| For a small business the cost of a phone system | | | | you can listen to on your computer.Receive |
| can seem disproportionate to its advantages. But | | | | Notification Of Failed CallsSome virtual |
| not having one can make a business seem less | | | | switchboards also have a very useful feature |
| professional and, worse still, can lead to lost | | | | whereby, if a caller hangs up without leaving a |
| business from inefficient handling of calls.The same | | | | message, you'll receive an email with the caller's |
| dilemma faces a small business start-up, which | | | | phone number so you can call back. In fact, with |
| these days can often mean working from home. | | | | a virtual switchboard you need never miss |
| One of the first considerations is what phone | | | | another call.Track Advertising ResponseIt isn't just |
| number to use in order to effectively handle | | | | business start ups that can benefit from a virtual |
| phone calls. Four options immediately become | | | | switchboard. It never ceases to amaze how |
| apparent: Use a mobile cell phone for business but | | | | many established businesses pay for expensive |
| risk not seeming professional. Immediately stand | | | | advertising then fail to answer every call. Just call |
| the cost of an extra business phone line. Use a | | | | a few tradesmen out of Yellow Pages and notice |
| home phone and again run the risk of seeming | | | | how many don't answer. In fact a recent survey |
| unprofessional when one of the kids picks it up. | | | | by TagMe found that a sample of their |
| Or use a human answering service, which adds | | | | customers was losing hundreds of thousands of |
| unnecessary cost to a start up business.However, | | | | pounds in missed calls.This is a situation where a |
| now, thanks to modern phone switch technology, | | | | virtual switchboard can easily track advertising |
| small businesses whether established or just | | | | response. By placing a different 08 phone number |
| starting, have a fifth option called a virtual | | | | into each advert, calls can be tracked in two |
| switchboard. And for those based in the United | | | | ways. First, when answering a call it can be |
| Kingdom, it is often free.A virtual switchboard | | | | announced, as described above, by the name of |
| enables any business to enjoy all the features of | | | | the source that generated the enquiry. Second, |
| a business phone system without any capital | | | | by referring to the call statistics made available by |
| expenditure or other costs such as installation, | | | | most virtual switchboard operators. This means |
| rentals, maintenance etc. In fact all you need is a | | | | you can easily verify which adverts produce an |
| land line phone number on which to receive | | | | acceptable level of response and which do |
| calls.Switchboard Features For Little Or No | | | | not.Record ConversationsThere are many |
| CostThis is how it works. Most virtual switchboard | | | | situations when a recording of a phone |
| operators in the UK provide a free non-geographic | | | | conversation can be of immense value either as a |
| phone number with a 08 prefix. When someone | | | | training aid or to resolve disputes about precisely |
| calls your 08 number, the call will route through | | | | what was said. Some credit card companies now |
| the phone company's switch and it this that does | | | | require merchants to record all credit card |
| all the clever work.The caller hears an | | | | transactions that are made by phone. But to |
| announcement that says something like "Please | | | | record conversations requires a capital |
| hold whilst we connect your call". Simultaneously | | | | expenditure on specialised recording equipment. |
| your home phone will ring. When you pick it up | | | | However, many virtual switchboard operators |
| you'll hear an announcement such as "You have a | | | | offer a call recording facility as well.Call Handling |
| call for the sales department. Please press any | | | | VersatilityA virtual switchboard can be used for |
| key to accept". This is how you know it is a | | | | your main business phone number or as a way to |
| business call. If one of the kids has picked up the | | | | easily obtain additional phone numbers for other |
| phone, this is their signal to pass the phone to you | | | | purposes such as marketing, customer services |
| to accept the call. This same feature can be used | | | | or support. Because your 08 switchboard number |
| to enable you to don an appropriate hat for sales, | | | | can easily be rerouted, it's also useful when |
| support, accounts etc.If you are particularly busy, | | | | certain services, such as product support, have |
| most virtual switchboards will advise the caller of | | | | been out sourced. If you change to a different |
| their queue position and play music on hold. And if | | | | outsource company, it is a matter of moments |
| you are engaged, the call can be routed to a | | | | to reroute calls to a new one.All in all a virtual |
| colleague at a different number. If the phone isn't | | | | switchboard can be of enormous value to |
| answered, the caller will be sent to voicemail | | | | businesses of all sizes in all sorts of situations that |
| where they can leave a message.Voicemail Is | | | | require calls to be handled effectively. And when |
| StandardVirtual Switchboards all have voicemail | | | | many are available at no cost it behooves any |
| and most will also send voicemail messages to | | | | business, large or small to take advantage of their |
| your email inbox as voice file attachments that | | | | flexibility to improve their call handling. |