If you are in need of a phone number for your business, you should look into a virtual business phone service. These services are a great way to elevate your business by using your own phone number. There are several benefits of using this type of phone service, including cost and features. You can also check out their integration with cloud-based customer service platforms or mission-critical business apps.
Cost
The cost of virtual business phone service varies greatly depending on the company that you choose. Some companies are free while others charge a monthly fee. It’s important to shop around for the best price. Some companies offer free trial periods and include some perks. Some of these perks include voicemail transcription, calendar integration, online faxing, team messaging capabilities, and virtual receptionists.
Cloud-hosted VoIP systems, on the other hand, house the PBX equipment in the cloud. This means that the phone service provider handles upgrading and maintenance of the equipment. Cloud-hosted systems also do not require upfront costs and require no desk phones. However, cloud-hosted systems often have a monthly per-user fee that can range from $15 to $60 per user.
Features
Virtual business phone services come with a range of features that make using them easier. For instance, they may have call recording features, voicemail and support departments. Some even allow you to customize the features of your service by creating custom menus and dial-by-name directories. Additionally, many virtual phone systems allow you to access your system via your PC or mobile device.
If you’re just starting out, a virtual phone service is an affordable option. Dialpad, for example, offers a 14-day risk-free trial. If you’re not satisfied with the service, you can always get a refund. Other providers offer flexible payment plans, ranging from monthly to annual.
Integration with mission-critical business apps
In a world where business operations depend on a variety of applications, integration is an essential step in achieving business goals. It can be a cost-saving endeavor that increases productivity by ensuring effective communication among applications. Ready-to-use integration solutions are available for some situations, while more complex integration projects may require custom development. One popular application integration solution is presentation integration, which combines several apps into a single application. The process is also known as screen scraping.
Some companies have mission-critical applications that are so vital to their operations that any interruption to them would cause the organization to suffer. A major outage in these applications could impact business operations, decreasing productivity and impacting the user experience. While the business could continue operating despite a temporary interruption, a prolonged outage would result in serious financial impact and a poor user experience.
Integration with cloud-based customer service platform
Integration with cloud-based customer service platform for a virtual business phone service enables the customer support team to take the necessary actions at different stages of the call. For example, an automated voice menu called an auto attendant helps reduce the workload of call center agents and resolve voicemail issues. JustCall also integrates with a CRM to automatically log call details and activities such as voicemails and recordings. This can save the customer support team as much as two hours per day.
A good customer service software solution can offer data on call metrics, issue resolution, and customer satisfaction ratings. Furthermore, most of them include call recording and archiving functionality to support retrospective research and compliance management. Furthermore, modern customer service platforms offer mobile client capabilities to help service reps manage calls from different locations. This can help increase employee productivity and satisfaction.