Before the coronavirus crisis, remote working was surging. Now, it is here to stay and will become even more common in the months and years ahead. If your company isn’t gearing up for remote working solutions, you’ll be left behind by your competition. Here are 8 reasons why a cloud phone system is a transformative game-changer for remote working:
1. Remote workers can make and receive calls — as well as access many other functions such as chat, SMS, and presence — simply by plugging in an IP phone to their computer or laptop. Using a landline is not necessary.
2. Hybrid workers (those who spend part of the week in the corporate office and part of their time working remotely) can easily log into a desktop web phone that is linked to their unique profile, and contains their contacts, calling history, etc.
3. There is even a softphone app available for download to a smartphone to stay connected. This is ideal for “road warriors” such as field sales reps or on-site technicians, or if they simply need to step away from their home office during business hours. Outgoing calls display the business’s caller ID, which maintains a professional image and ensures privacy.
4. Staying connected with colleagues through conferencing is easy for remote employees. And thanks to wideband technology, the audio quality for all participants is extremely clear.
5. Anyone using VoIP phones (or supervisors/managers on their behalf) can create rules that automatically forward unanswered calls to any other number. This cuts down on voicemail and improves customer service.
6. Users can seamlessly transfer live calls from one device to another. For example, if they’re out for a walk they can answer a call on their smartphone, and once they return to their home office transfer it to their IP phone and continue the conversation.
7. Remote workers can check to see if a colleague is available/busy before transferring a call or adding them to a conference. They can also have a real-time SMS/chat simultaneously. For example, a customer asks a sales rep to confirm a part number. Instead of putting the customer on hold or transferring the call, the sales rep quickly sends a message to the technical support team and requests the information, receives a rapid response, and conveys this information to the customer. This is highly efficient and very customer-centric.
8. Supervisors and managers can keep an eye on key calling metrics, such as call frequency, call volume and average call duration. This data can be used for performance management and resource allocation. For example, if the support team is getting flooded with calls on Mondays, then more staff can be added to ease the burden. Or, if a specific support team member is regularly spending 30% more time on calls vs. his colleagues, then he can receive additional coaching or training.
A Final Word
Tools like a cloud phone system don’t just make business more effective and efficient, but they re-invent the work experience and take it to a whole new level. As such, if you have remote employees the question you need to ask isn’t “do we need a cloud-based phone system?” but “how can we expect to survive and succeed without a cloud-based phone system?”
Learn More
To learn more about enabling your remote workers to thrive in the new world of work, contact us today and schedule your free live guided demo of our cloud phone system, which we will deliver over-the-web.
Call us at (336) 544-4000 or chat with us during business hours by clicking the chat icon on the lower-left of your screen. We are a local Greensboro, North Carolina-based business with over 100 5-star reviews, and are here for all of your remote working needs!