If you’re reading this post, then it’s likely that you’re ready to start the switch to a specialized Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system to help improve your business’s communications capabilities while cutting costs and creating an effective environment for remote work.
With all of the benefits that VoIP can provide, there’s little wonder why companies are jumping to adopt the technology. But w
hile making theswitch to VoIP is a relatively simple process overall, it can betricky to select the best VoIP service provider to meet the various needs of your company.
There’s no need for concern because our trusted communications industry professionals at G12 Communications are here to let you know what to look for when selecting the best VoIP service to meet the needs of your growing business.
Related: 10 Best VoIP Conference Phones for Your Business
The 20+ Top VoIP Features Your Business Needs
There is a massive selection for businesses to choose from when it comes to selecting a VoIP service provider, and it can be difficult to tell which ones are optimal for meeting all of your needs. Some VoIP providers only enable users to make calls to others using the same service. In contrast, others allow calls to be made and received from anyone with a phone number, whether local, long-distance, mobile or even international.
To help make the decision process smoother for you and your business, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the 20+ top VoIP features that your business should receive from whatever provider it chooses to work with.
1. Mobile App Connectivity
One of the critical advantages of VoIP networks is that they are primarily driven by their software and not restrained by hardware.
This feature allows users to connect to the VoIP system directly from their smartphone by installing a specific VoIP mobile application, allowing for the seamless creation of a flexible virtual office. This is an advantage for those needing to contact coworkers or clients from anywhere for their remote work.
2. Advanced Call Management
Advanced call management is a vital component of any phone service utilized by call-heavy businesses.
It allows users to prioritize, route, hold and even block incoming calls, actively supporting front desk operations while reducing customer frustrations. Effective call management can also significantly improve the overall call quality and impact of VoIP communications.
3. Auto Attendant
VoIP auto-attendant features offer businesses a way to handle massive amounts of incoming calls to connect customers to their desired recipients and even handle their problems outright with specific preset capabilities.
This feature removes the need for a human switchboard operator that’s required to remain calm, upbeat, and courteous all day long. Not only can this help reduce overall hiring costs, but it will also help keep your employees sharp and ensure that your customers remain satisfied with your call services.
4. VoIP Caller ID
Whether your business utilizes a VoIP system or not, caller ID is among the most valuable feature any telephone system can offer its users.
VoIP caller ID, much like any other form of caller ID, allows your employees to see who’s attempting to contact your business at any given time. Knowing this information can be highly beneficial in prioritizing calls and helping employees develop the most effective plan of action for handling call queues.
5. Call Forwarding
As a general rule, it’s essential for most businesses not to let important calls go unanswered, even if employees are unavailable or happen to be out of the office. This is especially essential if a business operates within a communication-heavy industry and depends on all the calls they receive to help turn a profit or address customer complaints.
Automatic VoIP and call forwarding features can transfer unanswered calls from office phones to mobiles or other designated devices, providing flexibility to employees and ensuring that customers will always be able to reach someone who can help.
6. Call Transferring
Call transferring is arguably one of the most valuable features of VoIP technology, especially for businesses with multiple departments that see significant levels of daily call traffic.
Employees can establish a seamless connection between callers and their intended recipient by sending either a quick cold transfer or providing the easy introduction needed for a warm transfer.
Related: What is a VoIP PABX System? Key Features of PABX You’ll Want to Know
7. Call Queues
Another crucial VoIP feature that’s perfect for businesses that receive sizeable daily call volumes is known as call queueing, which allows for the automatic and strategic distribution of inbound calls to predetermined staff, teams, and business departments.
This feature is highly effective for reducing waiting times for customers while also enabling front-facing office teams to handle more calls at a single time.
8. Custom Music When on Hold
While call queueing and forwarding can do a lot to help reduce long wait times for customers, it’s unlikely to get rid of them completely. Because of this, businesses need to consider ways to make them easier for customers to handle and maybe even extend the total amount of time they’re willing to wait on hold.
Uploading and playing popular audio files while a customer waits for a response can be a great place to start and removes the aggravation they may feel from waiting in silence.
9. Call Screening
VoIP call screening allows employees to make smarter decisions when accepting, declining, and escalating an incoming call.
It even gives them a chance to send calls directly to voicemail. This feature works with the caller ID feature to help reduce instances of crank calls, spam, and other types of unwanted calls that can reduce business productivity.
10. Call Notifications
Not only is it essential for businesses to answer calls in general, but it’s also crucial that they answer calls quickly, even if it’s just to ask the caller to wait on hold for a moment.
VoIP call notification features send emails to designated employees when specific calls come in. Optimizing this feature can help ensure that the most high-profile clients are directly connected to relevant account managers or other high-ranking employees right away.
11. Priority Alerts
Priority alerts are a fantastic feature that provides employees with advanced information on every call a business receives.
