Despite the vast range of communication alternatives for businesses, such as live chats or email, many companies are still loyal to the telephone system. It provides direct, immediate contact with clients, which is invaluable for customer interaction.
Nowadays, an increasing number of businesses are interested in implementing a cloud PBX system.
These online phone systems are available as additional services in communication platforms like Microsoft Teams.
Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams offers a huge array of features, such as auto-attendants, caller ID, voicemail to email, secondary ringer, device switching, etc.
Here is everything you need to know about this type of cloud PBX system.
What is a Cloud PBX?
Cloud-based Private Branch Exchange is a virtual phone system whose role is to answer business calls automatically and route them to the corresponding department. Given the popularity of such private telephone technologies, it’s no wonder many collaboration platforms decide to upgrade their services so as to include telephony.
For instance, Microsoft Teams has made such an upgrade to enable users to have one-to-one conversations, video calls, group discussions, and external communications with clients. The purpose of this platform is to make alterations to the interface for employees to use for calling. These virtual phone systems provide numerous helpful features to ensure unobstructed communication.
Essential features
Cloud PBX systems, like that for Microsoft Teams, provide users with a range of convenient features. A trustworthy cloud communication provider like G12 does PBX solutions, which provide businesses with functionality and flexibility to scale. For instance, cloud auto attendants are among the most important features of PBX systems, allowing internal and external callers to locate and transfer calls to different users and departments within a company.
Moreover, call queues enable companies to create the perfect experience for customers calling the phone number of their organizations. This feature is what businesses use to set up greetings, allow callers to listen to music while on hold, look for an available call agent, etc. Companies can configure a single queue or multiple call queues, depending on their requirements.
Music on hold is another useful feature organizations use to entertain external callers from the PSTN. It can be applied to both one-to-one and queue calls. While waiting for the call to be answered by an available agent, the callers enjoy listening to the music chosen by the administrator.
Cloud PBX systems offer forwarding options to users, enabling them to set their own forwarding rules. These rules make sure business calls reach them everywhere or forward them to voicemail or colleagues. Conversely, the call answer/initiate feature lets employees respond to inbound calls with a screen touch, as well as make outbound calls by clicking on the client’s name or dialing a phone number.
Call transfers and consultative transfers enable employees to transfer calls to someone else or to another device. For instance, sometimes, employees might need to go out of their office, but they haven’t finished the conversation. In such scenarios, they can easily make a transfer and continue the conversation on another device, such as their mobiles instead of a PC. Read here about the benefits of call forwarding for a business.
Furthermore, group pickup is another important feature of PBX systems. Employees can use it to share some of the calls with their colleagues in case they aren’t available for a conversation at the moment. This feature seems to be less disruptive to users when compared to the other types of sharing, such as simultaneous ringing and forwarding.
Another cloud PBX feature worth considering is the ability to transfer to voicemail in the middle of a conversation. Employees using the Teams phone system can park calls, referring to the action of placing customers/colleagues on hold. When taking advantage of the parking feature, users are provided with a specific code generated by the system. The only way to retrieve a parked call is when the recipient or another person uses the provided code.
In addition, caller ID, as the name explains, provides information about callers when receiving phone calls from inside and outside the company. In the former case, caller ID info is taken from the corporate directory, including the job title, name, and picture of the caller. In the latter case, phone service providers are responsible for providing info about callers.
Device switching is an indispensable feature of the Microsoft Teams PBX system, as it enables employees to use the platform on multiple devices. As a result, users can easily switch from their PC to a mobile phone, tablet, headset, etc. An integrated dial pad is helpful when making outbound calls, as it enables users to dial by number or by name.
Making and receiving video calls is a feature ensuring users communicate with their contacts not just through audio but video as well. In order to use this feature, individuals must have a camera, microphone, and speakers. A headset might be necessary in case the computer doesn’t have a built-in microphone.
The voicemail to mail feature is among the most advanced of PBX systems. When employees receive voicemail, it’s sent to their Exchange mailboxes in the form of an email. The voicemail is attached to the email for users to listen to it on their mobiles, computers, or other devices where Microsoft Teams is installed. The following link, https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisoncoleman/2020/02/27/why-the-telephone-is-still-the-business-owners-best-friend/?sh=100e1e3fcc8e, explains why the telephone is still the best friend of business owners.
A secondary ringer is yet another significant feature for users who wish to miss no calls. Those employees having several speaker devices can use an extra device to ring beside the default speaker. For example, if your PC is connected to desk speakers and a headset, they will both ring in the event of an incoming call.
Additionally, distinctive ring alerts enable users to select different ringtones for forwarded, normal or delegated calls. Consequently, the melody will help them prepare for the type of conversation they are about to have. Conversely, the blocking feature helps Microsoft Team users to put phone numbers on a blocked list.
Busy on busy feature allows businesses to select a calling policy related to the management of incoming calls when users are already talking on the phone, are in a conference, or the call is placed on hold. In such situations, the caller can either hear a signal indicating the agent is on the phone or be routed to leaving a voicemail message.
Ultimately, shared line appearance is an ideal feature for users who wish to share their phone lines with other colleagues. Hence, other employees can make calls or receive them on your behalf.
Benefits of using a cloud PSX system for Microsoft Teams
The use of the phone system of Microsoft Teams for the telephoning needs of your company comes with an array of benefits. For example, your communications and productivity channels will be unified under one roof. It means you won’t have to worry about using several systems at the same time, as Microsoft handles all the important services on behalf of companies. Consequently, you will just need to turn to Microsoft when having a problem with your phone system, email, or MS Office.
Another advantage of using Microsoft Teams as an alternative for your phone system is being able to access it from virtually anywhere in the world. Apart from being accessed by the employees sitting at their desks, this cloud PBX system can be accessed by individuals working from the comfort of their homes, a popular trend during the pandemic. Also, it can be accessed by members of your sales team attending a conference or a trade show halfway across the world.
It’s paramount for employees to have an internet connection to gain access to the phone system. They need to be logged in to their devices to receive calls regardless of the location. Additionally, the calling plans offered by Microsoft Teams are incredibly flexible, meaning companies can set up access to specific departments or specific lines. For instance, certain departments might be solely internal, whereas others can be both internal and external.
This kind of flexibility may do wonders for the security of businesses. Companies can decide to restrict their finance departments to dialing only domestic numbers, while the sales departments wouldn’t be restricted to contacting international clients. Thus, businesses are capable of making configuration changes they see fit.
Low pricing is an advantage that appeals to many companies. The implementation of a calling system with Microsoft Teams is as low as $12 for domestic calling, whereas $24 for international. These prices apply to the basic package of minutes. Naturally, you’d have to pay for additional credits after exceeding the number of minutes included in the package.
Nevertheless, even if you choose a more advanced package, you’d still pay $20 for domestic calling while $32 for international calling.
To sum up
Cloud PBX systems have become an all-in-one solution for companies offering premium features.
Businesses also enjoy ongoing support and unlimited scalability!
