CloudPhone Blog

As a business owner you’ve probably already made a list of goals and resolutions for the New Year that cover the basics of finance, client retention and overall growth—and you may have even dug in a little deeper to commit to improving employee engagement and making sure you’re taking advantage of local networking groups. But have you taken stock of your business communications goals for 2020?

Communications with your employees, partners and clients is the key to success, so it’s time to upgrade to technology that not only improves your communications, but also makes your life easier—and saves you money!

Here are a few real (and realistic) ways to better your business communications in 2020:

1. Sign up for a cloud-based phone service

What’s a cloud-based phone service? It acts just like a traditional phone line but connects over the internet to your mobile device—and comes with an extensive list of professional features (many of them at no additional cost!). It’s perfect for business owners on the go, those who may not have a traditional workspace, growing teams, and thrifty leaders who just want to shave a few (or more) dollars off their traditional business phone bill. For more details, see here.

2. Set up a virtual receptionist

If you’ve ever dreamed of having a personal assistant, a virtual receptionist is as close as you may get without adding onto your payroll. Virtual receptionists are the heart of your cloud-based phone system, allowing you to automatically answer, route and manage your calls (press “1” for sales, press “2” for support…). And with multiple virtual receptionists you can easily create different versions for weekdays/weekends, holidays, different languages and more.

3. Text your customers

More than three quarters of US consumers say receiving a text message is the fastest way to reach them for important service updates and purchases– so, if you’re not texting your customers you may be missing out on potential business! Make sure your cloud-based phone system offers two-way SMS so you can effectively stay in touch with your clients and prospective clients.

4. Utilize voicemail transcription

If you’re a repeat offender of the full voicemail box, voicemail transcription will be your right-hand man in 2020. Voicemail transcription not only transcribes your voicemails into text so you can read them on the go, it also allows you to save important messages or delete unnecessary ones with the click of a button.

5. Try toll-free numbers

Toll-free numbers aren’t just for big corporations. With a cloud-based phone system you can easily add or remove toll free numbers (and local numbers) to suit your needs. Toll free numbers are a great way to expand your small business so you can reach new markets and instantly sound more established and credible. Many toll-free number providers also support SMS!

6. Set up call routing

This powerful feature acts as the cornerstone of communications management—and makes sure you never miss an important call again! In the most basic use case, simply route your extension (assuming you set these up with your virtual receptionist) to your smartphone. In more advanced scenarios, you can route your cloud-based number to multiple locations (like your office, your home and your cell). Ring several extensions simultaneously, or ring them in a specific order. It’s completely customizable for your needs.

Give one, or all of these a try in 2020 and we’re sure you’ll be wondering why you didn’t make the move to a cloud-based phone system sooner! Your customers, partners, employees and wallet will thank you for the business communications upgrade.

It's often a bit awkward having to give out your personal cell phone number so that clients can send you text messages about business matters. Luckily with technologies like virtual PBX services, you can give out a "http://info.cloudphone.com/blog/5-clever-ways-to-use-phone-numbers-to-grow-your-business" target="_blank">business phone number and have both your business calls and texts instantly routed to your existing cell phone. You maintain a professional image and separate work/life identities via your dedicated business line, while also evading the extra cost and hassle of having to manage two devices. How often do business owners find themselves texting back and forth with their clients and employees?  It's so informal, right?  With 90 percent of people reading a text message within the first 3 minutes, according to MobileSQUARED, it's the fastest and most effective way to get in touch! 

Here are some uses of two-way business texting that can be highly impactful, while also not encroaching as much on your work life balance as handing out your personal cell number might.

1. VIP Customer Support

Providing great customer service is essential for keeping clients happy, but sometimes phone and email communications just won't cut it. That's where text messaging comes in. Giving your VIP client contacts -- the ones with the killer accounts -- access to text support through your business phone number (aka ability to reach you anywhere at anytime) is a sure way to keep them happy and coming back for your products or services.

2. Escalation

Texting with clients and colleagues is a fast and efficient way to escalate an urgent matter. Sometimes you have to explain a situation in depth, whether it's an email or a voicemail, but the person you're trying to reach is not in front of a computer or can't pick up the phone and listen to a message (in a meeting, perhaps). A text can be incredibly useful to notify someone about an urgent communication that you've sent them -- and also a quick way to receive a response. 

3. Company Announcements

With hundreds of emails coming in each day, it's inevitable we will overlook one here and there -- even if it's internal, and from the boss. Plus, with teams working remotely and with little time to spare for distracting and long group meetings, text announcements just make sense. So, next time you have a company announcement like a new initiative, sales incentive or social event, try SMS. You'll be able to communicate the details effectively without upsetting workflow. 

4. Subscribing to a Work-Specific SMS Marketing List

There are times when you need to subscribe to a work-related marketing list. But there's that fear of using your own personal cell phone number, in case you start getting unwanted communications, reminders, marketing offers, etc. If you have a virtual PBX service providing your SMS-enabled business phone number for your company, you can always add a temporary virtual number to your account for things like this. The cost is low and this additional virtual line can be canceled fast.

5. Take Orders

If you're buying something for business purposes, you might want your business-related texts to be captured separately from your personal texts -- another handy use of a virtual PBX service. Say you're ordering supplies, or even pizza for an office party...always good to have a separate record of your business expense-related communications.

SMS is an essential part of our everyday lives -- it's how many people connect these days and it's accessible to nearly everyone. SMS can be a very useful tool to keep in touch with clients and colleagues when phone and email just won't do -- but keeping your business identity separate from your personal identity is typically a good idea.