customers data

If your business can keep detailed records of customer purchases, buying habits, queries and more in one easily accessible place your agents will be able to deliver a world-class service to each customer every time they interact with you.

If an agent has all the information they need about a customer, they will be able to quickly identify products which could be of use to this customer which can, therefore, increase your sales. They can also look back through a customer’s notes so they get a feel for how to tailor their interactions with this customer, for example, if a customer has had a few issues before with the products they can offer extra support to ensure their purchase runs smoothly. This can be added to easily by each agent during each interaction so you build a detailed view of a customer’s relationship with your business, allowing you to personalise both interactions and potentially suggest more products or services to them.

Integrate with social media to reach more customers and engage employees

People spend more and more time on social media, and your customers will be on there too. If you are looking to attract new customers to your business, you want to ensure that as many mentions of your business on social media are positive – as this is used in the customer journey for research purposes. By integrating your phone system with social media, your agents can easily pick up on mentions of your company and can integrate this with your CRM system, giving agents the opportunity to actively reach out to any dissatisfied customers and solve their issues.

If you would like to find out more about how a UCaaS solution could boost your sales and customer service this year. Call our expert agents on 1888-859-0450 for a free consultation.

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

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Give us a call on

or
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Write an email to

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author_36
Acefone provides a broad range of cloud communication services to businesses of all sizes, which includes Hosted Phone Systems, Free Phone Numbers, and Cloud Contact Center Solutions. Being the UK's leading provider of VoIP service provider, we always strive to provide excellent customer service and high-quality custom solutions to our customers.