talkbase Blog

Many companies are using Office 365 with Enterprise Voice. This also provides Skype for Business and all UCC features. There is, however, a snag with this solution from Microsoft known as "Cloud PBX": the functions can only be used within the company. But employees also want to reach external contacts and be reachable for them, as they are used to from the existing PBX telephone system. This is not automatically possible for Skype for Business, which is integrated in Office365, as it does not have access to the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). However, only access to the PSTN enables Skype4Business users to call any telephone numbers worldwide. 

Is the replacement of the existing telephone system within your SME an issue? That's when it is essential for you to think about your future communications strategy and familiarize yourself with the latest technologies.

This is often underestimated in SMEs, due to their manageable organization. It is therefore all the more important that you opt for a contemporary UC solution, and also for connected systems, such as the switchboard. Thanks to a state-of-the-art UC solution for your communications and the related increased professionalism of call handling, both your staff and external callers will appreciate this decision.

In the queue of a switchboard everyone wants their call to be answered as quickly as possible. If a queue forms, the calls are handled one after the other. Whoever has been in the queue for the longest time is displayed right at the top and is the next to be dealt with. So the principle “first-come first-served” applies in this case. However, there are different situations in which this basic rule does not apply. At the same time there are different approaches for reducing a caller's waiting time and therefore making call handling more efficient.

Throughout Europe and beyond, service providers are switching off their ISDN networks and migrating their customers over to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). The first service providers have already made the switch, including Slovakia and Macedonia. Most have made their plans public, including Swisscom (2017), Deutsche Telekom (2018), Orange (2020) and BT (2025). In future, fixed network, internet and TV, and all related services will operate via the Internet Protocol. There are a number of points to observe with regard to the changeover to VoIP.

Make use of the time now to already think about how your company can benefit the most from the upcoming changeover. For VoIP offers you a host of Unified Communication (UC) solutions which you can select according to your needs.

There comes the day when it's time to get a new phone. Telephone systems have switched to VoIP and good old analog telephone sets can no longer be used. But what type of phone should you choose?

After focusing in the last few blogs on subjects related to call handling and everything this entails, today I would like to address the topic of support. We all have our "tools", whether for private or business purposes, which we need in order to cope with our everyday life. But the day will come when the application stops working and we have to contact support. In my opinion, three things are necessary for a successful support which serves our customers' needs.

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You know it from experience: when calling a company, the first contact is crucial. The voice of the receptionist will determine whether or not you will continue the call with a positive feeling or not. It is simple, a positive attitude will create positive impressions.

That is why your receptionists are, at that moment, the most important contact within your company. Your receptionists will be more relaxed if an attendant console helps them handle incoming calls. Therefore, calls will be managed in a very friendly and professional manner, ensuring a warm welcome to your customers.

Of course, everybody can have an off day but if in addition the attendant solution does not work, a friendly receptionist can soon get stressed out and your customers will most likely notice it - a bad first impression of your company. The fact is that every single call is an opportunity to enhance customer relationships and your image.

In the past, besides the actual topic of call handling, our blog dealt with additional features which provide an attendant solution with useful functions, thereby covering more customer requirements. But what is the use of all this if, for example, we don't know whether all callers can be attended to? It is in this case and in many other cases, where attendant statistics may prove helpful, as they are able to graphically represent meaningful reports based on the available data.

Are you experiencing unexpected peak periods at the attendant console? Make use of the support of employees working from home!

You know how it is: We cannot always predict short-term fluctuations in call volume, yet waiting times and potential losses must be minimized. For nowadays, companies are reliant on the smooth operation of call handling. This means also having to answer and distribute every call in periods with high call volumes. To support attendant operators in this task, home-based staff could also be used. An optimum, cost-oriented solution for the company, which increases both customer and employee satisfaction.