CloudPhone Blog

There are several reasons why small business owners want call screening - especially around the holidays. Your business is booming with holiday orders and you can only make time for the most important callers. Another reason may be that a caller (think client or business partner) may need to be dealt with in a specific manner due to added holiday stress or deadlines, and you need to mentally prepare for that person. And it also might be that you want quality time with your family and just don't want to take business calls unless it's an emergency situation.

Regardless of your reasoning, call screening can provide a barrier between you and your callers - making your holidays more enjoyable and giving you some much needed work life balance. Plus, it's just one of the many free services that come with Voxox Cloud Phone. So, why not gift yourself call screening this holiday season?

Here are a few ways to put call screening, combined with other professional phone features, to work for you over the holidays (and everyday!):

1. Ho! Ho! Who?

You've probably called a number that asks you to state your name before connecting. With a professional calling service like Voxox Cloud Phone, you can require each caller to state their name and then choose to pick up or send to voicemail. The real gift here is that the caller will never be the wiser no matter which option you choose and it's a simple way to provide professional service to all inbound callers.

2. Christmas "Eaves"drop

Say you've decided to send a caller to voicemail because you didn't have time to talk, didn't recognize the name or maybe weren't sure if you can easily provide assistance at the moment. With Voxox Cloud Phone you can listen in on the voicemail message being left in real-time and pick up mid-message if something important catches your ear. This unique feature is called Eavesdrop and brings us back fond memories of Christmas mornings long ago screening answering machine messages from distant aunts and uncles - who then mention gifts!
3. An SMS Wonderland

The cookies are burning, your cat is climbing the tree and your grandma is requesting another hot toddy. This is when SMS comes in handy. You've screened the call and you want to answer, but just can't talk (read background noise), so you opt for business SMS instead. Voxox Cloud Phone lets you text contacts from your virtual business phone number so the conversation stays professional, you can get your work done and tend to your holiday guests all at the same time.

4. A Call to Remember

Holidays are busy and often require traveling or hosting. If an important call comes in that you can't miss, but also need to take detailed notes on, hit the call record button. This lets you listen in on the call at a more convenient time so you can recall all the details you might have forgotten - a present for your future self!

If call screening sounds like something you could use, tis' the season to sign up for a free virtual phone number and start saving yourself time and unnecessary holiday stress -- it will be the best gift you receive all year!

Above all else—including even financial resources—small business owners are short on time.  After all, when you are in charge of customer service, billing, sales, product development and everything else under the sun, the 24 hours in a day don’t seem like enough. 

A small business phone system can help you reclaim some of that precious time. Here’s how: 

1. If you’re concerned that you might miss a critical call if you step out of the office for a client meeting, cloud communications helps alleviate that fear. The technology lets you forward calls to any of your devices, meaning you’ll never miss anything important. In other words, you can do business without being chained to a desk all day with a simple small businss virtual phone number.
2. Instant conference calling allows you to set up meetings on the spot and collaborate with colleagues seamlessly.  This allows you to have meetings without being in the same room and increases your ability to multi-task.
3. Whenever the word “installation” is mentioned people tend to think of technicians spending hours in the office.  But with a cloud communications application, all you need is a mobile phone number to get up-and-running in just one minute.

Getting some time back in the day will take some pressure off and perhaps even give you a chance to eat your lunch sitting down every once in awhile. The popular saying holds that “time is money,” but for small business owners, a little extra time may also mean sanity.   

Regardless of your age, you most likely grew up with the idea of office buildings as business hubs. But while physical office space certainly remains a part of how many companies operate, it’s not right for all organizations. Renting space in a building is expensive and for small or mobile-heavy companies spending a sizeable chunk of a tight budget simply doesn’t make sense.

In an effort to cut unnecessary expenses and boost mobile productivity, business owners are increasingly turning to virtual offices. A recent study by online market research firm uSamp revealed that 62 percent of small businesses allow employees to work remotely. Separate research conducted by the office research firm Instant shows that the global flexible workplace market increased by 9.1 percent from July 2012 to July 2013.

One of the most important cogs in any virtual office is a phone system that provides the features of a legacy enterprise system. Completely web-based and maintained in the cloud, a small business virtual phone is designed for mobile and at-home workers. Using an existing mobile number, business managers can obtain a separate, business-specific number, professional greetings, extensions for individual employees and more. System settings are accessible from smartphones, laptops and tablets and because the vendor is responsible for the service installation and upgrade costs are non-existent. 

In business, one-size-fits-all is rarely a sound strategy because companies of varying size, budget constraints and goals have varying needs. In time, small or new businesses may find they need office space, but if it’s not a necessity today, spending money on rent and hardware only makes turning a profit more difficult—and no business, small or large, wants that.    

