The popularity of VoIP phones has exploded in recent years and the competition is strong. Here are some features that can help you choose a phone for your business.
VoIP phone features and benefits are a great way to improve communication between businesses. There are many different types of VoIP phones, so it is important to know what each one offers. Read more in detail here: voip features and benefits.
The greatest voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) business solutions are capable of much more than just making and receiving calls. Call holds, transfers, and forwarding may be handled by almost any provider, but more complex systems provide predictive dialers, analytics, call management services, and more.
However, since no two VoIP companies provide the identical feature set, you’ll have to decide which features are nice-to-haves vs must-haves. This post will take you through the finest VoIP phone features for businesses so you know what to look for, as well as give connections to further resources if you want to learn more.
Automated Attendant No. 1
Because it may remove the necessity for a human receptionist, an automated attendant is a top feature of the finest company phone systems. Using call routing rules, this functionality answers all of your incoming calls and routes them to the appropriate extension.
Simple capabilities like preset greetings and a tiny variety of hold music selections are available on the most basic auto-attendants. These are beneficial to solitary workers and freelancers who want assistance with call traffic management. Many premium VoIP providers now include multilayer auto-attendants (also known as interactive voice response, or IVR), which include features such as personalized greetings and the option to route calls to various lines. This feature is suitable for more established teams who deal with a significant number of calls.
Availability of features: Virtually every VoIP platform has an automated attendant. Some are simple voice recordings with an extension dialer, while others are more sophisticated interactive voice response (IVR) systems. This function is generally only available on a VoIP provider’s most basic subscription package.
More information on these companies may be found in our post on the top auto-attendant phone systems.
2. Call Rerouting
Call forwarding is a common corporate telephony function that ensures that your customers’ calls are never missed. Inbound calls may be automatically diverted to another extension or phone number once the capability is enabled.
It’s a great choice for company owners who wish to avoid losing sales leads by diverting calls to a mobile number when no one answers the office phone. Call forwarding, on the other hand, does not guarantee that a lead will never go to voicemail. As a result, some companies choose to use an answering service in addition to activating this function.
Availability of features: This is a standard feature offered by all major providers.
By studying about the top answering services, you may also locate solutions that go beyond call forwarding.
3. Call Hold & Transfer
Most commercial phone systems provide call hold and transfer as standard functionality. It works by allowing you to put a caller on hold and redirecting them to a different extension or phone number.
Feature availability: This is a feature that almost every service on the market has in some form or another.
In our post on the top call management systems, we have a guide to help you locate the suppliers that stand out from the crowd.
4. Recording Phone Calls
Call recording is a VoIP feature that enables employees to record phone conversations for training and reference. Calls may be recorded either company-wide or on an individual, on-demand basis, depending on the provider. Some systems also include cloud storage capacity, allowing you to avoid wasting important network space.
Call recording is extremely valuable in customer service and sales contexts, where crucial discussions may be saved. However, when your system additionally has HD voice calling, the function works much better.
Call recording is available from most providers, however it is generally only available at a premium level. The amount of time you may record, where the recording is saved, and how you start the recording will vary per provider (automatic versus manual).
Consider utilizing one of these top call recording applications if your VoIP provider doesn’t provide call recording.
5. Caller Identification
Before anybody on your team picks up the phone, Caller ID reveals critical information about callers. The user’s name and phone number are standard information. The city and state from which the individual is phoning might also be included.
This functionality is handy for preventing calls from unknown or anonymous numbers. Outbound caller ID also enables extension users to choose which ID they want to use while making a call. Anyone who uses their personal smartphone for work will benefit from caller ID.
Feature availability: All major VoIP companies provide this as a standard feature.
6. Screening of Phone Calls
Workers can choose which calls to accept thanks to call screening. In its most basic form, caller ID informs the user who is calling so that they may accept, refuse, or send the call to voicemail. Incoming callers may also be asked to identify themselves, and that information can be sent.
Call filtering is beneficial to busy employees who can only handle the most important incoming calls at any one moment.
Availability of features: Most VoIP systems include this capability.
In our more in-depth post on call screening, you can discover how to make the most of this function.
7. Make a call to Flip
Call flip is a function that allows users to shift calls from one device to another by pressing a button without having to terminate the connection or depend on call parking. If you’re using a mobile device and the battery is ready to expire, you may utilize this option to switch to a desk phone or desktop. Call flip is especially handy for mobile professionals who wish to maintain a professional demeanor with customers.
Call flip is a frequent function, but you’ll want to double-check to make sure your VoIP service offers it since it’s not a standard feature.
Learn how call parking works and why call flip makes a call more smooth.
8. Message on Hold
Callers may leave messages for staff as they become available using basic voicemail functionality. Advanced voicemail modules, on the other hand, offer bespoke greetings and automatic transcription tools that convert voicemail recordings to text.
Voicemail is a typical function that is accessible from almost every corporate VoIP provider.
Find the top voicemail greeting service companies.
9. Integration of Business Tools
The ability to link data with other business tools, such as support ticket systems, chat, and email, is one of the most popular VoIP capabilities, since it keeps conversation records consolidated and teams connected. These interfaces are particularly useful for teams who operate from different locations.
Advanced features include the ability to link caller information to customer relationship management (CRM) software for sales teams. Without the need for an external call log, this feature enables agents to evaluate recent encounters using built-in call tracking.
