5 Must-Have Features of a Cloud Phone System
A cloud phone system offers many features to improve your team’s productivity. Some of these include an auto-attendant that simplifies and speeds up call flow, contact notes that allow team members to reference previous client interactions, and real-time collaboration tools such as conference calls and snippets. When using personal phones for business, proprietary client data moves out of the office with employees—and may even be stolen or lost. A scalable cloud phone solution eliminates this risk by offering a secure, mobile-friendly option.
Voicemail Transcriptions
Voicemail transcription converts audio messages into text so employees can access them easily. It’s a great feature for companies that have teams in different locations. Employees can instantly see what was discussed and how to respond to the caller without listening to the entire voicemail message. This great article saves time and makes it easier for employees to prioritize calls and take action on them. For example, a customer help center may be flooded with calls. Employees can use the transcript to identify callers quickly, route them to the right team members, and follow up with customers as needed. Ultimately, this improves their overall performance and productivity.
Auto-Replies
For teams with many support reps, auto-replies ensure customers can quickly get the help they need. These systems use tools like call routing and IVR to route calls to the best representative available without lengthy hold times. This feature is also ideal for remote workers. With it, employees can remain connected to their clients even on the go. They can start a video conference, ping teammates, and send files from the app on their phone, desktop, or tablet. For small businesses and solopreneurs, these systems allow them to take advantage of the features offered by unified business communication providers without worrying about hardware or infrastructure costs. This allows them to focus on their work and answer all customer inquiries promptly and accurately.
Contact Notes
Cloud business phone systems provide a local virtual phone number and toll-free customer service line that can develop trust among customers as they know the company has a dedicated support department for their needs. Additionally, this system can increase flexibility, responsiveness, and mobility while reducing time to value as the vendor takes care of all maintenance. Contact Notes are the framework for logging past interactions with a customer on their contact record. They can be added manually one by one, in bulk via automation, or upon completion of a task. They can also be made private so that only the user that entered the note or those with ‘view private’ permission settings can see it. This feature can help track and report your team’s performance as the logged notes can be viewed within the Activity Report. Various options exist to customize how notes are viewed, including sorting and displaying names.
Integrations
When employees use personal phones for business calls, they risk their privacy. If a phone is lost or stolen, proprietary client data can be exposed. Cloud-unified communications provide a safe and secure way to ensure team members have access to the correct information at the right time. A great cloud phone system will include integrated tools that increase efficiency and productivity. For example, a caller ID screen-pop feature allows customer service representatives to identify callers before picking up the phone and helps them build a better rapport with customers. Additionally, a great provider will offer team collaboration features like instant messaging, screen sharing, visual voicemail, and free conference calls to enable businesses to connect without switching platforms or devices. These efficiencies allow teams to stay productive at all times, whether in the office or remotely.
Shared Numbers
A great cloud phone system allows users to share calls, voicemails, and messages. This feature is handy for remote teams and eliminates the need to forward personal numbers or use separate business lines. It also provides visibility into conversations to pick up where another team member left off. Businesses that sell to or support customers, clients, vendors, and suppliers across the globe need a communication solution that is reliable, flexible, and easy to manage globally. A sound cloud phone system should provide international calling capabilities, including rates by country, pay-as-you-go credits, and a global call menu for easy call routing and distribution. Smaller businesses and solopreneurs need a tool that gives them mobility without being tied to a landline or office space. A sound cloud phone system should offer mobile and web apps so you can start a video conference, ping teammates, or send a text message on the go.
