Why Virtual Phone Services Do Not Help Your Small Business

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Why Virtual Phone Services Do Not
Help Your Small Business
In 2004, companies that emerged leveraging the
new Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) network,
included companies that were offering small
businesses a cheap way to look more professional.
Grand Central (now Google Voice), Ring Central
and OneBox attracted over 5 million small
business owners. These companies allowed
telephone numbers to be issued, greetings to be
recorded, call routing programming and voicemail,
with messages sent as audio files via email.
  Small businesses did this to appear more
professional but ultimately, the user experience
involves the caller being subjected first to a
recording, advising them to wait while they
search for the contact being called. With 5
seconds between each ring, just trying two
numbers (say home office and cell phone) 3 rings
each, could last 30 seconds. And, if the contact
cant be reached, the caller is then sent to
voicemail. So while small businesses using these
systems thought this was helping them appear more
professional, the user experience was actually
adversely impacting their potential to capture
new leads and customers.
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New cloud-based answering services are now
leveraging this same VOIP network and technology
to provide the next generation of small business
call answering solutions. These companies are
using cloud-based software that allows virtual
receptionists to transfer calls and take messages
that are automatically sent as email, text
message or both, with one click.
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Their overhead is significantly lower than
traditional answering service companies, allowing
them to offer lower pricing. In many cases, small
businesses can get their calls answered for less
than they are paying their cell phone
providers.   Whether you are using a virtual
phone system or just your cell phone, estimates
that more than 80 of callers that are sent to
voicemail, hang up. For many small businesses,
this is unacceptable.   This leaves only one
alternative for small businesses that cant
afford to lose these calls live answering
services. Fortunately for these small businesses,
there is a new generation of answering services
leveraging the VOIP network and cloud technology,
that are less expensive and more efficient with
their call handling. About Jim Plunkett Once
lead engineer on the cleanup of the nations worst
hazardous waste sites, Jim entered the digital
world in 1999 as a cofounder of Vacation Harbor
(think AirBB 1.0). Jim is presently Cofounder of
Main Virtual Office and US Answer and is regular
guest author on blogs like Office Depots
SmallBizClub.