3 Reasons Why Businesses Use Call Forwarding

Missing a call can be equivalent to a missed business opportunity. Missed calls can prove to be expensive for any business and especially for a small or a new business. Call forwarding feature of a virtual phone system helps entrepreneurs to stay connected to their customers, no matter where they are. This is a very significant feature of a virtual phone that encourages the growth of a business. Moreover, it also plays a vital role in strengthening the communication system of a business. Why is call forwarding so important for a business? Here are a few reasons:

Keeps Connected 24/7

This particular feature of a virtual phone connects entrepreneurs to their customers 24/7. Call forwarding gives an entrepreneur the flexibility to divert calls and a special feature - Follow-Me-Find-Me can forward calls to entrepreneurs at more than one phone number. It is also possible to set days of the week and even hours when you are available on each number and customize exactly where and how you want customers to reach you. Your cell phone number should be the first choice for call forward followed by your home phone number and other numbers. If you are busy you can also use the “Do Not Disturb” mode until you are available.

Prioritize Phone Numbers and Calls

Follow-Me-Find-Me is an excellent feature that tries to connect entrepreneurs to more than one telephone numbers of their choice including cell phone, home phone and other phone numbers. To use this feature, an entrepreneur needs to provide the telephone numbers to the phone system, according to his order of importance. Follow-Me-Fine-Me will hunt him down to deliver the call. The phone system can also be programmed to allow or prevent calls to one particular number during a fixed time of a day or a particular day of a week. With this phone system feature, entrepreneurs are sure not to miss any call.  Rather they can prioritize calls.

Can Filter Calls

Entrepreneurs can use Call Screen and Announce with call forwarding to filter out unimportant calls. Call screening and Announce allows you to have more information about your caller and decide whether or not to answer a call. It helps entrepreneurs to better answer calls and also saves their valuable time.  Call screen and announce can be enabled on any number or extension that is using call forwarding and requests that the caller records their name.  Now entrepreneurs have a choice to speak to only those who he feels are important for the business and forward the rest to the voicemail box.

In business, every missed call is associated with a dollar value.  Missing a call is equal to losing money and losing out on a business opportunity. A missed call is not only disappointing for an entrepreneur; it is equally disappointing for a caller. Once a caller calls a business and the call goes unanswered, there are chances that he will never call back that business again. Stop missed calls now - instead start forwarding them.

The Call forwarding Feature Keeps You Close to Customers

The call forwarding feature of a virtual phone keeps you connected with your customers and colleagues at all times. This is an incredible feature of a phone system that gives you the flexibility to work from anywhere, anytime without missing any important call. You can forward calls to more than one phone number that includes your cell phone number, residence phone number, office phone number and other phone numbers of your choice. Out of this, your cell phone number should be your first choice since it is typically always with you.

The call forwarding feature of a virtual phone is particularly helpful for a small business owner who is always busy developing his business and does not have time to manage his calls. All his calls need to be answered promptly and professionally and should be forwarded to him. It gives him more flexibility with his work schedule, which is invaluable for any new entrepreneur. A virtual phone has a special feature called: Follow-Me-Find-Me that practically hunts you down to deliver the call.

Follow-Me-Find-Me

Follow-Me-Find-Me is an excellent call forwarding feature that tries to connect you to more than one telephone number of your choice. This could be your residence phone number, your mobile number, office phone number and other phone numbers of your choice. To use this feature, you need to provide the phone numbers and Follow-Me-Fine-Me will hunt you down to deliver the call. You can set your phone system to prevent calls to one particular number during a fixed time of a day or on a day of a week. Forget missed calls once you have Follow-Me-Find-Me feature on your phone system. Your customers can now contact you easily anywhere. The Follow-Me-Find-Me feature also works seamlessly with call screen and announce.

Call Screen and Announce

You can also use the call forwarding feature for advertising your business for free. Let your callers hear a brief sales pitch and then forward the call to the desired person/department. It also allows you to use call screening so that you can have more information about your caller and can answer your calls better.  Call screen and announce work to help you save time. You can use call screen and announce on the main number or any extension that is using call forwarding and prompt the caller to record their name. Now you can make a choice to speak directly with the people whom you think are important for your business and can divert the rest to the voicemail box.

