CloudPhone Blog

You have a business phone line and with it you probably have a voicemail box -- but are you using it to its full potential? While a voicemail box seems pretty straightforward, there are a few steps you can take to make it a valuable marketing and customer service tool.

Let's take your own experience into consideration here. When you reach a business voicemail, you expect to hear the basics: who you're calling and a prompt to leave some sort of information. But what if you were also told what information you could leave to expedite your request, or better yet, if the voicemail greeting contained all the information you were calling about and your problem is solved -- you would be a happy customer, right? Right.

Now it's your turn. Here are a few easy tips to get your business voicemail up to speed.

1.     Identify your business 

Have you ever called a business and been unsure if you dialed the right number – even after you reached a person or a voicemail message? You probably felt confused and frustrated. Clearly stating who you are (when applicable) and your company name will reassure callers they’ve reached the right number – while also reducing the number of hang-ups, redials and irrelevant messages from accidental callers. This is also a great opportunity to insert your marketing message/tagline. Take full advantage of voicemail as a customer touchpoint - why not? 

1.     Be personable

Your business voicemail must be professional, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Incorporating your brand's voice and tone will reinforce your brand image through the voice channel and is a great way to impress and engage your callers.

1.     Provide useful information

Sharing important information on your business voicemail greeting – like business hours, when you expect to respond, and where callers can find information to frequently asked questions – saves you time listening and answering to unnecessary messages, while also providing instant support.

1.     Ask for information

Asking for a caller to leave a name and number is standard in voicemail greetings. While this may suffice for some, other businesses require information like order numbers, best call back times or company names to effectively help a caller. Asking for this information up front saves you time, reduces the risk of phone tag (a very hazardous disease that plagues many small business owners) and helps you provide a prompt response.

1.     Remember: practice makes perfect

You’re not going to nail the perfect voicemail greeting on the first try, but that’s okay! Writing out your voice message and practicing your greeting will allow you to hear where there may be confusion – plus, the more you practice the wording the more natural and professional it will sound. Don’t forget to limit background noise, stay upbeat and on message!

1.     Make sure you have voicemail transcription

Setting up voicemail transcription is a breeze – and you’ll be glad you did. Just make sure that the business phone service you are using offers a voicemail transcription service that transcribes all voice messages into text, allowing you to read the message just like an email. Not only is this a time saver, but it’s also very convenient. Saving, reviewing, forwarding and deleting voicemail is easy, and best of all you won’t need to listen to long winded voicemails to get the details!

1.     Consider department-specific voicemail

If you run a business with multiple phone numbers or department ­­extensions (even if the department is one person), creating department specific voicemails that ask for and provide useful information will allow your team to act faster than if all messages are stored in a central voicemail box. Callers will also feel confident in reaching the specific person or department they intended.

1.     Keep it fresh 

When things change that impact your customers, like holiday hours, a new deal or a change of address, don't forget to update your voicemail. Noting if you’re out of the office and who to contact in the meantime is also useful. Keeping your customers in the know, especially when it comes to time sensitive information, is something they will appreciate.

From clearly stating information, to matching your voicemail message to your brand and of course, practicing before you hit save, applying these tips will help you create an effective voicemail message, like one you would want to receive. Now go ahead and get started! If you need some more pointers, connect with us by commenting here or on our social channels -- we're happy to help!

On this blog we’ve written a lot about the tools you need to launch a new business or grow an existing one. Some professionals, however, may have created a great new product or have a marketable skill they would like to monetize but they don’t want to give up the security of their current full-time job.

Image Courtesy of Flickr User Jeremy Levine

An “in-between” option for these workers is to start a side business, something that can be done during off hours or weekends. In fact, the New York Times recently published a piece by a finance reporter who maintained financial security during the recession by creating “money planners” and selling them, eventually growing revenue to about $5,000 per year.   

One of the challenges the author encountered when she began the new venture was finding time to juggle a family, a full-time job and a side business. Perhaps if Cloud Phone had been around at the time she launched her business she could have cleared those hurdles with less stress.

