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Friday, February 22, 2013

A Virtual Phone System for a Mobile Workforce

More and more workers are leaving their desks behind and working remotely – thanks to the new technology. A recent research project by International Data Corporation (IDC) has estimated that there will be around 1.3 billion mobile workers by the year 2015. Businesses must adapt to the evolving workforce to ensure that every day practices are handled. Businesses should cultivate a healthy communication system within the organization to support such mobile groups. A virtual phone system is an important resource in maintaining this healthy communication system within an organization.

Using a Virtual Phone

A virtual phone system allows you to create multiple extensions dedicated to every employee.  The auto attendant of a virtual phone quickly connects your customers with the person or department of his choice. Additionally you can also screen a call before answering it, use more than one phone number for forwarding calls and send unanswered calls to a voicemail box. They can also use a toll free number or a vanity toll free number to make their number memorable to their customers and at the same time providing them an easy way of contact.  Following are a few features of a virtual phone system that can actually help your mobile workforce in their business:

Auto Attendant

The auto attendant of a virtual phone system receives all your calls, greets and directs your callers on your behalf 24 hours a day 7 days a week ensuring that you miss no important calls from your customers. It practically eliminates the need for a receptionist.  You can record all your information on the auto attendant greeting and customers can have access to that information just by following a few simple instructions. You can also customize and change your information according to time, season and festival.

Call Forwarding

An auto attendant routes your caller to the right person or department. It receives any call and forwards it to the right person or department. But in case the right person is not available to answer the call, the automated attendant then forwards the call to the voicemail box. You can also set your system to forward calls to more than one phone number of your choice. You provide the phone numbers to the system and also specify the time and the day when you are available on each number to receive calls. The Follow-Me-Find-Me feature of a virtual phone system actually hunts you down to deliver the call. Though you are not tied to your desk you will not need to worry about missed calls.

Call Transfer and Screening

A virtual phone system also allows you to transfer calls to colleagues within the same office location or across the country.  This becomes very important for a mobile workforce. You can easily transfer a call to your colleague who is probably sitting across the country without the slightest knowledge of the caller.  This really helps in strengthening your communication not only with your customers but also with your co-workers. You can also screen a call before you answer it and answer it only when you feel the call is important.

Voicemail

If a customer leaves a voicemail in your voicemail box, your virtual phone system will send you an alert immediately. Your phone system also allows you to read your voicemail in your email. This is especially important for a mobile workforce because they can manage all their communications from one place.

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