As businesses shift to remote setups, there's an increased need for virtual phone systems. Working remotely means team members no longer have access to desk phones. Nevertheless, the emergence of virtual phone systems provides an alternative communication channel for businesses whose nature of operations is dependent on making and receiving calls.
As it turns out, virtual phone systems have greater benefits than old-fashioned ones. For example, physical landlines are less cost-effective for businesses than virtual phone systems because their cost per use is higher. Similarly, virtual phone systems are more dependable than landlines because they allow some level of flexibility to employees in an organization. Virtual phone systems are automated. Therefore, systems like power dial free up employees to attend to other tasks. In the long run, employees’ productivity and profitability will increase by empowering sales teams.
Some of the ways this happens are discussed in this article. Keep reading to learn more.
What Is A Virtual Phone System?
A virtual phone system is a technological innovation that facilitates communication through making and receiving calls through the internet or the cloud, as opposed to the traditional landline. Users can make or receive calls on their mobile phone, desk phone, or desktop app, all from the same business phone number.
One of the primary reasons most businesses are opting for a virtual phone system today is its advanced features. This innovation allows both small and large businesses to empower their teams, consequently enhancing their productivity.
However, to enjoy the benefits of a virtual phone system, it's recommended that you use professionals. It allows you to access a range of services all at once. Companies like Call Cowboy and others will offer auto-dialers and multiple call handling, which all help to supercharge your virtual phone system.
Understanding How Virtual Phone Systems Work
Virtual phone systems utilize existing hardware for your business to enable your team to work from anywhere, provided they have a good internet connection. This communication platform connects calls between local phone numbers and toll-free numbers. Additionally, unlike landlines, virtual phone systems don't require your company to do any form of line or switchboard maintenance. On the contrary, your provider takes care of that on your behalf.
The technology that enables your virtual phone system to function properly is known as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). It works by converting your voice to a digital signal using a VoIP codec. The signal is then compressed for easy transmission over the internet. When the call is received, the signal is uncompressed and converted back to analog. This ensures that the caller on the other end of the line hears your voice.
It's worth noting that a VoIP service provider is responsible for initiating the call between all callers. VoIP service providers optimize this technology by establishing an additional network of data centers. This facilitates flawless communication even in extreme weather conditions by allowing communication to switch to these redundant server systems.
Empowering Your Sales Team Through Virtual Phone Systems
The following are ways in which virtual phone systems help you and your team:
1. Virtual Phone Systems Promote Flexibility
A virtual phone system ensures that your sales team isn’t restricted to their desks. They can work from anywhere, provided they're meeting their objectives. This benefits your sales team in numerous ways.
For starters, a change in environment builds creativity in some individuals. This can help your team discover new tricks to generate leads for your business, enhancing their productivity.
In addition, this flexibility enables your sales team to multitask. Virtual phone systems allow individuals to forward office calls to their cell easily. Your sales team can meet their daily targets while in transit. Similarly, it enables your team to attend important industry events and conferences without worrying about missing out on other important leads.
Furthermore, the flexibility provided by virtual phone systems can make your sales team more satisfied with their job. Currently, most of the population prefers remote work because it allows them to save time and costs.
On the one hand, remote work saves your sales team from commuting to and from work, thus maintaining their morale. On the other hand, by not commuting to work, your sales team can save time, which they can spend doing other tasks, improving their productivity.
2. Virtual Phone Systems Have Features That Can Free Up Time For Your Team
Virtual phone systems are equipped with unique features that facilitate communication through the cloud and allow your sales team to save time. One of these features is the voice-to-email feature. This enables voicemails to be forwarded to an agent's email when they’re busy fulfilling other duties. This means they don't need to worry about missing important calls. Once the email is sent to an agent's email, they receive a notification and can respond to the client at a suitable time.
Virtual phone system features also allow the storage of customer information, which you can seamlessly integrate with your CRM. Consequently, this simplifies your sales team's responsibilities such as researching and prospecting, considering they can easily access this information. The features also save your sales agents time because customer details are stored on a unified platform, increasing accessibility.
Moreover, virtual phone system features reduce the backlog. For example, if one of your team members is taking time off from work, they can easily forward their calls to another agent. This can be done using the voicemail-to-email feature. Overall, freed-up time leaves sufficient time for your sales time to be productive.
3. Virtual Phone Systems Improve Team Communication And Collaboration
Communication is crucial in sales as it enables team members to brainstorm strategies they can use to execute their responsibilities successfully. Thankfully, virtual phone systems support communication between sales agents and customers or vendors and among sales teams. Whether your business is fully remote, hybrid, or has a physical location, a virtual phone system will facilitate effective communication between sales team members.
In addition, virtual phone systems provide a unified system for communication, which facilitates collaboration among your sales team. Some of the ways this communication technology promotes collaboration include messaging, file sharing, and conferencing. This enhanced communication and collaboration cultivate a culture founded on teamwork, which enables your business to thrive.
4. Virtual Phone Systems Facilitate Centralized Transactions And Access To Call Records
The unified nature of virtual phone systems promotes the centralization of transactions and call records. Consequently, this promotes transparency and improves data security. On the one hand, centralization of transactions makes it easy for your team to access vital data that can be useful in their daily operations.