Connects You Anywhere Anytime

The call forwarding feature keeps you close to customers always. You must be aware of the effects a missed call can have on a business. Every single call that you fail to answer is equivalent to a missed business chance. Your customers may prefer to inquire about products and services and even place orders from the comfort of their home. Each call that you receive via phone is an opportunity to raise your revenue. It is important that you answer them promptly.  The call forwarding feature allows you to answer customers even when you are not in the office, are on vacation or in the car.

Call Forwarding Lets You Speak Directly to Your Customers No Matter Where You Are

Most of the major telephone service providers now offer a call forwarding feature as part of their business phone systems. Almost every business makes use of this feature today to stay in contact with their customers or to provide better customer service. Calls are forwarded to designated phone numbers and at times to a chain of phone numbers. The user has to provide the system with the phone numbers and can also state the day and time when he is available on each of these numbers. Call forwarding is an important feature in today’s telecommuting and has several benefits for a business:

Increased Availability

The most important of these benefits is that it makes you available to your clients and customers even when you are not in the office.  It allows you to forward calls to more than one telephone number like a cell phone number, residence phone number or other phone numbers of your choice. The call forwarding feature actually hunts you down to deliver the call. You can also customize the phone system in such a way that it delivers phone calls to a particular number on a pre-determined day and time. This particular feature is known as Follow-Me-Find-Me. It always makes you available to customers so that they can speak to you directly.

Better Mobility

Because call forwarding allows you to forward calls to cell phone, you can answer customers on the go. It helps to increase the mobility of employees without reducing communication with customers. It does not matter whether you are vacationing, in a hotel or in the airport or have just stepped out of your office, now it is possible to answer customers anywhere and at any time. This also helps to reduce the chances of important calls going unanswered. 

Makes Business Look Big

Call forwarding also helps a company expand its business presence. You can assign either local or toll free phone numbers for different geographies and forward the calls to the same central location. Though all the calls are answered from a single office, it creates an impression that the business is scattered across the country. This can contribute immensely to your business image. It proves the business to be big and also credible. If you are using an auto attendant, all the calls will be quickly answered and they will be connected to the right person or department without taking much time.

Customers Prefer to Talk Directly

If you are not able to answer customers on any of the phone numbers, the auto attendant of the virtual phone system forwards the call to the voicemail box. Callers can leave a message for you at the voicemail box and can expect a reply. Often customers get disappointed as soon as they hit a voicemail box because they do not expect to be called back. This is because a voice message often goes unanswered either because they are not properly reported or because they are not answered. This is why a modern virtual phone sends alerts as soon as there’s a new voice message. You can also set a personal voice message before the caller leaves his message to assure the caller that you will reply to every message. But it is always better if customers can talk to you directly.

Call Forwarding Helps to Make Effective Call Management and Distribution

Modern technology can do wonders to your business. When you are using a virtual phone system for your business, you need no extra hardware or software or complex installation and yet it helps you in managing your calls more effectively.  With a virtual phone you can easily give your customers the impression of a big business within your small budget. One feature that really helps you in your business and makes it looks bigger is call forwarding. It helps your business grow and also makes an impact on your customers. Listed below are a few of the advantages that a business enjoys using this feature:

Effective Call Management

On a virtual phone system, the auto attendant answers your calls and directs your callers to the person or department of his choice. Now what if you are not available to answer the call? The auto attendant forwards your call to the voicemail box. So the call forwarding feature of your virtual phone helps you to reduce the chances of calls going unanswered or unattended. Moreover, a virtual telephone also offers advanced call forwarding options that make it easier for you to maintain contact with your customers, even when you are not in the office or travelling or vacationing.

Call Distribution

The call forwarding feature of a virtual PBX allows you to forward calls to more than one phone number according to your choice and priority. You should use your mobile number as the first number of your choice and then your home phone number, office phone number and other phone numbers according to your preference.  You can also set the day and time when you are available on each of these numbers, so that the phone system can forward your call according to your choice. This is a very important feature of a virtual PBX and is known as Follow-Me-Find-Me feature. It practically hunts you down to deliver your call.

