According to CFI group’s Contact Center Satisfaction Index for 2020 report, 76% of users prefer to use the phone for communicating with a business. So it’s clear that good old phone support is not going anywhere anytime soon. So it’s essential that you have a business phone system up and running that can give your business and its customers the best possible experience.

However, with so many different business phone services and systems on the market, finding the right one for your business can be a daunting task. To help make the process easier, we’ve put together this guide that highlights the essential business phone features to help your small business succeed. So you can keep this checklist close at hand when looking into a business phone system that is right for you and your business.

7 Must Have Business Phone System Features

#1 Auto Attendant

Auto attendant is a popular feature of modern business phone systems that helps automate call routing and improve the customer experience. Essentially, an auto attendant is a virtual receptionist that answers incoming calls and provides callers with options for navigating the phone system.

The benefits of an auto attendant include creating a more professional image for your business by ensuring that every call is answered promptly and professionally, while freeing up your receptionist or call center staff to focus on more complex customer issues. An auto attendant also provides self-service options for routing calls, which can help reduce wait times and improve customer satisfaction.

#2 Call Analytics

Businesses can leverage call analytics to gain valuable insights about their phone communication systems. This data can be used to identify the effectiveness of marketing campaigns by tracking inbound calls generated from specific campaigns. Additionally, businesses can use call analytics to evaluate areas of improvement in customer service, such as long wait times and frequent call transfers, to enhance the customer experience.

The call analytics feature provides real-time monitoring of call flow, which is especially beneficial for sales teams. Businesses can use call analytics to identify high-priority leads, determine which sales representative is answering the most calls, and redirect calls from employees with a long queue to those with more availability.

#3 Conference Calls

Conference calls are a key feature of many business phone systems and can be a valuable tool for teams to collaborate, communicate and hold meetings remotely. With conference calling, multiple participants can be connected to the same call, allowing for efficient and effective group communication.

Conference calls can offer several benefits for businesses. For one, they allow for more efficient communication and can save time and money by eliminating the need for travel to in-person meetings. Conference calls can also enable better collaboration and decision-making, as participants can share information and ideas in real-time, and have discussions as a group.

#4 Call Queues

Call queues are a vital feature of modern business phone systems that help to manage high volumes of incoming calls efficiently. A call queue is a virtual line of callers waiting to be connected with an available representative or agent. When all representatives are busy, callers are placed in a queue until an agent becomes available to handle their call.

Using call queues as a feature of a business phone system can offer numerous benefits, such as reducing wait times for customers and improving overall call centre efficiency. By ensuring that calls are routed to the most appropriate representative and that customers are kept informed while waiting in the queue, businesses can provide a better customer experience. Additionally, with call queue reporting and analysis, businesses can identify areas for improvement and optimise their call centre operations over time.

#5 Call Forwarding

Call forwarding is a business phone system feature that allows calls to be directed to a different phone number or extension. It is an essential feature for businesses that require employees to work remotely or have multiple locations.

One of the main benefits of call forwarding is that it can improve customer service and ensure that important calls are not missed. For example, if an employee is out of the office or on vacation, they can set up call forwarding to ensure that their calls are still answered promptly. This can help businesses maintain a professional image and ensure that customers are satisfied with their service.

#6 Call Recording

Call recording is a business phone system feature that allows businesses to record phone conversations for various purposes such as training, quality assurance, compliance, and dispute resolution.

One of the most significant benefits of call recording is its ability to serve as a training tool for new employees. Managers can use call recordings to evaluate an employee’s performance and identify areas where they need improvement. This can help businesses to develop a more skilled and efficient workforce.

#7 Personal Greetings

Greetings and announcements are an important feature of business phone systems that help organisations to create a professional and consistent image while managing incoming calls. With greetings and announcements, businesses can customise their phone system’s messages to provide callers with information about their services, hours of operation, or other important information.

One of the key benefits of greetings and announcements is that they can help businesses to manage high call volumes more efficiently. By providing callers with relevant information through pre-recorded messages, businesses can reduce the amount of time spent on each call and ensure that calls are routed to the appropriate department or representative. Moreover, greetings and announcements can also improve the overall customer experience by providing a more personalised and professional touch to a business’s phone system.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, having a reliable business phone system with essential features is crucial for any company looking to communicate effectively with customers and employees. The seven must-have features, including call analytics, conference calls, call queues, auto attendant, call forwarding, call recording, and greetings/announcements, provide businesses with the tools to improve communication efficiency, optimise customer service, and increase productivity.

By selecting a phone system that offers these features, businesses can streamline their communication processes, enhance the customer experience, and ultimately drive growth and success.

Let SpringCom Take Care of Your Business Phone System

Leave your small business phone system to SpringCom, Australia’s preferred small business phone system experts. You can kick your feet up and relax as we take care of everything for you and make sure your phone system has all the must have features you need to succeed. With our system, you can enjoy budget-friendly solutions like voicemail to email, on-hold messages, and auto-attendants that can help your business project a more significant image while providing you with the freedom and convenience of answering work calls remotely.

Experience the benefits of SpringCom’s cost-effective solutions and grow your business by contacting us today at 1300 857 194!