On the other hand, sales team managers can access analytics in real-time and communicate feedback to their teams. Subsequently, this helps the team to make the necessary adjustments to their sales strategies for better outcomes.
5. Virtual Phone Systems Enable Your Sales Team To Generate More Leads
Virtual phone systems can help you generate more leads by helping you achieve first-call resolution. First-call resolution involves satisfactorily addressing a client's needs on the first call. For example, assume a sales team member is working remotely and needs to get back to a customer after receiving a voicemail notification in the email. The centralized feature of the virtual phone system enables them to retrieve the client's details from the CRM, and they make the call.
As the call progresses, the client seeks clarification about a product or service that the sales agent must confirm with a colleague. They contact the colleague through conferencing and can provide the customer with the answers they seek.
Then, the customer requests a demo, and the sales agent shifts to a video to do the demo. This consequently satisfies the client's curiosity and prompts them to make a purchase from your business or request a service. This not only helps you fulfill first-call resolution but also helps you convert a lead. Consequently, this improves the efficiency of your sales team and enables your businesses to thrive.
Moreover, virtual phone systems generate more leads through increased brand recognition and awareness. As mentioned earlier, this communication platform uses the same company number across the board. Consequently, prospects can associate the number with your brand.
As your sales team receive or make calls, existing and prospective clients can confirm your business's legitimacy through your company number. Access to the company's contact enables existing and prospective clients to feel valued and increases their willingness to associate with your brand. More notably, existing clients can refer customers to your business using your company number, helping you grow your audience.
6. Virtual Phone Systems Can Increase Sales
Your sales team stands to benefit from virtual phone systems through increased sales. This begins with the integration of your CRM and your virtual phone system, which promotes personalization. First, the integration lets you track your prospects and manage your leads by leveraging customer details.
For example, when a client calls one of your agents, the CRM retrieves information about them and pops up on the screen. Consequently, your sales agent speaks to the customer with familiarity, which makes them feel appreciated and valued. The outcome of this may be an increased willingness to purchase a product, request a service, or associate with your business. It's also possible to program the system such that client calls are routed back to a sales agent whose previous interaction with a customer yielded positive benefits.
Further, personalization is possible because integrating your business's CRM and your virtual phone system enables important customer details to be recorded. These may include personal details, complaints, and past purchases. This reduces the need for clients to repeat themselves and facilitates fast and easy resolution of issues. Consequently, customer acquisition and retention are made easier, which opens up sales opportunities.
Virtual phone systems make it easy to honor a client's communication preferences. For example, some customers prefer email or chat to calls, and this communication technology enables you to meet their expectations, improving personalization. Also, if your client asks to switch to video so you can give them a demo, you can easily do that. This may increase their willingness to make a purchase, thereby increasing sales.
7. Analytic Features In Virtual Phone Systems Promote Team Development
Virtual phone systems have analytics features that provide insights to your sales team. For starters, sales team leaders can access these analytics and evaluate areas of improvement for different team members. Consequently, they can share relevant feedback with individual team members to help them improve where necessary.
Similarly, due to the centralized aspect of the system, agents can also access these analytics anytime. The analytics may include call times and waiting time insights. This gives them a summary of their individual performance and helps them identify their weaknesses so they know the adjustments to make.
Further, the cloud-based call system includes an online portal. This feature allows sales team members to retrieve call recordings to go over them and identify areas of improvement.
8. Virtual Phone Systems Boost Efficiency
The seamlessness of this communication platform promotes efficiency among your sales team. An example is cold calling. The practice of cold-calling was quite exhausting and time-consuming, especially with landlines. However, with the introduction of cloud-based phone systems, cold calling benefits your sales team greatly.
Instead of dialing number after another, your sales team can use the call campaign feature. This feature enables one to create a call list that automatically dials the next contact after the previous call has ended. If anything, virtual phone systems have made cold calling a fun affair. This saves sales agent time and boosts their efficiency.
9. Virtual Phone Systems Promote Cost-Effective
Virtual phone systems save businesses from incurring high costs by routing phone calls over the internet or the cloud. Traditionally, landlines cost companies a fortune because every additional team member would mean additional costs for acquiring phones.
Additionally, the costs of installing old-fashioned phone services were relatively high, especially for businesses that had multiple locations. The maintenance fee made them even more costly as they needed to be tended regularly to remain efficient.
Nonetheless, cloud-based calling eliminates the need for purchasing expensive landlines or paying high installation fees. The cost of maintenance is also as high compared to that of landlines. Consequently, these modern phone systems enhance efficiency among your sales team, which increases your business's profitability. Overall, cost-saving and increased profitability are a reflection of the cost-effectiveness of virtual phone systems.
Summary
The shift to a remote work setup has increased the need for virtual phone systems. Their benefits lie in the fact that they have more benefits than traditional phone systems. For example, they're more cost-effective than landlines, more reliable, and offer more flexibility. Consequently, businesses have begun investing in them because of their ability to enhance productivity and profitability by empowering sales teams.
Virtual phone systems empower sales teams by promoting flexibility, saving time, enhancing communication and collaboration, and facilitating centralized transactions and access to call records. Additionally, they enable your sales team to generate more leads and increase sales while promoting team development, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Ensure you choose a trusted virtual phone provider as you plan your transition so your sales team can experience all these benefits.
0 Comments