VoIP phones may also be used in conjunction with powerful automated or predictive dialing systems, which eliminate the need for human dialing of new numbers.
Availability of features: Basic VoIP systems do not provide a wide range of integrations. Check with your service provider to see whether they have the connectors you need to optimize your procedures.
10. Bridge for Conferences
Conference bridge is a popular VoIP tool that enables users to have audio meetings with dozens, if not hundreds, of people using PCs, cellphones, or any other internet-connected device with a microphone. For remote teams, conference bridge is ideal since it allows them to collaborate even when they are physically apart.
Availability of features: Most VoIP companies provide some type of conferencing as a basic function, however some restrict the number of people that may participate. Furthermore, some systems only supply a single bridge number, which may lead to awkward scheduling issues.
Brush up on the top conference call services to avoid any surprises.
Video Conferencing is number 11 on the list.
A useful business phone function is video chat, which allows many individuals to attend virtual meetings and hear and see each other. Furthermore, most systems include screen sharing, which is beneficial for sharing crucial papers and other information with colleagues.
Many distant teams utilize video conferencing to communicate on a daily basis. If you want to use your VoIP system to host video conferences, keep in mind that you’ll need a fast, consistent internet connection to handle all of that data.
Whether you’re wanting to switch providers or completely replace your system, we suggest using our free VoIP speed test tool. For additional information, see our in-depth VoIP speed test page.
Availability of features: Most providers provide video conferencing, but each has a varying restriction on the number of people that may attend. To raise your participant capacity, you’ll often need to switch to more costly programs.
Find out more about the most effective video conferencing services.
Text Messaging (SMS)
You may send and receive text messages on your business phone using short messaging service (SMS) functionality. Having this extra channel is beneficial since many clients now prefer to interact by text because it is fast and unobtrusive. It may also be used by any company that wants to launch SMS marketing campaigns.
Option availability: While most carriers provide free business texting, some may charge a monthly fee to use this feature.
Examine all of the most affordable VoIP services that include business texting.
13. Using a Hot Desk
Hot desk (also known as hoteling or share device) is a common telephony feature that allows users to access customised profiles and setups by logging into a shared desk phone. It’s a cost-effective solution to provide workers access to their own voicemail and other capabilities from any workplace phone without having to invest in separate gear. It’s also appropriate for situations when individual employees have minimal personal call volumes.
Hot desking is a feature provided via more comprehensive VoIP systems such as RingCentral, Nextiva, and Vonage.
14. Call Recording
Your bosses will be able to listen in on talks thanks to call monitoring. This feature is useful for training and data collection, and it also gives your supervisors a better understanding of how each interaction is handled.
Advanced call management tools like call monitoring aren’t included by default, so check with your supplier to see what it has to offer.
Take a look at the top call monitoring software on the market.
Whispering is number fifteen.
Call whispering allows you to listen in on your agents’ discussions and speak to them when they need assistance. Only the agent, not the client on the other end of the line, can hear your whisper. This tool aids in the training of workers and the guidance of failing agents by reminding them of recommended practices and current promotions.
Advanced call management tools like call whispering aren’t included by default, so check with your supplier to see what it has to offer.
16. Make a call to Barge-in.
You may join the chat and start speaking using call barge-in if you’re monitoring an agent’s call and whispering isn’t working. This option may be inconvenient, but it’s occasionally important to correct a mistake or save a deal from breaking apart.
Advanced call management tools like call barging aren’t included by default, so check with your provider to see what it has to offer.
17. Call Tracking
Call analytics allows you to gather, store, and analyze call data in real time and in the past. This information may assist you in learning more about agent and call performance so you can make data-driven choices to enhance your program or contact center.
Call analytics isn’t a typical feature, hence it’s not available. It’s normally only available via the major VoIP providers, and even then, it’s usually only available through the more costly premium plans.
Examine the best call tracking software compatible with your VoIP service.
18. Make a Parking Reservation
Call parking is a common function that allows you to put a live call on hold and resume the discussion on a different phone line. You may use this feature to change devices, transfer calls, or give yourself some time before answering a call.
Availability of function: Call parking is a common VoIP feature that is generally accessible.
Find out more about call parking and how to utilize it.
Music on Hold (19.)
You may play generic or bespoke music on hold for your clients as they wait for an agent.
Music on hold is a feature that most VoIP companies provide. Custom music on hold, on the other hand, isn’t as prevalent.
Predictive Dialer (number 20)
Predictive dialer software is a phone dialing system that calls numbers from your contact list automatically. These tools make it easier for your workers to interact with prospects, resulting in more efficient contact centers and customer support programs.
Predictive dialers aren’t a typical VoIP function, so you’ll either have to acquire an add-on service or connect it with your VoIP platform to utilize them.
Find more about the finest auto-dialer software for small companies.
Conclusion
Because of its internet-based characteristics, VoIP business systems provide a lot of value to businesses. VoIP phone capabilities are becoming vital corporate communication tools, whether it’s call hold and transfer tools or more sophisticated tech like video calls and hot desking. This, along with the cost reductions over traditional landline lines, makes them a viable alternative for both big and small organizations.
VoIP is a technology that allows users to make phone calls through the internet. There are many features for businesses that can be used with this technology, such as call forwarding and voicemail. Reference: characteristics of voip.
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