Hosted PBX Terms, Part 2

This is the second part of a two-part article that highlights business phone systems and Hosted PBX terminology.

Business VoIP and VoIP hosted terminology includes:

• Dial by Name – This is an excellent option for customers that call in and know exactly who their assigned representative is, allowing them to avoid frustrating wait times and call queues.
• Find-Me Follow-Me – This feature allows calls to be routed to multiple numbers, ensuring that employees never miss an important telephone call.
• Group Voice Messaging – This feature allows managers to send a single voicemail to a certain group of employees, greatly boosting productivity. Instead of leaving several voicemails, only one is required when using this feature.
• Hold Music – Callers on hold hear pleasant music, which is proven to soothe customers while they are waiting to speak to a business’ representative.
• Integrated Fax – This allows customers to fax employees directly. The VoIP system recognizes the “data” as a non-voice call and routes it to an area designed specifically for faxes. Some companies use features that turn faxes directly into emails, instantly appearing in employees’ inboxes.
• IM Consoles – These integrate with desktop systems, allowing employees to be notified via an instant messenger program of all incoming faxes and calls.
• Personal Hold Messages – This allows each business department to create their own personalized message.
• Queues – This allows calls to be prioritized based on call number. Many of these calls are designed to notify customers what number they are in the queue.
• Return Calls – This allows employees to return calls without writing down voicemail phone numbers or taking messages. Employees can simply select “return call” and the program immediately dials the caller’s number. Not only is this feature efficient, but it is green friendly too!
• Ring To – This feature allows employees to forward calls to their home phones or cell phones, perfect when traveling or working from a home office.
• Schedules – Employees can select when they receive calls each day, allowing them to boost their productivity. For example, if a company has a sales meeting every Tuesday, calls can be set to automatically forward during those dedicated times.
• SMS Notifications – If employees have cell phones, this feature allows them to receive text messages when they receive a work-related phone call.
• Supervisor Control – Many companies, especially those with large call centers, utilize this feature for quality assurance or training purposes. This allows supervisors to listen to employees, so they can correct any pertinent training issues.
• Voice Mail Email – These types of computer-based systems allow employees to receive emails when voicemails are left on their phone systems. In many cases, these messages are transcribed within the email.
• Voice on Demand – These features allow customers to receive more information on a certain product, without waiting for a customer service representative. For example, banks often use this feature for promotional items, such as low credit card interest rates.
• Web Interface – This allows employees to view all their messages, calling features and call history on one easy-to-use website.