What Cloud Phone does, essentially, is help you turn your mobile number into an enterprise phone system. When you sign up—which takes less than a minute—you get a business-specific number that you can give to potential clients instead of your personal number. The system also makes it easy to set up auto attendants to greet callers, phone extensions if you work with more than one person, and even voicemail to email capability, just to name a few of the key features. The entire small business phone system is maintained by Voxox in the cloud, meaning you don’t have to worry about maintenance, repair or installation costs.

When you sign up for Cloud Phone—which starts as low as $14.95 per month—you make it possible to be more productive during your off hours, whether it’s on the train home from work or at your child’s soccer game. With almost no hassle, you have everything you need to start a successful side business. So what are you waiting for?

If preparing and delivering delicious food is how you make your living, you probably don’t spend a lot of time just sitting around during the day. Either you are in your kitchen, on the road making a delivery or setting up, and managing food servers at an event.

Photo Courtesy of Flikr User Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung

Even though you love what you do, you may still be trying to solve some problems you seem to encounter frequently while running your business. For instance, you may find you miss phone calls that could potentially lead to jobs because you have your mobile phone number on your website but can’t answer while you are cooking or working at a function. Some of these potential clients may be turned off by getting your personal voicemail when they call, but you don’t have the resources to rent office space and install a traditional phone system. Or perhaps you receive a large volume of calls and messages about scheduling, inquiries that should be directed to your assistant.

If you’ve been looking for a solution to these kinds of problems, your search is over. Cloud Phone is a cloud-based phone service designed for small businesses. Cloud Phone can give you many of the same features you’d get from a traditional enterprise phone system. And the best news? It costs considerably less.

With this kind of service you get a business-specific phone number that greets callers professionally with an automated phone attendant that helps to route your callers. Because the system is Internet-based, you can change your message easily just by accessing your settings in the cloud. A small business phone system also allows you to route callers to other members of your team so calls and messages are directed to the correct employee. 

As busy are you are, you probably don’t have time to spend an entire day installing a new phone solution, which is fortunate, with Cloud Phone you can be up and running in less than a minute.

Are you hungry for a better way to communicate? Well then, let’s eat!

In the winter months when roads are bad and the commute to work becomes dangerous, there's risk in requiring employees to show up at the office. High-speed internet access and email have increased opportunities for employees to work from home when driving conditions are dangerous, but what about businesses that rely heavily on phone service for their business communications? Virtual numbers may just be the answers. 

Virtual numbers are phone numbers that are routed to an existing calling device, for example your office phone and/or mobile phone. They can be set up temporarily for the winter season or permanently for your business. Business professionals can opt to have one or many virtual numbers route to a single phone or multiple phones, based on their business needs. For example, if you have a single work line (e.g., your office phone), you can route a virtual number to this phone line, as well as your home phone, mobile phone, and your business partner or manager’s phone. If you're the owner of a seasonal business, you can establish a single virtual number and route it to your employee's respective phones individually via extensions, no matter where they are. 

Once the virtual numbers are set to forward to the phone of choice, callers will be able to reach you and your team through your work numbers at their specified devices. If a call is missed, callers will be forwarded to voicemail, which can be personalized with a professional business greeting.

Virtual numbers not only allow employees to easily work from home when the weather is bad, but they also provide advanced features that will give your company the professional edge it needs. While features vary from virtual numbers provider to provider, here’s an example of what Cloud Phone offers:

• Auto Attendant
• Call Forwarding
• Call Screening
• Extensions / Users
• Fax (Inbound)
• International Call Forwarding
• Local Phone Number
• Management Portal
• Outbound Calling
• Professional Greetings
• Reach Me Anywhere
• Toll Free Numbers
• Voicemail
• Voicemail Transcription

Keeping the team connected (and safe from dangerous winter commutes!) is essential for productivity. Having access to your business phone by way of virtual numbers is convenient and can play a key role in maintaining a professional image – especially if anyone on the team is working from home. Here are some additional resources on the benefits of virtual numbers for business:

Make Your Small Business Look Bigger With Virtual Numbers

4 Reasons You May Want a Virtual Number

Imagine you are a New York-based tax attorney with a sterling reputation in all five boroughs. Recently, some of your longtime clients have retired to Florida and have been referring friends to you. Because of the years of good work you’ve done for your customers you are being presented with a tremendous opportunity to expand your client base. Some of these new prospects, however, may be a little thrown off having to call long distance to reach you. 

