In today’s world, where business competition is downright cut-throat, a smart company equips itself with the best tools that its resources can afford. That’s because not only does a small-and-medium business have to deal with a crowded field of similarly sized rivals, it also has to find a way to compete with the big companies who have a lot more resources at their disposal.

That’s why something as basic as a phone system, specifically one operating from the cloud, can become a great equalizer in today’s business world. Here’s how a good cloud phone system can set you apart from the crowd, while letting you run with the big dogs.

Cloud System Basics

What does a cloud phone system entail? It’s another way of saying a phone service delivered through the Internet. It’s also called an Internet Phone System, and sometimes known as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol).

Cloud phone systems will someday be the standard for business-related telephone communication.

Such a phone system entails a group of phones working in concert, where, in addition to the above-mentioned delivering calls via the Internet, the phones can easily route inbound calls to the appropriate department, and offer traditional telephony applications (e.g. call recording, virtual voicemail).

Now that we have that out of the way, here’s how a cloud system can help.

Helpful To Your Customers

Speaking from experiences both first and second-hand, the last thing customers want when they call up a business is to be put on hold forever, only to have them be transferred to the wrong department, or even worse, have the call dropped. That’s always fun.

There is a lot of competition out there, and how you handle customer service can make the difference between satisfied return customers and disgruntled former customers, the latter now most certainly checking out a competitor.

By having a simple, flexible call center provided through a cloud phone system, you can make sure that every customer who calls will get the best treatment. The article “Beating Out the Competition With a Great Business Phone System” cites such customer-friendly features such as “..automatic call routing to those who have been idle longest, CRM software integration that puts customer information and histories at reps’ fingertips, and tracking and reporting features that make it easy to see how the call center is performing..”

Your Cloud Phone Is Helpful To Your Business

The benefits go beyond customer service; your business stands to benefit from the cloud-based phone system as well. A VoIP system doesn’t require costly equipment; you already have the main ingredient, namely your Internet access. All you need is to make sure that your phones have VoIP capability, and set up a subscription with a VoIP provider and you’re ready to rock.

And as your company grows (because it’s not going to shrink, what with the fantastic customer service you will provide, right?), the system is easy to add on to. Cloud phone systems are known for their scalability and ease of set up.

Furthermore, you don’t need any special training or exotic skill sets in order to operate the system at its full potential. Simplicity is the hallmark of the VoIP system.

With such advantages for customer and company alike, is it any wonder that cloud phone systems are increasingly preferred over the traditional phone set ups? Still not convinced? Check out “Useful VoIP Features To Help Your Business Grow.”