Hosted phones have the ability to save businesses money, improve office efficiency and offer features not found in a traditional phone system.

Businesses can save money through eliminating traditional phone lines and their high cost. Instead of paying for traditional lines, businesses can normally utilize their existing internet connection for hosted phones. Generally, a traditional phone line runs an where from $40 – $60 a month and are loaded with taxes and fees. Through hosted phones, these costs are reduced down to a low, manageable and predictable rate. With hosted phones,
users start as low as $19 a month. Plus, hosted phones are run on the cloud, saving even more money because expensive circuits are not needed.

The online administrative tools remove the complexity from managing phone systems. New users can be created with ease, voice-mail boxes changed, and ring groups added with the simple click of a mouse. All changes to auto-attendant configurations occur in real-time using drag-and-drop visual dial plan editor. Hosted phones put complete control of the system in your hands.

Along with costs savings comes outstanding features for business. The features of hosted phones can help businesses communicate both internally and with the outside world with ease; bettering customer service and business communication. We have compiled a list of hosted phone features and explained each feature. Could your business benefit from any of the features below?

If you want to learn more about how hosted phones will benefit your specific business, come to our lunch and learn.

Auto Attendant / PBX Controls

Web  interface that allows callers to be automatically transferred to an extension   without the intervention of an operator/receptionist.   An auto attendant may also allow a caller to reach a live operator by dialing   a number, usually “0”.

Call Analytics

Call analytics provide the metrics and monitoring tools necessary to help businesses evaluate call traffic.

Call Forwarding

Directs  an incoming call to a called party to be redirected to a third party. For example, the hired party may be a mobile telephone, voice-mail box or other telephone number where the desired called party is situated.

Call Park

Allows a person to put a call on hold at one telephone set and continue the   conversation from any other telephone set

Call Blocking / Auto Reject / Direct

Users can block incoming calls from specific telephone numbers.

Call forwarding

Let’s an incoming call to a called party to be redirected to a third   party

Call Transfer

Enables a user to relocate an existing telephone call to another phone or attendant  console

Call Waiting

The called party is able to suspend the current telephone call and switch to the  new incoming call

Conference Call / Conference Bridge

Conference calls may be designed to allow the called party to participate during the call, or the call may be set up so that the called party merely listens into the call and cannot speak

Custom Greetings

Users can create their own pre-recorded greetings for both individuals and the  company.

Detailed Call Reporting

Lists details of transaction, numbers of all parties on   call, call duration, starting time of the call and more.

Do not disturb

Callers are directed to your voice-mail

Find me / Follow me

Determines the routing of incoming calls. The exchange is configured with a list of   numbers for a person (cell phone, home phone, etc.). When a call is received  for that person, the  exchange routes it to each number on the list in turn until either the call is answered or the list is exhausted.

Hosted Call Recording

Can be enabled for all calls or initiated   from the telephone station with push of a button. Recording can be paused   during recording.

Music on Hold (Custom messages available)

Playing recorded music to fill the silence that would be heard by telephone
callers who have been placed on hold.

Night Service (Time-based Routing)

Incoming calls are automatically redirected to the particular telephones or other equipment during after- hours.

Public address system/ Intercom

Broadcasts across a building or campus, or anywhere else in the reach of the IP network

Remote Access

Users can dial-in from another phone to check messages

Ring Groups

A group of extensions are organized to process specific calls. Upon answering a call the system may transfers the call based upon the caller’s information.

Temporary Greeting

Greetings can be recorded and used for absences in the office and holidays.

Voice-mail to Email

Users can access their voice-mail through email.

Multi-Site Support

This ties multiple offices together. Users can easily transfer calls to a complete  different office seamlessly