Hosted and virtual PBX phone systems offer a lot of great cloud-based features that can improve your business and your daily life. Adding in a virtual PBX system can help you with mobility and manage calls while you move throughout your different work areas. The road warrior can now be as robust as the office manager when it comes to phones, thanks to these powerful systems that live in the cloud.
Virtual PBX systems offer a lot of compelling features and here are some of the top system offerings that you should look for when you pick your own PBX system to improve your business.
1. Mobile Access on Your Device
Lots of providers have added different support for smartphones and tablets, allowing you to bring all of your PBX systems with you no matter where you go. You can make calls, listen to voicemails, manage your account, and send or receive faxes directly from these devices on most virtual PBX platforms.
The big thing to look out for on mobile platforms is the potential for extra charge of usage caps. Some plans will only give you a certain amount of time you can call from a mobile device while still showing customers a business phone number. Other platforms charge for SMS messages or voicemail access through their apps. You’ll want to do your research and check out virtual PBX reviews for more information about what is covered and what isn’t.
2. Internet Faxing
Did you know that many small businesses don’t have a fax machine? That means it’s a pain to send and receive faxes when a customer requires that or wants to provide you with content via fax instead of email.
One great benefit of many virtual PBX platforms is that they have a virtual fax machine too. This means you can save files from your computer into the PBX system and then “fax” these files in the same way that you’d email them to someone–the only difference is that you put in a phone number instead of an email address.
You’ll also get a directory where the PBX saves incoming faxes as a document, usually a PDF. That allows you to save faxes forever and print them only if you need it. Not only does that save on paper and ink, but you get a copy that’s always around.
3. Text Voicemails
Most virtual PBX systems offer the ability to translate your voicemails to text through an email or text message. This allows you to get and read voicemails no matter where you go. This has become a standard offering and small businesses swear by it. The big thing for you to research in virtual PBX systems is whether you have to pay for this option or if the company you’re looking at provides it for free.
4. Hold Music and Messages
Small businesses never want to appear small to new customers. The best way to avoid that is to have professional hold music on your phone system when someone is trying to reach you or your sales department.
Many virtual PBX systems allow you to select from professional hold music for any listeners, but a new trend is to allow you to upload your own audio. While this isn’t good for uploading your own music–you need to pay royalties for that–it does mean you can tout your services and products. Want to really stand out? Get a customer to record a quick testimonial for you and loop that in, too.
5. Find-Me, Follow-Me
It’s well-documented that more Americans are working away from desks and putting in hours on-the-go or shifting to telecommuting positions. With the flex hour craze, it’s becoming harder to reach specific individuals in a company. The Find-Me–Follow-Me features allow PBX systems to ring people when they’re away from their desk, even setting up a cascade of numbers to run through during work hours. The best part is that you’ll always be reachable, but clients will only have a work number and never that home or mobile’s direct line.