Virtual numbers have some powerful features that can help you convey a professional image and drum up business. From giving the impression you’re a local business in more than one region, to creating the perception of a larger corporation overall, to keeping your personal and work lines separate, virtual numbers allow you to create the type of "phone presence" that your business needs to succeed—without breaking the bank.

If you’re not savvy to all the ways virtual numbers can improve your business communications, or even what a virtual number is, read on for answers to all your burning questions…

1. What is a virtual number?

A virtual number is a telephone number (or "DID") that is not directly associated with a calling device or telephone line. Typically, virtual numbers forward incoming calls to pre-set mobile, landline or VoIP phone numbers that are associated with specific calling devices. Business professionals can opt to have one or many virtual numbers route to a single phone or multiple phones, based on their business needs.

2. How does a virtual number work?

Once you choose your virtual numbers, you must set them to route to phone numbers that are directly linked to a calling device, such as your cell phone. The virtual number provider typically has a portal for the set-up process. With Cloud Phone, for example, this takes less than a couple of minutes to set up.

Once the virtual number is set to forward to your calling device of choice, callers will be able to reach you through that number at that device. If you don't pick up the call, they typically will be routed to a separate voicemail that you can set up with the appropriate message, based on the goals of your virtual number strategy.  Some services, like Cloud Phone, also offer voicemail transcription for virtual numbers to make retrieving voicemails as easy as possible.

3. How do I make calls from my virtual number?

It's also possible to make a call from a virtual number. Some services will allow you to dial the virtual number and then, when prompted, dial the number of the person you’d like to call. Another option that may be offered through your virtual number provider is "web call back" where you enter both numbers into a web form and the two calls are bridged together instantly to create an outgoing phone call. The recipient will see your virtual number on their caller ID – just like any other call.

4. Why do I need a virtual number?

Having a separate phone number (or numbers) for your business can be essential to maintaining a professional image, but carrying around two mobile devices or being tied to a desk just isn’t convenient or cost-effective for many types of businesses. A virtual phone number lets you stay connected on business matters, while still keeping your personal communication on the same device. Also, you can gain strategic benefits through virtual numbers. For example, when selecting numbers to represent your business, you can choose phone numbers with area codes you want to do business in to help you build relationships with customers and potential clients in those areas. You can also opt for toll free numbers if there is no regional benefit to you, but you'd like the number to be memorable and professional.

From looking bigger to appearing local, virtual numbers can give you the edge your business needs to grow. 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

Consumers love exclusive experiences, which is why temporary retail and dining establishments are a growing trend across the nation. Known as "pop-up" shops, these temporary stores offer consumers time-restricted access to goods and services, and a slew of benefits to owners and operators such as brand extension and the ability to experiment with new ideas and offerings on a short-term basis.

However, because many pop-ups are the products of entrepreneurs and small business owners, business phone systems often come second to stock and travel expenses. A toll free number is a convenient and inexpensive solution for any business looking to establish a professional phone presence, especially those who are on-the-go and rely heavily on voice communication.

Setting up a toll free number is not only a smart way to give your business a professional edge; it also allows you to keep the same phone number while travelling from city to city to build your venture. Here are 4 ways a toll free number can increase sales…

1. Connect From Anywhere

A toll free number that rings to your cell can be answered from anywhere, which is very economical and convenient for a mobile business. Keeping a steady phone number as you move your pop-up business will keep customers in touch to ask questions and gain knowledge regarding your business venture, such as your dates of your operations in their geographic area.

2. Pre-order and Phone Sales

Halloween costume shops and Christmas shops always pop up around the holiday season and some items, like trendy costumes and gifts, go quicker than others. Keep new customers happy by having their order in stock when you pull into town.

3. No Equipment

Without the hassle of costly equipment and maintenance fees normally associated with business phone systems, you can provide professional voice communications without breaking the bank – and with the right toll free number provider, you’ll not likely to ever need technical assistance because the maintenance is done in the cloud and all calls are sent directly to your cell.

4. Sound Professional

Pop-up shops can seem sketchy but a toll free number makes you sound legit by providing professional features like an auto attendant and call forwarding. Plus, these features will help you manage all of your calls and make sure that your customers never feel like you are out of reach.

There are many financial benefits of pop-up shops, and a toll free number can help you take advantage of all the perks temporary establishments have to offer. Have you started a pop up shop? We want to know your toughest voice communication challenge and how a toll free number could help – Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn.

The holiday season is a time to put work aside in favor of fun with friends and family, but sometimes, especially for small business owners, that’s not always possible. Luckily, with Cloud Phone, you can travel for the holidays and do work too!

Since Cloud Phone is a virtual phone system that connects directly to the mobile device you already own, it doesn't matter where you go to celebrate the holidays!  Whether you're on your couch with a warm mug of eggnog or in the Bahamas getting a winter tan, you can stay connected with your team and your clients, if you need to be.

