When working remotely, there are many tools you can use to communicate with your colleagues and clients. You have email, analog phone calls, internal discussion forums, and issue tracking software. However, if you want to dramatically improve business performance, softphones are the way to go. Here's just a few of their benefits for your business.
Anytime, anywhere business phone
Softphones are applications you can run on internet-enabled devices like a smartphone or laptop. This removes the need for a physical handset, allowing you to make and receive calls from any location with an internet connection. Even if your workers are working remotely, softphones give them a lot of flexibility. They don’t have to waste time setting up lines for a traditional phone unit in their home office — with a softphone app, they can easily turn their personal smartphone into a business-level communication tool. Employees with a decent headset or microphone also get to enjoy hands-free calls.
Reduced costs
One of the biggest benefits of using softphones is that they significantly cut costs. Instead of spending a lot of money installing and maintaining office phone equipment, you only have to pay a small subscription fee to get powerful softphone features on your mobile device and computer. Your softphone provider will take care of all costs associated with server and system maintenance. More importantly, softphones transmit communication data over the internet rather than traditional phone lines. This means you won’t have to deal with expensive local and long-distance rates. In fact, some softphone providers offer a reduced rate for international calls, while others allow you to make calls for free.
User-friendly interface
Softphones come with an interactive user interface that’s easy to learn. If you want to transfer a call to a colleague, you just have to drag and drop the call to their name — there’s no need to dial an extension on your phone. If you need to call someone, all you have to do is search for their profile via a search bar and just click on their name to initiate a call. If you don’t want to be disturbed while working, you can enable the “do not disturb” mode for specific time frames to redirect incoming calls to voicemail or to the next available person. What’s more, softphones provide incoming call notifications with caller ID and profile information so you know exactly who you’re talking to.
High-quality video conferencing
If you need something more engaging than a simple phone call, softphones allow you to host multiparty video conferences. These make it easy to conduct team and company-wide meetings even if people are miles apart from one another. Participants can also see important visual cues through body language, making meetings with clients and colleagues more effective and more personal. Some softphone services even let you share your screen so you can better coordinate with remote workers on specific projects.
Tight integration with enterprise software
Another benefit of softphones is that they can complement your existing systems. When softphones are integrated with your customer relationship management software, for instance, you’ll be able to compile previous call logs and relevant client information before making a call. This is particularly useful for customer service and sales staff who need contextual information to provide better service to your clients.
All in all, softphones are perfect for any business that wants to operate at peak performance. They’re intuitive, feature-rich, and cost-effective, so if your business doesn’t have this essential communication tool, get an upgrade today. Call us now to enhance your communication systems!