Looks Bigger than You Are

This advanced call forwarding feature – Follow-Me-Find-Me, makes your business look bigger than it actually is. Moreover, it helps you project an image that you are always available to answer your customers. This is very significant for the development of your business.  Your customers feel assured that then can reach you immediately at the time of their need. If you choose to use a toll free number as your business contact number, it will be an added advantage. Because your customers know that they can reach you anytime without spending a cent.

Maintaining Constant Contact with Customers

With the advanced call forwarding feature of your phone system you are never far from your customers. It helps to keep you in constant touch with your customers.  So even if you could not answer a call for some reason, do not be scared that you have lost a business opportunity because that call will be forwarded to your voicemail box, where your caller can leave a voice message. Your phone system also sends out alerts as soon as you have new voicemail. Moreover, you can keep your phone in Do Not Disturb mode until you are available to answer calls and all your calls will be forwarded to your voicemail box. It makes you more organized in answering calls and reduces chances of missed calls or missed voicemails.

The Call Forwarding Feature Never Keeps You Far From Your Customers

The call forwarding feature of a virtual phone keeps you close to your customers always. Your customers might like to inquire about your products or services from the comfort of their home. They can also place orders. If you wish to grow your business, you cannot afford to let your phone calls go unattended. Each call that you fail to answer is a missed business opportunity that can prove quite hefty for your business. So to grow your business and to keep your customers happy, you need to use the call forwarding feature of your virtual phone.

Follow-Me-Find-Me

With the call forwarding feature of a virtual phone system you can forward calls to more than one phone number of your choice. You can also customize the phone system in such a way that it forwards calls to each of the numbers on a pre-determined day and time. So if you are not available on one number, the phone system will try forwarding the call to other phone numbers so that it does not go unanswered. This particular feature of a phone system is known as Follow-Me-Find-Me. It actually hunts you down to deliver your call. This is quite unlike a traditional phone system and is one of the most advanced features of a virtual phone system.

Call Screening

You may be receiving hundreds of calls every day. Every call is not equally important for your business. In fact, there are quite a few calls that are time wasters and do not needs to be answered at all. A virtual phone allows you to screen a call before you answer it. You can screen the phone number and answer the call only if you feel the call is important, else you can forward the call to your voicemail. 

Call Screen and Announce

You can also let your customers hear a brief advertisement and then forward the call. You can also use the call screening feature to better answer your customers. Call screen and announce also help you save time. Call screen and announce can be enabled on any phone extension using call forwarding. It allows your customers to announce their name. So now you speak only with people you think are important for your business and can divert others to your voicemail whom you think are not significant for your business. Call screen and announce perfectly works with the Follow-Me-Find-Me feature.

Be Close to Your Customers

The call forwarding feature also helps you to maintain better connectivity with your customers. It allows you to forward calls to your cell phone, office phone, residential and other phone numbers. A virtual phone system works with any phone and helps to maintain your contact with your customers.

When a customer calls on your virtual phone, the auto attendant receives the call and forwards it to your number. It will hunt you down to more than one phone number to deliver the call. You should use your mobile phone number as the first number of your choice. So you can answer all your business calls even if you are not in the office.  If you are not available to answer the call, the system forwards it to your voicemail box.   So with the call forwarding feature of your virtual phone you are never far from your customers.

Stay Close to Your Customers with the Call Forwarding Feature

Call forwarding is an important feature of a virtual phone system that you should use for the benefit of your business. If you are using a toll free number for your business, you can be assured that soon you will be overwhelmed by the volume of inbound calls. Answering these calls is important because the success of your business depends on these calls, though some may be time wasters. You can divert the time wasters to your voicemail box, but what about the important calls? Missing a customer’s call means missing out on a valuable business opportunity. So to ensure that you are available to your customers all the time, you can use the call forwarding feature of your virtual phone.