Configuring this feature allows companies to set specified ringtones and other identifiable characteristics to indicate the calls of highly valued customers.
12. Anonymous Call Rejection
Whether in business or personal life, the truth is that not all calls are worth taking. You don’t want your employee’s time wasted dealing with a continuous wave of crank calls that keep them from addressing the needs of legitimate customers.
Thankfully, anonymous call rejection features can help prevent blocked and anonymous caller IDs from getting through.
Is your business currently needing innovative, cost-effective solutions to improve its productivity and communication services while enhancing employee flexibility? Contact us today at G12 Communications to talk with our team of trusted industry experts and learn what we can do for you.
13. Extension Dialing
Extention dialing allows VoIP users to customize and manage an extension numbering system for their business, which is beneficial if said business contains multiple teams or departments.
This feature also creates shorter wait times for consumers and addresses their issues more quickly. Depending on the VoIP service, extensions can include between 2 to 5 digits.
14. Voicemail
Sadly, there are times when calls cannot be taken at a specific time, so businesses must offer consumers the option to leave a voicemail.
This helps customers feel like they don’t waste their time making their call. Ideally, your VoIP voicemail services should also come along with voicemail greetings and forwarding options as part of their basic packages. However, more advanced options may also include voicemail to email and voicemail to text options.
15. Custom Ringback
Established businesses and brands need to differentiate themselves by establishing a clear identity.
Custom ringback features that allow brands to preset the messages customers will hear during callbacks can be helpful with this. Businesses can play specially made audio files that incorporate a unique corporate jingle or popular sound byte associated with their brand.
16. Speed Dial
Speed dial is another essential feature for businesses operating in call-heavy industries. It allows employees to dial a shorter number sequence to make calls to frequently used numbers more quickly. It also allows employees to keep track of fewer phone numbers.
17. Instant Messaging
Many customers in the modern era prefer to use instant messaging apps rather than making phone calls, especially millennials and GenZers.
This is likely to be a continued trend seen with future generations, so businesses need to ensure they’re following the trends. Thankfully, many VoIP PBX and PBAX systems offer instant messaging capabilities.
18. Call Recording and Rating
Yet another fantastic benefit of VoIP technology is that it makes it easy to record phone calls, which can help improve business performance and customer service.
Reviewing phone calls can also help businesses make plans to set better quality standards, increase customer retention, improve revenue generation, and more.
Related: How You Can Build the Best VoIP Architecture for Every Network Type
19. Three-Way Calling
Many businesses need the ability for more than two people to join a call at a time, so VoIP three-way calling features are a must-have. Thankfully, they typically come standard with most VoIP services.
20. Video Conferencing
Videos can make a significant difference in quality communication when people from multiple locations need to have a meeting. It also serves as a much more effective selling and marketing tool than phone calls alone.
21. A Toll-Free Number
Many customer-centric businesses typically have toll-free numbers that non-local consumers can use without having to worry about extra fees on their phone bills. Customers appreciate this feature, making them more likely to contact your business in the future.
22. A Free Local Phone Number
Instead of traditional landline numbers, many VoIP services offer their users a free local phone number to help businesses retain corporate visibility within a local market. This factor can also make it more likely for local consumers to answer calls from a company.
23. Online Fax
VoIP services offer several ways to send faxes online, including directly through emails or from traditional fax machines. While faxes may not be as essential or common as they once were, it’s good to know that VoIP can make the process easier for users.
24. SIP Trunking
SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol, and SIP trunking provisions allow businesses to send and receive calls from their PBX or PABX system using an IP network to improve the quality of their communication networks.
25. Upgrade Options
No matter how great your current VoIP features are, it’s always nice to know you have the option to upgrade your existing systems and unlock even more capabilities. Be sure to look through the different service packages your VoIP provider offers to learn about what additional features you have the ability to unlock down the line if you end up needing them.
Final Factors to Keep in Mind
Ensuring that your business has access to all of these essential VoIP features (and more) is an important key to locating the best possible VoIP service provider to meet your needs.
If you’d like to learn even more about VoIP and why your business needs to consider making the switch, book a meeting with G12 Communications today. We proudly provide a range of specialized services and solutions and cost-effective hardware to businesses in numerous industries, including healthcare, government, banking, financing, enterprise, and more.
Discover the value we provide to our clients when it comes to accessing cost-effective, carrier-grade communication services in more than 45 countries. We’ve served the needs of several industries for more than 20 years and proudly feature a 95% customer satisfaction rate for our ability to reduce IT maintenance workloads, unify telecom infrastructures, integrate a wide range of tools into single, convenient systems, and much more.
Does your business or company need an effective way to reduce IT workloads, cut costs, boost productivity, and enhance communication services while promoting the flexible capabilities of a remote-ready workforce? Reach out to our team of trusted industry professionals at G12 Communications to learn about everything we can do to help.
