Categories
Phone Systems

What Is A Hosted Telephone System And How Exactly Does It Work?

A hosted telephone system means your communications are operating in the cloud, instead of in your physical office. It is perfect for remote workers, micro, small and larger businesses and organisations also ideal for client assistance divisions and call centres.

Some of the benefits are: 

  • No upfront costs are incurred for equipment.
  • Highly flexible communications systems ready for the future
  • Total control for smart internet devices

Hosted telephone systems use cloud-based technology which eliminates the requirement for expensive equipment on location and simple or ISDN phone lines from telephone suppliers. Putting it simply a business telephone system is connected via the internet and the telephone framework turns into some software instead of physical equipment. 

The cloud location is also known as Hosted PBX (Private Branch Exchange) and can be received through rented/leased (private lines assigned to your business). It gives an adaptable, dependable and practical approach to deal with your communications and once installed can be intelligently controlled, and extra features can be added to suit your business requirements. 

With this set-up, Teleproject Uk will house the Hosted PBX and handle the tech and any maintenance of the framework if any is required. 

To compare: a conventional telephone system requires you to have it housed within the physical office and is connected to an ISDN line. When calls come into the office call, every individual member of staff requires a physical desk phone. With hosted communications, the call can be taken on a ‘softphone’, a phone on your desk or mobile application. 

As many businesses know, BT will switch off and retire all ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) services in 2025. We believe hosted communication is the best and most future proof option as it uses Data Connections to receive calls. 

So, how do hosted telephone systems work? 

Hosted communications use a similar LAN network as office internet does and connects to the internet provider (IP)

Hosted comms send information securely and safely via the internet through a dedicated connection for your business.

For calls that come into the business, the phone will establish a connection to the internet provider (IP) network, then over to the remote host. The dialled number will get quickly connected and sent through to the appropriate office, department or individual within the business.

The system needs a private connection and an appropriate bandwidth to work well. When we say ‘bandwidth’ this refers to the rate or speed at which data is sent across an IP network. When hosted systems or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions are installed, the bandwidth can be measured and upgraded (if required) to achieve the best performance for the hosted telephone system.

These systems can be accessed via dedicated handsets connected to the internet and offer a range of enhanced features. These internet handsets or virtual phones are recommended and chosen before installation, at which point complete training can be arranged.

Once ready and setup, a business can manage international communications across multiple sites through a simple interface.

Categories
IVR

Why Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is essential for Businesses

Why Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is essential for Businesses

To stay head and shoulders above your competitors these days, you have to invest in top-notch technologies. Interactive voice response ( IVR ) has been one of the must-have technologies many businesses have invested in over the years and there’s a good reason for this.

IVR systems have a great impact on businesses small or large and have stood the test of time. Most importantly, businesses can gain a competitive edge over other businesses with an IVR system and IVR Payment Processing, because it can improve your business operations and increase efficiency.

An IVR system is made up of a computerised system that aids in answering incoming calls and sends them to the suitable destinations within your business premises. You can retrieve vital information from the database using this platform, and it’s easy to automate tasks that will require a team of professionals.

What to Know About Interactive Voice Response

There is a deep-rooted history concerning the use of an interactive voice response system. This system was introduced into the business industry as a means to quickly and efficiently automate business processes. The idea was to save a small business’s operation time spent answering customers’ inquiries. Hence, it guarantees quick opportunities to serve customers in need of the information they are looking for.

For many businesses, the IVR system offered an opportunity to use an unrefined kind of self-service technology available in many phone systems worldwide. The first models of auto business assistants came with limited functionality and allowed less interaction. For many businesses, they had to invest in improved and high-security protocols.

Significantly, it was not easy to make improvements on the systems as they were not designed to keep up with growing business operations and customer demands. Businesses needed to grow, and they had to go for a solution that will keep them afloat and effectively satisfy clients’ needs, this pursuit led to the advent of IVR and IVR Payment technology. Advancements in the telecoms industry, more so the interactive voice response systems functionality, can be attributed to improvements in the earlier models. New and better technological developments like computer telephony integration (CTI) guarantee the effective exchange of information between phones and computers. CIT technology makes it easy to input telephone information into databases, and it can be stored based on customers’ account information.

Computer telephony integration makes it easy for a computer system to execute automatic call transfers and dialling. These systems utilise a dual-tone frequency signalling (DTFS) to facilitate effective information exchange between phones and computers. More features like Automated Speech recognition (ASR), has impacted how customers make inquiries.

Types of Interactive Voice Response Systems – What to Know

The key types of IVR system widely used these days include:

1. Inbound IVR Systems

Inbound IVR systems are widely used to automate a business’s answering and calling processes. Caller-routing is an excellent application whereby a caller presses the phone’s touch screen and is immediately directed to a specific destination.

These systems can as well be used in retailing to offer services and products over the phone. Other areas include telephone banking, loan application, and the healthcare sector to provide discharge and admission records.

2. Outbound IVR Systems

Outbound interactive voice response systems help remind clients of upcoming meetings and appointments. These systems offer a means to save more as a business can streamline the entire process using an automated system to make multiple calls. This is an incredible way to improve employee productivity while focusing on other essential duties or aspects of their work.

How IVR Systems Can Benefit Your Small Business

IVR systems are a valuable investment and will impact your business significantly in several ways:

• Guarantees 24/7 effective communication. You can answer customers’ inquiries without any worries regardless of the time of the day or night.

• They increase customer satisfaction. These systems automatically help cater to volumes of calls and without any shortcomings.

• Lowers cost of business operation. There is no need to hire multiple workers as this system will automatically handle relevant calls or queries.

• Enjoy customised customer support regardless of the language one is using.

• All calls are recorded for future references and analysis.

Implement IVR Best Practices into Your Business

Interactive voice response technology offers your business a means to grow and overcome competition. These systems provide a means to keep in touch with customers and avoid unnecessary communication difficulties. You shouldn’t have any reservations about investing in these telecoms systems as the benefits are potentially business-changing.

Working with Teleproject UK we can discuss your requirements and tailor a system to meet your needs.