Because Cloud Phone was made for business communications it comes with a ton of professional features that are perfect for travel and most importantly, features that allow you to enjoy your time with your friends and family. Here are our favorite features for getting business done when traveling:

Auto Attendant: The Auto Attendant is the center of automation for your virtual phone system.  With an auto attendant answering your calls, you don’t have to do a thing until you’re ready (quite handy during the holiday season, right?). Callers are welcomed by your company greeting and then presented with menu options in order to reach company extensions that route to other members of your team or forward to other phone numbers where you may be traveling to (even international). This can be particularly useful when you have VIP clients who need help over the holidays and you've promised to be available, or perhaps switching off "on call duty" with a business partner.

Voicemail Transcription: Voicemails are automatically transcribed and sent to your email so you can candidly read the message and decide if it’s urgent enough to pause Elf or to put down the hot toddy.

Call Screening:  Advanced call settings allow you to customize how your inbound calls are handled. You can require callers to speak their name before the system connects them to you. This allows you to discretely screen unwanted callers, particularly if you are only taking select business calls while with family. Alternatively you can set up your system to immediately connect callers to you without screening. In either case, simple controls allow you to accept or reject the call.

Business SMS: Texting is a fast and easy way to communicate, and now with Cloud Phone’s free two-way business texting, you can use it without having to check your business email (and get fully engrossed in work) during the holidays. If an urgent matter arises, try to tackle it via text as not to disrupt your family’s annual gingerbread house building competition.

For a list of all Cloud Phone features, go to the Features page.

Peace of mind is important during the holidays, and small business owners deserve it too!   Comment here to tell us your favorite Cloud Phone features that will help your business run smoothly during the holiday season - we'd love to hear from you!

Telecommuting is increasingly becoming the norm for many businesses both small and large. According to the United States Census Bureau, an estimated 3.7 million employees work from home at least half the time. But with people out of the office, telecommuting definitely presents a unique set of communication challenges.

While email, texts and cell phone calls might work for some, other businesses want to show a more professional image, and also want professional calling features and custom options traditional landlines and mobile plans just don't offer. This is why smart businesses are turning to virtual numbers.

Virtual numbers are beneficial for companies with remote employees in a few ways. They offer mobility, customization and the ability to choose a toll-free number, for businesses with a national presence or a high call volume, or a number in area code where the company does business, which for some businesses is key to establishing a local presence where there might not be one physically. Virtual numbers are also the perfect solution for telecommuting employees who need professional telephone access without the hassle of extra equipment. Typically, virtual numbers forward incoming calls to mobile, landline or VoIP phone numbers that are associated with specific calling devices – meaning employees can take both personal and business calls to different numbers on one phone. Depending on your employee’s specific phone communication needs, they can also opt to have one or many virtual numbers route to a single phone or multiple phones.

Features will vary depending on your provider, but voicemail transcription, intelligent call routing, customized greetings, inbound fax capability and online management settings are just a few that you might want to look for from your virtual numbers provider. With all this available anywhere, even from your employee's couch, it’s no wonder telecommuting is on the rise.

Here are a few highlights regarding what the world of telecommuting looks like these days according to GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics.com:

• Since 2005, regular work-at-home, among the non-self-employed population, has grown by 103% and 6.5% in 2014, representing the largest year-over-year increase since before the recession.
• From 2013 to 2014, the employee population as a whole grew by 1.8%, while employees who telecommute population grew 6.5%.
• Half of the US workforce holds a job that is compatible with at least partial telework and approximately one quarter of the workforce teleworks sometimes.
• 80% to 90% of the US workforce says they would like to telework at least 2-3 days a week.

It’s clear that telecommuting is here to stay, so if you’re ready to make the switch, check out these step-by-step instructions and pricing for virtual phone numbers through Cloud Phone. Or if your remote employees have experienced improved communications since switching to virtual numbers, share your success stories with us – comment here or on our social media channels –  Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn.

Over the past several years, business experts have increasingly touted the idea that trust has evolved from a feeling to a crucial element in business. Depending on the level of service they provide to consumers, businesses either stockpile customer trust in bundles or begin to lose it until almost nothing remains.

The numbers support this assertion. For example, according to a Zendesk survey, 39 percent of customers continue to avoid vendors for two years after a bad customer service experience. Furthermore, 48 percent said they had recommended that others not buy products or services after having a bad customer experience. What these numbers illustrate is that a reduction in consumer faith in a company is directly correlated with revenue loss. 

One of the ways businesses can simultaneously increase trust and provide a better customer experience is by getting a company-specific, local small business phone number from a small business phone service. First, if you are a small business owner at a trade show passing out business cards, you don’t want to have to give your personal cell phone number out to potential customers. Your trustworthiness may be in question from the beginning, decreasing the chances of generating new business with that prospect.

