| First Impressions: A Business Phone System Builds Credibility |
| by Gabby Hyman, writer |
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| Customers form lasting impressions based on their very first telephone contact with a business. If you have ever given up doing business with a company after languishing on hold or being disconnected by poor telephone service, you know how customers feel. |
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| Powerful and affordable hosted private branch exchange (PBX) and business Internet phone systems can give even a modest-sized office the polished customer service competence that is usually synonymous with a larger organization. |
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| When you buy or lease one of today's ultra-efficient business phone systems, you're really talking about adding customer-facing features that show your callers that they matter--pleasant greetings by name, short wait times, direct connections to qualified sales or service agents, expert forwarding, and voicemail that's returned promptly. Best of all, today's phone systems scale to match your growing business. |
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Selecting Features with Hosted PBX or Business Internet Phones
Hosted PBX phone systems can add big business services at small-business prices. Your provider manages your phone system, which cuts down on equipment purchase and maintenance costs. With hosted PBX, you can add features to match your growing clientele. Customers are greeted promptly and matched up with your chosen representatives. You can add computer telephony integration (CTI) that hooks your business phones to your internal databases. When someone calls, you have immediate access to their names, records of transactions, and services they typically need.
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| Many small and medium-sized businesses are turning to Internet-driven phone systems that allow customers to connect whether workers are in the office, at home, or on the road. Customers experience professional service levels even if their favorite sales agent is working from home. |
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First and Lasting Impressions
Both hosted PBX and business Internet phone systems can benefit from auto-attendant functionality. The auto-attendant picks up incoming calls instantly and lets your customers know they're dealing with a busy professional organization that wants to direct their call to the right party as expeditiously as possible. They can use their phone keypad to connect directly with someone who knows their needs.
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| If your business is growing, you can add automatic call distribution (ACD) options that balance incoming calls among available service agents without over-taxing your resources or shelving clients on deadly hold patterns. Computer telephony options for your business phone system can also provide "pop screens" that contain critical information about your customer and that display on your computer monitor the instant they call. |
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| Computer-assisted options, available on both Internet phone and hosted PBX systems, can help capture essential information about who called, how long they waited, and how much time your employees spent to help them. Today's telephony solutions help you develop world-class service levels no matter how large or small your business. The bottom line--when it comes to your reputation, isn't it all about service? |
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About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK. |
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