Is your phone system preventing you from growing your business? According to 411 Locals, 62 percent of phone calls to small businesses are left unanswered.
The effects of leaving company lines unattended prove to have devastating consequences. As a result, each year businesses allow 62 billion dollars to slip into the wallets of their competitors.
For Instance, I recently called a handful of snowmobile rental companies to compare rates. The caller experience ranged dramatically – from a full voicemail box with one business to a prompt answer from a sales representative with whom I eventually made my reservation. Contrary to popular belief, it’s actually quite simple and affordable to deploy a cloud-based telephone system, especially when you consider the profit-making opportunities you’ll no longer miss.
Let’s examine the five ways the right phone system will help you grow your business.
Never Miss a Call Again: Compare Business Phone Plans
- Never Turn Away Customers
A fundamental step to growing your business is an obvious one, yet many businesses continue to turn customers away at the virtual door. With the right business phone service, your customers can be greeted and routed to the right person or department. However, in the situation that your staff is helping other customers, features like Call Blasting or Advanced Transfers can be setup to ensure you don’t turn away a lead. - Utilize Phone Numbers for Expansion
Business telephone numbers are not just essential for enterprises. Local, Toll-Free, and International Numbers offer a host of benefits to businesses of all sizes. In fact, SMB’s stand to benefit greater by appearing larger and more professional than the competition. In addition, business numbers offer convenience, security, and advertising benefits. With the help of VirtualPBX, you can find out exactly which type of phone number can help your business expand. - Leverage Features for Efficiency and Performance
Does updating your business holiday hours require a technician? Consequently, the amount of time and energy it takes to make simple updates to legacy systems stalls business growth. With modern hosted PBX, anyone can manage a powerful virtual phone system with ease. Above all, features like Auto Attendant, Email-to-Fax, music/info on hold, and Business/Holiday Hours will improve your operational efficiency and communication performance. - Cut the Cord on Expensive Overhead
It’s no secret that overhead expenses are a necessary evil in business. But, when is the last time you evaluated if you’re overpaying for phone service? Switching to VoIP can lower your phone bill by up to 40-80%. Furthermore, businesses can enjoy long term savings on maintenance, infrastructure costs, and more. In order to achieve sustainable growth, it’s important to cut the cord on outdated phone system pricing structures. - Upselling and Cross-Selling
Most importantly, growing a business is about the bottomline. 92 percent of all customer interactions happen over the phone. It’s the ideal time to upsell or cross-sell products that will make customers lives easier. Furthermore, by sharing on-hold greetings, reservation info, and seasonal specials, you build stronger relationships and increase customer lifetime value.
Grow Your Business in One Step
In conclusion, the answer to how you can grow your business is a simple one. My experience searching for a snowmobile was symbolic of missed opportunity. Consider a full-featured business telephone system today. It may just land you a lifelong customer.
