There is a wealth of phone service options available for small and independent businesses looking for better ways to communicate. Virtual phone systems are a popular phone service option that suits the needs of most small businesses. These types of phone systems are especially beneficial for direct sales, real estate, internet marketing, virtual and home-based businesses.

What is a Virtual Phone System?

Virtual phone systems are hosted communication services that allow businesses to more effectively manage their communications with customers. When customers call the business, the call is routed to a mobile phone or landline designated by the business owner. Alternately, the call can be sent to a professional voice mailbox with customizable features such as a professionally recorded greeting, programmable extensions, dial-by-name directory or after-hours mode. Customizable phone system features vary by service provider, so make sure that a company offers all the features you want before choosing a provider or service plan.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Virtual Phone System?

Virtual phone systems help small and independent businesses seem much larger, which serves to increase customer confidence and even attract new customers. These comprehensive systems increase flexibility for both businesses and owners. Using a virtual phone system makes waiting around for client calls or missing important calls from prospective customers a thing of the past. Now your business can go where you do since you can receive calls anywhere there’s a landline or cell phone reception.

Are Virtual Phone Systems Expensive?

Other than the old-fashioned approach of sitting around and answering each call yourself, a virtual phone system is one of the least expensive phone service options available. Most virtual phone system providers offer this service for a very reasonable monthly fee that breaks down to between $1 and $3 per day, depending on your plan and how many features it includes. Some providers even offer their full range of customizable features for every plan, regardless of how many minutes the selected plan has. There are a wide variety of virtual phone system plans available to suit the specific needs of your business.

Is There Equipment to Maintain?

Unlike traditional office phone systems, which require expensive equipment, a lengthy installation process and on-going maintenance, virtual phone systems operate using the provider’s hardware, your landline or cell phone for receiving calls, and a simple internet connection for making any changes to your account settings. Any necessary system maintenance is handled by the service provider and is already included in the monthly fee. Businesses can save thousands in initial costs and hundreds in on-going maintenance charges by opting for a virtual phone system instead of a traditional hardware-based office phone system.

Finding the office phone system that’s right for your business requires a careful assessment of your business’s needs and goals. If your business needs a phone system to improve customer communications, increase customer confidence, widen the customer base and provide better support service, a virtual phone system may be right for you. With so many phone system options available, there is a service plan to fit every need and budget.