The first VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services were launched in 2004, and since then the technology has come a long way with new VoIP features being added each year. VoIP allows users to make and receive free voice and video calls from and to anywhere over the Internet.
In recent years VoIP providers have discovered increasingly innovative uses for VoIP technology that are helping all size businesses to be more productive, scalable and cost-efficient simultaneously.
Here are the five innovative VoIP features that your business should consider:
1. Interactive voice recognition
Whenever you call a company and are greeted by a pre-recorded voice asking you to select the reason for your call, it means company uses an interactive menu based on a VoIP system. Interactive VoIP menus have integrated this voice recognition software to provide a more intuitive means for users to choose options.
Very soon, you will be able to explain your question as if you were talking to a human and the VoIP-based interactive voice recognition system will be able to determine who is the most appropriate employee or department to attend to your query.
2. Integration
VoIP allows an office manager to create a linked-up network of phones that can communicate with each other. Via an online portal, VoIP technology system is able to show employees when any particular colleague is already busy on the phone and unable to answer another call. In addition, VoIP enables the integration of the phone system into other physical areas of the office, making it possible, for example, to answer the door buzzer and unlock the door from your desk, all through your desktop phone handset.
3. In-call Employee Monoriting
Since a VoIP phone system is entirely integrated, it allows an employee to listen in on the phone call of another employee with or without their knowledge. This is especially valuable for team leaders and managers looking to monitor and improve the call performance of their employees. This feature is known as ‘barge’.
Another very useful feature is called ‘whisper’, which enables an employee to speak to his or her colleague during a call without the customer at the other end of the line being aware of it. With whisper, managers are also able to coach their team members during calls and not only before and after.
4. Call routing and forwarding
Today, VoIP routing and forwarding systems are incredibly advanced and offer endless capabilities. A customer call can be directed to an interactive menu as well as to employees or departments located in a different office or even different state.
A very useful feature, especially for telecommuters or business travelers, is the ability to forward a call from their desktop phone to their mobile or even their laptop.
5. Conference calls
VoIP technology offers numerous possibilities when it comes to conference calling such as allowing video conference between many different users. Some VoIP service providers even host this feature for free. Besides allowing communication, it also enables you and your team to exchange files and sync calendars. Before, a traditional phone line would typically only allow calls to be made between two users using two phones.
These are only five VoIP features of the many things that VoIP technology can provide for your business. But you will only feel and see the benefits once you make use of this ever-innovating and growing technology.