Additionally, if you have employees spreading the word about your product in targeted locations throughout the country, each of them can also adopt a local number that gives your company a local feel. 

What some small or microbusiness owners may not know, however, is that these small business numbers are available with little hassle and almost no setup time. With best-in-class technology, all you have to do is enter your mobile phone number into a little box on the web and you are ready to go.

When it comes to trust, you’re either putting it in the bank or spending frivolously in a way almost certain to come back to bite you—saving seems like the better option.  

Oftentimes, the size of a company is inversely proportionate to the amount of downtime the owner gets. The fewer employees the business has, the more responsibilities fall to the person in charge. 

If you own a small or microbusiness, we understand you shoulder a lot of the burden for getting things done. Still, in order to stay productive during the hours you do work, you need some time away for yourself. So here are five things you can start doing right now to achieve better work-life balance:

Find time to get away...completely

We understand that sometimes a 15-hour day with no lunch break is simply unavoidable. But it becomes a problem when those days become the norm. Finding time to shut off all your devices, turn your brain off and just relax will get you recharged when it’s time to get back to work.

Work from home

Even if you’ll be busy conducting business, it’s nice to spend time in comfortable surroundings and with people you might not see as much as you’d like. Working from home gives you more face time with loved ones, which is invaluable. Today’s technology makes telecommuting easier than ever as well. You can use a small business virtual phone, for instance, and none of your customers will have the slightest idea that you’re talking to them from your living room.

Let others carry the load

As a business owner, you may have the urge to make sure you work closely on every project. But if you hired employees, you have to trust your own judgment and believe they can handle the responsibilities you throw at them. Not only will working yourself to the bone burn you out physically, the quality of your work will suffer as well. Simply put, nobody can be two—or 20—places at once.

Figure out when you work best

For whatever reason, some people do their best work at 6 a.m. while others are more productive at 10 p.m. It doesn’t really matter as long as you know when you work best and schedule accordingly. Don’t schedule a crucial client call during a time you usually feel a little low energy.

Take care of your health

In the short term, skipping meals or cutting down on sleep might seem like a way to increase productivity, but it’s likely to come back to hurt you down the line. Cutting out lunch, for instance, may just leave you with less energy during the afternoon hours. Not sleeping enough can hurt your productivity on a given day, but it also weakens your immune system. When your defenses are down, you’re more likely to get sick and miss significant chunks of time.

Some of these practices may be difficult to put into place, especially if you have contradictory habits deeply ingrained already. But these suggestions will put you in a better frame of mind and help you achieve better focus. In turn, your business will grow and thrive—and that’s the reason you work so hard in the first place.

Often times, the size of a company is inversely proportionate to the amount of downtime the owner gets. The fewer employees the business has, the more responsibilities fall to the person in charge.

If you own a small or microbusiness, we understand you shoulder a lot of the burden for getting things done. Still, in order to stay productive during the hours you do work, you need some time away for yourself. So here are five things you can start doing right now to achieve better work-life balance:

Find time to get away...completely

We understand that sometimes a 15-hour day with no lunch break is simply unavoidable. But it becomes a problem when those days become the norm. Finding time to shut off all your devices, turn your brain off and just relax will get you recharged when it’s time to get back to work.

Work from home

Even if you’ll be busy conducting business, it’s nice to spend time in comfortable surroundings and with people you might not see as much as you’d like. Working from home gives you more face time with loved ones, which is invaluable. Today’s technology makes telecommuting easier than ever as well. You can use a cloud-based small business virtual phone, for instance, and none of your customers will have the slightest idea that you’re talking to them from your living room.

Let others carry the load

As a business owner, you may have the urge to make sure you work closely on every project. But if you hired employees, you have to trust your own judgment and believe they can handle the responsibilities you throw at them. Not only will working yourself to the bone burn you out physically, the quality of your work will suffer as well. Simply put, nobody can be two—or 20—places at once.

Figure out when you work best

For whatever reason, some people do their best work at 6 a.m. while others are more productive at 10 p.m. It doesn’t really matter as long as you know when you work best and schedule accordingly. Don’t schedule a crucial client call during a time you usually feel a little low energy.

Take care of your health

In the short term, skipping meals or cutting down on sleep might seem like a way to increase productivity, but it’s likely to come back to hurt you down the line. Cutting out lunch, for instance, may just leave you with less energy during the afternoon hours. Not sleeping enough can hurt your productivity on a given day, but it also weakens your immune system. When your defenses are down, you’re more likely to get sick and miss significant chunks of time.

Some of these practices may be difficult to put into place, especially if you have contradictory habits deeply ingrained already. But these suggestions will put you in a better frame of mind and help you achieve better focus. In turn, your business will grow and thrive—and that’s the reason you work so hard in the first place.