If you’re thinking about taking your small business up a notch, you can start by making it easier on your secretary and choosing a hosted business phone system. If you don’t have one already, here are some of the benefits of a hosted phone system.

No expensive new equipment

Pay for the phones you need and choose an appropriate plan for each user

Switch from your current provider without a hassle

Keep your phone numbers

Enjoy a multitude of new calling features that previously you didn’t have

Cheap international and national rates

And if those didn’t convince you, here are some of the more important features explained in detail:

1. Manage your company: Personalized vanity numbers can attract more customers because they’re easier to remember and make it seem like your business has a firm grasp on the industry. Personal extensions give your customers greater ease in reaching who they want to talk to, and you can always have the option of the operator if you don’t want customers to be frustrated talking to a machine. Every employee can have their own extension and reaching them is streamlined. You can create a company directory, and have three way calling features and group telephony meetings. Call screening also allows your employees to reject or accept calls depending on who is calling.

2. Tools: Call logs, preference based calling, click to call dialing, voicemail in your e-mail, and tons of other features enhance your business capabilities. Doing business on the road or from home is easy when you can access your work phone and emails away from work. You can customize your voicemail to play for as long as you want (during holidays) and you can make phone calls on your business phone ring on your cell too. That translates into higher efficiency, and less of a burden at the office. Ease of communication means improved communication, and as any good businessman knows, that translates into greater trust, and greater profits.

3. Automated service: Call waiting and music playing enhances the calling experience of your customers, and impresses upon them that they are dealing with a professional, large scale service. You can accept greater call volume this way also. A barrage of phone ringing can be distracting, so simplify the process and make it easier on your workers. This feature is included in your monthly VoIP bill.

VoIP is telephony reinvented for the 21st century. Now that all of these features are standard for most businesses, even more are being developed. Video telephony is just a few years away from being standard, and by making the switch now, you will be less daunted by the vast changes yet to come. With so many useful features, why keep your company in the past? Stay ahead of the competition and it will pay dividends for your business.

POPVOIP.com provides VoIP service to small- and medium-sized companies with neat features like business toll free number support. If you’re looking to invest in a hosted phone system, give POP VOIP a try.