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According to Forbes, 71% of internet leads are lost to poor phone response time. This means that regardless of how good your online marketing campaign is, you need a reliable phone service for your business.
We’ve discussed this with different internet marketing experts from around the world, and they all agree that it will all come to naught if your prospects can’t talk to a sales rep quickly, efficiently, and reliably.
Since regular phone lines can’t always provide this reliability and flexibility, especially in today’s increasingly remote business world, you should at least consider a good Voice Over Internet Protocol or VoIP.
This has become the standard in business phone communication over the last decade, starting in large organizations, and spreading to smaller businesses and startups.
If you are a small business owner/entrepreneur interested in making the switch to VOIP, stick around. This article will outline the benefits of using this system and why you may want to take the plunge.
We won’t be explaining the way VoIP works in this piece. The fact that you’re reading this means that you probably already know the basics. If not, you can learn more on our blog.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s look at the seven biggest reasons a reliable voice-over IP service could be the next step your business has been waiting for.
The best VoIP providers offer a wide range of services for you to choose from for the most effective internal and external communication. These include but are not limited to:
These and other services provide the tools you need for more accessible and effective communication with your team members, prospects, and long-term customers.
Since VoIP works through the internet, you can use it to make calls from any device that can get online, as long as the correct app or software is installed. Your laptop, desktop, smartphone, and tablet can all become extensions to your business line.
The best part is that you don’t have to worry about giving clients your non-business contact info. Whenever you use VoIP software, your call is presented as coming from your business number regardless of the device.
With a VoIP system in place, you don’t have to worry about missing important messages, voicemails, and phone calls whenever you leave your office.
You also don’t need to worry about setting up call forwarding on your desk phone. Why? Because you can access all your messages and contacts remotely from any device.
In other words, you will basically carry your business phone with you wherever you go through the VoIP app. As long as there’s cell service or even a Wi-Fi internet connection, you’ll be able to make and receive calls, but also join a call conference and check your messages and voicemail.
All of the points we’ve made so far in this article may have been tempting. However, since you’re a responsible business owner/decision-maker, you’ve probably asked yourself how much all of these features would cost.
That’s a reasonable concern since we all know that high-tech solutions tend to come at a premium. Thankfully, this is one trend VoIP services don’t seem to follow.
While you’ll get a wide range of offers in terms of services and packages, most VoIP solutions are actually less expensive than traditional landlines. Obviously, you’ll want to make sure you’re familiar with all the terms and conditions before making the switch. These include any introductory rates, set-up costs, etc.
As explained earlier, VoIP works anywhere you have an internet connection. This means it is easy to add more phone numbers and accounts at any time. As you know, most of today’s offices are well-prepared for internet activity. Begin a cloud phone system, Yodel allows you to add members with different roles to your account. You can also pick another number from your dashboard which works from any device connected to the Internet.
All you need to do is contact your VoIP provider of choice and request another number assigned to an employee. There is no need to get an electrician in to set up a new phone jack or deal with miles of cables — if internet access is available, you can add another unique number in no time!
Any expanding business, especially nowadays, needs its employees to get on conference calls. Through VoIP, they can do this efficiently and effortlessly.
As an added perk, Yodel users can reap the benefit of the Office Hours feature which enables them to select time slots for when your company should be active. When calling outside your office hours, your callers will get notified that you’re not available at the moment. You can pair this feature with the Voicemail feature. Those calling will hear the recorded voicemail that presents them with more information about getting in touch with your organization.
While traditional landlines have stuck around for a long time for good reason, they are certainly not without fault. One of the biggest frustrations they cause is related to all the work you have to do to prepare for leaving the office for an extended period.
Setting up call forwarding, changing the voicemail, and all the other typical tweaks usually need to be done at your desk phone in your office. With VoIP, on the other hand, you can make these changes remotely from any device that has the app installed.
If you’re already at the airport, ready to board the flight for your week-long vacation, only to realize that you forgot to set up call forwarding and change your voicemail message, there’s no reason to worry. Make the changes from your smartphone or laptop before turning on “airplane mode.”
Other settings are also available, like how you’re alerted to voicemails, how your calls are forwarded, and whether your phone rings at all.
If you feel like your business is ready to go to the next level in communication, you should consider subscribing to a VoIP service. This will allow you to experience an additional dose of efficiency and freedom by untying your business phone from your desk.
With voice-over IP, you’ll have a business line on your smartphone or laptop in any location with an internet connection.
Olivia Maier
