While a Hosted PBX is a great choice for any kind of business looking to take its communications to the next level and cut costs while improving efficiency, a call center can especially benefit from the technology. The scalability of the system allows the system to be adjusted to fit larger call centers, as well as those that have multiple locations or consist of remote agents working from individual sites. Automatic call distribution routes calls based not on physical location, but on which representative is the best choice to respond to a customer’s needs. It’s possible to set groups of agents with particular skills, regardless of if they are in one place or distributed across many, and have them receive specific calls. This improves productivity and customer satisfaction. The service also has an affordable monthly cost that makes it accessible to anyone and avoids the high investment associated with onsite solutions.
A Hosted PBX comes with many key features. A web-based portal allows for easy configuration of settings from anywhere. Auto attendant provides a professional greeting for callers and intelligently routes calls and manages queues to improve response times and the customer experience. Greetings, announcements, and hold music can all be customized to match a particular business’ image. Call handling options are fully configurable, with options for bounced and overflow calls, as well as alternate routing options for calls after hours or on holidays. The system integrates multiple phone types, allowing agents to use existing legacy phones, IP phones, cell phones, or online soft phones. Reporting tools are also provided in order to let a business keep track of performance and monitor trends and traffic.
There are many situations in which a Hosted PBX can be deployed to provide benefits to a business. An auto attendant feature shifts workload off a receptionist by handling basic call routing, thereby improving customer satisfaction while also freeing up the receptionist for critical tasks. Hunt groups or simultaneous ringing help calls get through without going into voicemail and also help with load balancing by directing calls to available agents. Agents on the go can also be included with mobile support, allowing agents to offer a professional response from anywhere. Presence options help identify who is available to assist in directing calls and, even across multi-location enterprises, calls can be routed to the people or person most suited to respond. Whether it’s a small, large, or distributed call center, this technology can boost both customer satisfaction and employee productivity.