Customers may call the next number they are given, but far too frequently they will get distracted on another task, forget the number, call the next number in the directory or call a competitor with a retail location that is closer to their location. Each time a caller is asked to dial another number, the company loses a significant percentage of those calls. Along with the call, they lose revenue of the sale and the future potential of the customer. They lose the marketing dollars invested in enticing the customer to call. They may also lose staff time spent locating the branch that could meet the customer’s needs.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) enabled business telephone systems and Hosted PBX services allow businesses to connect phones and telephone systems together over broadband Internet connections. Hosted PBX services can be installed for minimal or no capital investment. They will also work with any major Internet Service Provider (ISP) including Verizon, Comcast, AT&T, Sprint and Centurylink. Even in a “stalled economy,” multiple location business can afford to integrate all their telephones with the low capital investment of Hosted PBX services and the wide availability of broadband Internet.

A fully integrated telephone system will allow calls to be transferred from one branch to another. When a branch can not meet the caller’s needs, the call is sent to another branch that can. The customer is not inconvenienced by having to write down and call another number, the revenue is realized, the customer may yield future potential revenue and customer service is enhanced.

Here are 8 reasons Hosted PBX services are perfect for a startup business:

1.  Most services only require the purchase of VoIP phones instead of central equipment including cabinets, cards and the labor to install associated with a traditional telephone system.  Without the central equipment, Hosted PBX services significantly lower capital required for a new phone system.

2.  Some Hosted PBX service bundle free outbound long distance making monthly telephone service costs more predictable and steady.

3.  They connect users in diverse locations into a seamless communication system reducing or eliminating the need for office space.  Less or no office space translates to reduced rent, utility bills, furniture and insurance.

4.  If the startup entrepreneur can work out of their home, then they spend less time in the commute and more time on developing their business.

5.  The addition and deletion of phones is effortless.

6.  The startup can test new market areas by simply publishing a local number in that area.  The local number can ring on any of their phones located anywhere.  For example, a company located in Atlanta can publish local telephone numbers in Dallas that ring on their phones in Atlanta.

7.  The Mobile PBX option of premium Hosted PBX services will pass calls on to mobile phones when the called party does not answer their desk phone.  Enabling the Mobile PBX feature will increase the chances of calls being answered by a live person without having to hire someone to be assigned to a desk.

8.  Startup businesses must not appear as a new company with limited resources.  Calls answered by general company voicemail boxes project a small company appearance.  Hosted PBX services increase the chances of calls being answered by a live body.  In addition, they provide auto attendants and individual voicemail boxes which convey a professional image.

Hosted PBX services from VoIP providers are perfect for the startup business.  They provide communication services that are inexpensive, scalable in design and foster the growth of the business.  They are easy to manage, provide seamless communication even when all workers are not in the same office, give outside callers the feel of a company with depth, move easily and enable its users to wear many hats.

Today, many SIP Trunk and Hosted VoIP providers deliver Virtual Telephone Numbers at affordable rates.  Hosted VoIP providers also deliver their services under the name of Hosted PBX and Virtual PBX.  Most VoIP providers furnish their service with flat rate pricing as opposed to the telephone companies that can charge per minute rates several times greater than their long distance packages.  Some VoIP providers allow their customers to use Virtual Telephone Numbers as their outbound CallerID.

With the advent of affordable pricing and greater flexibility of Virtual Telephone Numbers from VoIP providers, here are their top 7 uses:

1.  Virtual Telephone Numbers can be forwarded to mobile phones.

Privacy and adequate down time is protected by supplying virtual numbers instead of mobile telephone numbers to key customers.

2.  Virtual Telephone Numbers help a company retain control of the contact numbers that callers use without having to supply mobile phones to employees.

Positions similar to inside and outside sales as well as real estate are examples where mobile phones are essential to the job.  Few employers provide mobile phones leaving the employee to give out their personal mobile number.  When they leave their position, their customers will still call them.  With Virtual Telephone Numbers, the company can easily redirect calls to any number they choose and retain control of who the customer calls.

3.  Virtual Telephone Numbers can be published in remote markets without needing a physical presence.

These numbers can ring to almost anywhere allowing home office employees to answer most calls and leave the remote employees to do their specific jobs.

4.  After closing down an office, the local published telephone numbers can be converted to a Virtual Telephone Number and forwarded to another office or someone’s home.

Offices can be closed and money can be saved without sacrificing the local feel to servicing the remaining customers in the area.

5.  While keeping the remote office open, local published telephone numbers can be converted to Virtual Numbers and ring to the main office or any other number of choice.

Remote employees who wear many hats and may be stretched thin on resources can have the burden of answering the phone relieved thus freeing essential personnel to handle other pressing matters.

6.  In some instances, major telephone line providers force their customers to change phone numbers when moving.

Virtual numbers can be forwarded to the office’s new telephone number.

7.  Advanced Hosted PBX and Hosted VoIP providers route calls to virtual numbers based upon the time of the day.

Calls can be automatically shifted to personnel on the West coast or to staff members assigned to work later hours.

Virtual Telephone Numbers are a powerful communication tool that delivers many flexible call handling options to business users.  Businesses can easily close and expand operations with their use as well as adjust duty assignments of remote personnel.  Advanced Hosted VoIP providers have the ability for their users to place calls using the Virtual Telephone Number as the outbound CallerID.  And finally, almost any number can be converted into a Virtual Telephone Number.

In business, making or receiving calls that are concentrated in areas outside of the local dialing area are normal events.  The usual solution for making these kinds of calls is to use long distance or subscribe to a toll-free number.  If the call is in-state verses across the country, the costs can be through the roof.   And the more time you spend talking, the more it costs.

This can become a barrier to sales growth and good customer service.  The small business is often the one that feels the pain the most.  A simple business goal of expanding into a new market or service area can be hurt or derailed with the increase in the telephone call expenses.

Using virtual telephone numbers, this barrier can be broke at a reasonable cost to make the benefits for a small business enormous.  Today most Hosted PBX Providers offer virtual telephone numbers for almost any US exchange area.  Getting the numbers you want can be easy and very affordable.

If your need is to only provide a local number for callers to contact your business (inbound only), then the destination you direct the virtual number can be just about anywhere.  Many Hosted PBX subscribers find this flexibility of number destination a very cost effective means for disaster recovery or to assign remote workers call coverage tasks.

I hope this article has been helpful to you.  Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.