Fortunately, with today’s technological solutions you can get a business-specific local phone number from a cloud-based phone service to put new customers at ease. Best-in-class solutions make it easy by requiring just a mobile number and 60 seconds of your time to set up your new number. Now, when your loyal customers from up north recommend you to their new friends in the Sunshine State, the new prospects don’t have to worry about dialing to an unfamiliar area code and you don’t have to worry about losing out to a competitor solely based on geography.

As an added bonus, local small business virtual phone numbers powered by cloud-base phone services offer features that give you big business presence, including:

• Auto attendants that greet callers professionally
• Multiple extensions for different departments, even if each department is really just you
• Business-class voicemail to email to ensure no client messages are ever missed

So don’t lose out on new business over something as small as a few digits in a phone number. After all, you don’t need to be in the same city or state to provide great service to your clients—all you need is the talent and expertise you bring wherever you go.

This summer, will your small business explode like a Roman candle on July 4, or fizzle out like a dud? Here are a few ways to light up your small business with a robust suite of cloud communications solutions:

Increase productivity:  You may be busy, but business continues even when you leave the office. Contacts need to be able to reach you wherever you go. The cloud will give you the ability to carry around your enterprise communications solutions at all times, so you never miss a crucial call or voicemail.  

Cut costs: The costs of maintenance and installation prices for on-premises phone equipment is staggering. It’s much easier—and cheaper—to pay a small monthly fee and gain access to fully baked feature set than to pay for new equipment and make upgrades. You will also avoid the hefty costs of network downtime, which is difficult for a business of any size to recover from.

Leverage big business features: When a customer tries to reach you, they should not be able to tell you are a small business with six employees or a Fortune 500 company. Features such as an auto attendant, voicemail to email transcription and the ability to route calls to other members of your team will add a processional touch to your operation that will let you look like a much bigger business. 

The stats don’t lie: In a recent study, 70 percent of respondents indicated that the cloud can deliver efficiencies and cost savings. So, are you ready to make the great migration to a cloud-based phone and watch your profits explode skyward like Independence Day fireworks?

We just got a really cool recognition from ChannelProSMB - Voxox was named a "Vendor on the Vanguard 2016" in the Unified Communications category, and one key reason is Voxox Cloud Phone!

ChannelProSMB compiles an annual list of "lesser-known innovators you may not have heard of yet, but will be glad to know better" based on the suggestions of analysts and industry influencers. The list is published in the ChannelProSMB March 2016 print issue cover story, which highlights 2-3 companies per industry category. Voxox is on p.24. Here's a quote:

"Voxox Cloud Phone enables cash-strapped businesses to turn a collection of iPhone and Android devices into a robust business telephony system at an affordable cost."

Here's a link to our page in the digital issue of the magazine and our official press release is below:

Voxox Recognized in ChannelPro-SMB's Annual Vendors on the Vanguard List for Innovation

Voxox Cloud Phone featured as major reason for company making prestigious innovation list in channel community

SAN DIEGO – March 22, 2016 – Voxox®, the most comprehensive unified communications Platform as a Service company, today announced that the company was named a "Vendor on the Vanguard 2016" in the Unified Communications category by ChannelPro Network, part of EH Publishing Inc. ChannelPro Network's editorial staff compiles an annual list of "lesser-known innovators you may not have heard of yet, but will be glad to know better" based on the suggestions of analysts and other industry influencers. This list, which is well-respected in the channel community, highlights two to three companies per industry category and is published in the ChannelPro-SMB March 2016 print issue as the cover story. 

Voxox is featured on p.24 specifically for its innovation related to its Cloud Phone service. According to the article by the editors of ChannelPro-SMB, "Voxox Cloud Phone enables cash-strapped businesses to turn a collection of iPhone and Android devices into a robust business telephony system at an affordable cost."

"We are thrilled to be recognized in this prestigious list of innovators in the channel community," said Bryan Hertz, CEO and co-founder of Voxox. "Cloud Phone continues to delight customers and partners with its refreshing user experience, convenient features and affordability. It has gained momentum as an instrumental communications tool for the smallest of businesses and this honor, along with other awards and designations, validates Cloud Phone's role in the market."

