Phone System Software to Consider For Your Business Phone System

For most businesses, choosing the right phone system is all about customer experience. As a business owner, you are probably well aware how important it is to make an excellent first impression on new customers and a positive repeat impression on returning customers.

Customer service statistics are hard to ignore. Consider these intriguing facts about the average customer experience:

  • 89% of customers are likely to purchase from a competitor following a poor experience.
  • 96% of customers won’t complain – they will just stop doing business with a company.
  • Only 1% customers believe that their customer service expectations are consistently met.
  • A 5% boost in customer retention can increase profits by up to 125%.
  • It costs almost seven times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing customer.

Attracting new customers and keeping loyal customers can be worth its weight in gold. So what does customer service have to do with business phone software? In a word: everything. Choosing the right phone software can make it easier to manage customer calls and ensure that queries are dealt with in a timely manner.

Business phone software types and applications

Today, telephony software designed for use in a business setting has diverse purposes. Many businesses implement VoIP phone software, or Voice over Internet Protocol software. A VoIP phone system converts analog calls into packets of data that are transmitted over the Internet. VoIP services are compatible with both cell phones and landlines; they also allow calling computer-to-computer.

VoIP phone software may include a number of applications, like:

  • Answering Attendant: Uses interactive voice response (IVR) software for voice mail and automated call attendant.
  • Call Conferencing: Can run a business phone conference for multiple parties through a PC.
  • Multichannel Voice Recorder: Uses voice recording software to record audio messages for radio stations, control rooms, and telephone lines.
  • Phone Dictation: Allows users to dial in to the software and record voice dictations for transcription.
  • Softphone: Allows calls to be taken over the computer.
  • Virtual PBX: Can manage incoming calls to multiple lines in a call center or large company.

Business phone system software prices

Business phone software can range greatly in price, depending on applications and features, as well as how many lines are supported by the software. Small business telephone attendant software with one line and one voice mail box may start at $49.99; telephone attendant software to support up to 64 lines may start at $639.

In many cases, software with multiple applications can be bundled together to provide additional savings. VoIP PBX software add-ons may start at $114; recording system add-ons for 1-7 channels may start at $360.

To make a final decision in business phone software, focus on areas of weakness in your current phone system. If your phone system is too small to support your call volume, more complex software may be in order. Or, your business may benefit from specific features that cater to your customer base, like call conferencing to host meetings with remote clients.