When companies in Silicon Valley and the rest of the country had to abandon offices as the Coronavirus lockdowns began, many found they were being held back by a pretty large anchor. That anchor was their on-premises phone system.

When you have to be in a specific place to answer your business lines, it makes agility difficult. Workarounds to forward calls can be clunky and leave the customer waiting far too long on hold, which is bad for you and them.

33% of customers say their biggest frustration when contacting companies is having to wait on hold. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant businesses have had to completely re envision what their company operations look like. Cloud services have played a big part, being the critical component that makes it possible for everyone to work from different locations while still staying connected to their data, customers, and each other.

If your business is still anchored to your physical office by a landline, it’s time to consider moving to a cloud-based VoIP phone system that can ensure your business can operate efficiently from any location (or locations).

Why a Cloud VoIP Phone System is Important Post-Coronavirus

The pandemic has taught businesses that anything is possible when it comes to outside factors that can impact their operations.

Going forward, it’s important for business owners to keep flexibility and mobility in mind when planning as many business processes as possible. This includes one of the main ways that they speak with clients… their phone system.

VoIP phone systems look a lot different than they did just 10+ years ago. Today’s VoIP takes advantage of high-speed internet to offer crystal-clear quality and multiple enterprise-class features.

But the most important feature in a post pandemic environment is the ability to answer phones from any location, by computer, mobile device, or VoIP desk set.

Here are several ways that using VoIP can help you get through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

1. Lowers Operational Costs

Many companies have been hit with economic challenges due to the pandemic and related lockdowns. They’re looking for ways to lower costs without sacrificing the growth of their business.

VoIP offers a way to both improve the way you do things and save money at the same time. A cloud-based phone system can offer an average savings of 50% on phone bills alone, plus savings in additional areas, such as:

• No expensive hardware to purchase
• Maintenance cost savings
• Lower priced local and international calls
• You only pay for the lines you need at any time

The scalability of VoIP means you don’t have to invest a large amount of money in phone lines that you might not need later, like you do with an analog system. You can easily add or remove users as your needs change.

2. Allows Remote Teams to Operate Seamlessly

Having a business line is as necessary to a business as having email. So, if your employees have to work from home, they can be hampered if they don’t have access to the way they normally make and receive calls.

VoIP systems can create a seamless experience for both the user and the caller because they’re not dependent on being located in a particular place. Whether someone is on mobile, working from home, or at the office, they have the phone features they depend on and can get their calls without any workarounds.

This means better productivity because someone isn’t trying to figure out how to make a landline phone system work for their remote needs.

3. Improves the Customer Experience

Customers expect the same professional experience whenever they call your office. If your phone system has a dial-by-name directory, they expect to be able to use that anytime they call. 

If you’re having to resort to call forwards or using mobile phones, the customer experience can be frustrating, and a person can lose faith that your company “has it together” when it comes to customer support.

VoIP offers the same full-featured experience (hold music, auto attendant, etc.) for the caller no matter where your staff is located and employees can get their calls instantly via phone, mobile, or desk phone.

4. Eliminates “Number Confusion”

One challenge when you’re trying to accommodate remote workers and have a landline-based phone system is figuring out how those team members make and receive calls.

If employees are using their personal mobile phones or home landline, then customers will have multiple numbers they associate with your company and may not be sure which they should use.

If they don’t realize the number they’ve saved from the Caller ID is an employee’s home phone, they could call and be surprised hearing a younger family member answer when they expect your company.

VoIP gives employees a company line they use to call out on, which eliminates the potential number confusion that can happen when employees work from home. 

5. Improves Productivity Through Automation

While VoIP has the same types of features you get on an enterprise-class phone system, it also offers some features that you can’t get on an analog phone.

Features like having your voicemails automatically transcribed and emailed to you or having messages come into your CRM program and attach to the customer record are big time-savers. 

These cloud-based automations are unique to VoIP and can mean a big productivity improvement when it comes to call and message handling.

Let GEEK911 Help You Switch to a Better Phone System 

VoIP offers multiple benefits for companies navigating the post-pandemic environment. Let us help you transition smoothly to power more agile communications and save money at the same time.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation! Call 1-866-433-5411 or reach us online.