This recognition comes on the heels of Voxox's recent announcement in regards to its major end-of-quarter channel sales promotions, including its 200 percent spiff for Hosted PBX and SIP trunking deals turned in before March 31, 2016, and wholesale SMS discounts. For more details, channel partners can contact their Voxox channel managers.

For more information on Voxox business solutions, please visit www.voxox.com/business. Sign up for Cloud Phone at www.cloudphone.com.

About Voxox

Voxox is an innovator in unified cloud communication solutions for consumers and businesses. The foundation of the company's offerings is its award-winning unified communications Platform as a Service, which enables the company and its customers to build powerful, scalable applications and services. For consumers and service provider partners, Voxox delivers cutting-edge mobile and desktop applications that integrate voice, video, messaging, fax, media sharing and more. For businesses, Voxox provides an extensive suite of carrier-grade business phone solutions, including hosted IP-PBX, SIP Trunking, a wide array of wholesale services, such as high volume SMS, and the company's new virtual PBX service, Cloud Phone. Voxox is headquartered in San Diego. For more information, please visit http://www.voxox.com.

Launching a startup business requires a significant amount of planning and could sometimes feel like no matter how much you get done, another task looms. Starting a business takes meticulous planning and extraordinary determination—so we thought we’d help out a bit. Here are a few items to make absolutely certain that are checked off your list as you get ready to launch:

Figure out finances for at least a year

Sure, your company could explode immediately, but chances are it is going to take a little while to gain momentum. Prepare for your first year as if you’ll have almost no revenue. Make sure you have enough capital for business expenses and enough money saved to live on.

Get Social Now, Not Later

You should have your company up on social media on the day of your launch. These channels help give you credibility and give people a quick, fun, easy way to check out your product. If you wait until your product is launched, setting up these pages is likely to take a back seat to other tasks and may be rushed or not done at all.

Have your small business phone system ready to go

Once your product launches you are going to be making and receiving a lot of phone calls. Giving out your personal mobile number projects an unprofessional image you don’t want. A cloud-based phone system, however, can provide many of the same features as an enterprise system at a fraction of the cost.

Network, network, network

As a startup, the greatest assets you have are the people you know. That includes friends, family, former co-workers, college professors—anyone who might be able to make an introduction to a potential contact or customer. Don’t push the people in your social circle to buy anything, simply ask about possible connections that could make your first few months a little easier. 

Want to add something to our checklist? Tell us about it in the comment section! 

In Manhattan, the business capital of the world, the price of office space can run as high as $140 per square foot. Costs are nearly that high in San Francisco and Boston as well, with Los Angeles not too far behind. Billion-dollar corporations can shell out that kind of money without a second thought, but small businesses are far more limited in what they can spend. That's why many small businesses are looking to forego renting expensive commercial real estate but not at the cost of sacrificing their professional image. After all, in business, inspiring customer trust is as important as any product or service a company has to offer.

Photo Courtesy of Flikr User Sebastiaan ter Burg 

Traditionally, business was done in office buildings, but with the advent of new technological capabilities—particularly for communications—that trend is slowly shifting. Specifically, the proliferation of small business virtual phone systems is making it easier than ever to run a business from anywhere.

Avirtual phone systemmaintained through the Web provides all the functionality of a traditional wire-based enterprise phone system without the complex hardware. As a result, companies no longer have to shell out cash just for a space to put desktop phones. Additionally, companies can now rent office space on a per diem basis for meetings, further reducing the need for full-time office rental.

With top-shelf small business virtual phone systems, companies get the modern business phone features they need to stay competitive, including: 

• A toll free business-specific phone number to put on business cards and distribute to customers and contacts
• Reach Me Anywhere technology that connects incoming business calls to any location on any device
• An auto attendant that greets callers professionally and presents them with menu options
• Voicemail transcription that turns voice messages into text that can be read when listening is not an option
• Business-class voicemail that makes retrieving old messages simple and easy
• Settings that are easily adjustable through an Internet interface
• One low monthly bill that never includes maintenance or upkeep costs

Another major benefit of small business virtual phone systems is the inherent reliability that comes with the cloud. Because the service is maintained through the Internet by a third-party vendor and not through on-premises equipment, it is far less vulnerable to hardware failure or natural disaster. Considering research shows that the median cost of downtime for a small business impacted by an extreme weather event is $3,000 per day, reliability is not a feature to be overlooked.