A Special Feature

The call forwarding feature of a virtual phone helps you create an always-available presence to your business contacts. A virtual phone system has a special call forwarding feature that is more effective and efficient than traditional call forwarding - it’s called Follow-Me-Find-Me.  It can locate you at more than one phone number of your choice.  If you are using Follow-Me-Find-Me feature with your virtual phone none of your customer’s call will no unattended.

Follow-Me-Find-Me

Follow-Me-Find-Me is an incredible feature of a virtual phone system that tries to connect you to more than one phone numbers of your choice. You can provide your phone system the numbers where you want your calls to be forwarded to and call forwarding will hunt you down to deliver your call. The first number could be your cell phone number; the second number could be your residence phone number and any other numbers of your choice.

You can also set days of the week and even hours when you are available on each number and can customize exactly where and how you want your customers to reach you. You can also program the system in such a way that it prevents calls on one particular number during a fixed time of a day or any particular day of a week. If you are busy and cannot answer calls, it is better to use the “Do Not Disturb” mode until you are available.

Call Screening and Announce

You can also program your virtual phone in such a way that your callers hear a brief sales pitch and then they forward calls just by pressing zero. It also allows you to use call screening so that you can have more information about your caller and can answer your calls better.  Call screen and announce help you save your time. You can enable call screen and announce on any extension that is using call forwarding and prompt the caller to record their name. So now you can speak directly with the people you think are important for your business and can divert those to your voicemail whom you think are time wasters. Call screening and announce works seamlessly with the Follow-Me-Find-Me feature.

Call forwarding helps you transact with your customers easily.  Each call that you receive via phone is an opportunity to raise your revenue. So it is important that you answer your calls promptly and this particular feature helps you answer your customers 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Benefits of Using Call Forwarding Feature on Your Business Phone

All the calls that you receive on your business phone are not equally important. In fact there are quite a few that are time wasters. This is where the call forwarding feature of your virtual telephone becomes so very important. When a customer calls on your business phone number, the auto attendant usually answers the call and forwards the call to the right person or department of his choice. So your telephonic interaction with your customers begins when the auto attendant forwards the call to you. It also helps you to route your calls to other phone numbers or even voicemail box when you are not available to answer your customers.

Smarter Features
   
But the call forwarding feature can become more effective and efficient with a virtual phone.  The Follow-Me-Find-Me feature actually helps you to forward calls to more than one number including your home phone number, your cell phone number and other numbers of your choice. To use this feature, you need to provide phone numbers to your phone system and it will hunt you down to deliver your call. You can also set days and times for any phone number to prevent calls during those times. 

You can also enable call screening and announce on any extension of your virtual phone that is using call forwarding and prompt the caller to record their name. So now you speak only with the people you think are important for your business and divert those to your voicemail whom you think are time- wasters. So how can your business benefit by using this feature?

Busy in Important Meetings

Your business may require you to go out and meet individuals. If you wish to expand your business you cannot remain tied to your desk all the time. You have to go out and meet people. Suppose you are in the middle of that make-or-break lunch meeting and your phone starts buzzing. You obviously will not be happy to spend those valuable minutes talking over the phone. This is where call forwarding becomes important. You should forward your calls to other numbers. But research has shown that when customers call they prefer to talk to someone. So no matter which number you forward your calls to, your customers should not feel neglected.

Remain Connected to Your Customers Always

A virtual phone system keeps you connected with all your important communications always – at home, office or even when you are on vacation. This is a special kind of phone system that works with any phone - even your cell phone. It allows you to forward calls to more than one phone number including your cell phone.  You can set the time of the day and the day of the week when you are available on each number to answer your customer’s call and your virtual telephone will forward your calls accordingly. So now you enjoy both – work and vacation without compromising one for the other.

Marketing and Advertising Tool

You can also prompt your callers to hear a brief sales pitch and then use call forwarding just by pressing zero. This actually works like a brief advertisement for your business and at the same time there’s no chance of missing any valuable business opportunity. One missed call indicates one missed business opportunity that can prove pricey for your business.  If you are busy and do not have the time to answer all the calls you can use call screen and announce.  It not only saves time but also your business opportunities.