What’s in a phone system?
When shopping for a virtual or packaged office, there are considerations you may not have thought of. Not all office services are the same, and when looking for the best value, an important factor would be the phone technology used to handle your calls. After all, the efficiency and smoothness of your phone answering service is the most critical part of a virtual office plan!
At Central Park Business Centre, we were one of the first in Vancouver’s packaged office industry to implement a state-of-the-art phone system that would allow for new and advanced features for all our clients. Here’s a glimpse of all the impressive tasks we can now perform with the click of only a few buttons. For our clients, that means more calls can be taken per minute, reducing the likelihood of missed calls.
Features
Benefits
See the screenshot below!
Your company greeting and name is always said right!
You can be recognized by face
Your information is always given out correctly and confidential information is never released
Calls can be filtered and numbers can be recorded for incessant callers or sales call backs
You’re never disrupted with an incoming call signal if you’re on the phone already and opt for ‘one call at a time’
Receptionist can keep track of your schedule to let callers know when they can reach you. Or, she can transfer calls to a number you chose based on your day’s status
You or a family member can be contacted immediately in case of an emergency
Callers can ask to speak to a specific person at your company, and get transferred to their direct line
See the screenshot below!
One receptionist at ONE number can handle calls for all your business locations or branches Save on staffing costs and training
Save on phone line costs
Clients always reach the right number, no matter what location they’re looking for
Calls are transferred seamlessly, with the click of a single button Callers can’t tell you’re at a remote location
Clients don’t know you’re using a virtual office compared to a physical office (i.e. no noise, pauses or strange clicks to give away your ‘secret’!)
Callers don’t get dropped during transfers and you never miss a connection
Voicemail to e-mail: Electronic .wav voice files recorded in your regular voicemail box are sent to your e-mail
E-mail shows date, time, message length and call back number.You can check messages on the go
Save on long distance charges while travelling
Avoid down time dialing in to your voicemail
Keep track of important voicemails and never experience a “mailbox full” memo
Voicemail notification can be sent to your cell phone Get immediate notification when you have a voicemail waiting for you
“Find me Follow me” feature dials up to 3 numbers simultaneously when a call comes in to your dedicated line You’re always connected to the office and never miss a call, whether at home, on a cell or at the office
Calls can be announced to you before the transfer connection You know who’s calling before you answer
When a call is transferred to a number of your choice, you see the caller ID of your client, not our main office line! Always know who’s calling and keep track of numbers you received calls from
Improve your response time in case a person doesn’t leave their number in a voicemail message
E-mail messages can be sent to you as the client is on the phone with the receptionist Eliminate hand written messages and illegible writing
Get the name and number for calling back instead of playing phone tag through voicemails
Gates and doors can be unlocked at remote locations as if your in-house staff were there to press the button themselves! Save on concierge costs
Have a concierge backup for afterhours meetings or sick/holiday time
All the above works with toll-free numbers! Allow international customers to reach you with the same level of service!
All of the above also works with an existing local area phone number you currently use!
*Limitations apply
No need to reprint marketing material
No lost customers because your number has changed
No “this number has changed” operator message.
Technology is important, especially when deciding to ‘go virtual’ as they say – after all, in this day and age, it’s technology that allows businesses to cut down on commuting, physical office space, and staff costs. And that’s not to mention the environmental benefits of having such a system in place.
However, just as not all virtual or shared office centres are alike, not all technologies make the cut. It’s no longer enough to simply have a phone answering service with a call forwarding button. Since technology advances so quickly, it’s important to go with a service that will keep your business up to date and running at the speed of the age. Voicemail to e-mail, here we come!