Business is an ever-evolving landscape where trends and strategies can shift quickly. Successful small business owners understand that to thrive while competing against larger organizations, they need to stay abreast of any technology that might provide an advantage. As business owners increasingly adopt virtual phone systems, it becomes increasingly clear that as far as cloud communications and small business are concerned, the future is now.

The only question left to ask then is, are you living in the past?

As a small business owner you know great customer service is very important for not only keeping your current clients happy, but also for attracting new business by way of referrals. You also know that providing top notch customer service isn’t always possible when you’re on the go or when you’re out working to build your business. So, how can you do both? With SMS.

SMS isn’t just for big corporations with mega marketing budgets. It’s actually a practical solution for small businesses looking to provide stellar customer service. SMS is an affordable and simple way to reach and be reached by clients. When your business phone number is connected to your smart phone, you’ll always be able to help.

Here are a few ways you can use SMS to improve your customer service.

Provide Speedy Service

Texting is a quick and convenient way for clients to communicate a problem or ask a question. Likewise, it’s often quicker and more convenient for you or your team members to respond to a text than answer a call.

Here’s a scenario:

Say you own a two person car repair shop. You have a client at the front desk paying for a repair and your mechanic is out in the garage working on a car. At this same time you receive a text and a phone call – which one are you more likely to respond to in the moment? Our bet is on the text.

Rather than listening to a voicemail, calling back and playing phone tag, the text allows you to read the question or comment and reply immediately – you could even include a photo (ie: a snapshot of your mechanic working on the client’s car). Prompt responses make customers happy. Phone tag does not.

Record Keeping

Texting gives both you and the customer a record of the conversation, conveniently storing important information right on your phone. Have you ever been in a situation with a client where referencing a text saved you face or helped you provide better customer service? So have we. Not only is it handy to know what you and a client have discussed but having the ability to easily pull up important information like an order number or an address straight from a text makes staying on top of customer care easy.

Here’s a scenario:

You own a small screen-printing shop and do work for all your local schools. Baseball season is right around the corner and the team has ordered new jerseys. A pre-season game was added to the roster last minute and they need the jerseys stat! The client texts you with the order number asking if it can be rushed. You research the order number and see that only half of the jerseys have been printed. You assure the client you’ll have them ready by the end of the week – plus you’ll even drop them off. The client messages you the address and you’ve not only made their day, but also made it super easy on yourself to map your route on your phone’s GPS. 

Skip the Hold Music

Texting allows you and your clients to reach one another directly. No waiting on hold, no phone tag or leaving voicemails that go unreturned for days – or for eternity. Ease of communication can make or break a business deal and can cause current clients to love or leave your business.

Here’s a scenario:

A potential client of your PR company is coming into town to meet you and your team. The client is arriving early and wanted to bump the meeting time up. They call to let you know but are stuck on hold. Out of frustration they hang up and call again. After several attempts and a voicemail, they show up at your office annoyed (and two hours early). You’re in the middle of a conversation with another client and have to cut the call short in order to accommodate the in-person meeting. Now – imagine all of this would have been avoided if your potential could have texted to let you know they were arriving early!

Help Multiple Clients

Juggling phone calls isn’t easy, but messaging several people at once can be. Whether you have a steady stream of messages or experience bursts during busy seasons, you’ll find SMS to be a customer service life saver. 

Here’s a scenario:

You run a small floral shop and are always slammed around the holidays. While you’re able to take orders over the phone and in person, text requests are easy and allow your clients to message in an order without waiting on hold, reaching a busy signal or coming into the shop. Once the order comes in, you can send a confirm number, ask any questions and also get card messages, verbatim. Plus, once the order is ready you can send a text alert, or even give them a heads up when the order is delivered.

Your small business already has a reputation for providing exceptional customer service, so keep it up and make it easier on yourself with SMS. Learn more about SMS for business here and get started today. It’s fast, easy and your customers will appreciate it!

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