Many a year ago the telephone was nothing more than… a telephone.  Two people holding a conversation electronically from far and wide.  At the time, it was a remarkable accomplishment.

The telephone system has moved on lots since then – and the ability to speak to another person or a group of people in different venues remains vital in many business operations.

Have you ever worked for a company that did not have some sort of telephony requirement?  I didn’t think so.

Whether it’s a small or medium enterprise, or a nationwide company, we all need to speak to our customers, clients, suppliers and colleagues.

Whatever the requirements, the modern telephone system enables businesses to do more than just converse.  But not all businesses are making the most of these opportunities.  Here is our guide to using your telephone system more effectively:

Automation

The Auto Attendant facility on your phone system removes the need for paying a receptionist of human operator.  Calls are answered automatically and are then routed to the appropriate department or employee.

This feature can be particularly for small companies who cannot afford to employ a receptionist, and useful for those who don’t want their staff distracted from work and spending time answering phone calls that aren’t for them.

Voicemail

If you’re in a meeting, away from your desk or simply unable to answer a call – the Voicemail feature can record your calls.  This solves a whole host of problems, whereby the call leaves a message which can be returned later.

Personalised voicemails that are clear and concise often work best.  For example, if you are going to be away from your phone for all day, or a long period – you may wish to provide alternative contact details, such as speaking with one of your colleagues.

Conference Calls

Conference calling allows multiple individuals to participate from different venues and handsets.

This saves expenses on petrol and a whole host of time, as everyone can join the call from their office or home, instead of needing to drive for hours from far and wide for everyone to meet in an office room.

IT and Telephony Integration

The convergence of IT and telephony technologies means that a phone system can integrate with a company’s IT applications.  For example, this could be their Customer Relationship Management system.

This has thrown up a whole host of opportunities to improve productivity within the business, as well as the ability to serve your customers more efficiently.

On the Cloud

Cloud computing is becoming more and more familiar with many business owners and managers alike.  Telephone systems have also moved onto the cloud and businesses are benefiting from these hosted solutions.

Their popularity is increasing because they do not require hardware installation on a company’s premises.

This breakthrough in technology allows business to run their telephone systems over the internet and provide a range of additional features and benefits in comparison to traditional phone systems.

Employees working from home is a great example of one of the many benefits that cloud hosted telephony can provide.

Effective Telephone Systems

Out with the old and in with the new we say – grab yourself an effective business telephone system from a company such as Network Telecom where you can have all the latest features to improve productivity and efficiency for your business.  Call them today on 0800 097 6543 for more information.