A hosted phone system is a type of phone system where the operator provides the hardware and software that you operate within. The operator typically provides the service on behalf of numerous clients, and you can take advantage of their vast knowledge and experience to set up and operate your business quickly and with little to no trouble at all.
The benefit of a hosted phone system is that it takes the hassle out of setting up and maintaining your own infrastructure. You no longer have to worry about buying and maintaining expensive phones or managing phone lines. The operator will take care of all of that for you, so all you need to do is operate your business and take calls. Sounds pretty cool, right?
Like any other phone system, a hosted phone system has its perks and its downsides. One of the major perks is the price. Most operators charge a flat rate that is considerably lower than what you would pay if you were to buy all the equipment yourself. In addition, most hosted phone systems offer a free trial, so you can determine whether or not this is the right fit for your business.
Features
In general, a hosted phone system offers all the features that you would expect from a traditional phone system. In addition, most hosted phone systems provide additional features that can benefit your business. Some of the additional features that you might encounter include voicemail, call queues, and email alerting. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
First, you’ll want to check out voicemail. A lot of traditional phone systems don’t offer this feature, but most hosted phone systems do, and it’s a vital one if you’re not checking calls regularly. The benefit of having voicemail is that you can save all your messages right on the phone. If you get a busy signal when you call a number or you leave a message and the person calls you back, you can review your message while they’re on the phone with you. This feature alone can relieve some of the stress that comes with running a business. If nothing else works for you, this is certainly worth a try.
Next, we’ll examine the call queue. A call queue is simply an area where you can log calls that you receive, whether or not you take the calls. You might use a call queue if you get a lot of calls that you don’t have time to take, but you don’t want to ignore them either. The benefit of a call queue is that it gives you a place to monitor and deal with all your calls, regardless of whether you take the calls or even want to. This feature alone can be extremely useful for a business owner or manager because it gives you the flexibility to choose when and where you want to take calls. You can monitor call activity and see who’s calling when you’re not there, or you can choose to take calls at certain times and avoid other calls by setting the system up to ring through to voicemail or another phone number.
Email alerting is another feature that most hosted phone systems provide. With this feature, you can set up email alerts that will notify you when you receive a call or a visit from a certain person. The benefit of this feature is that you don’t have to stay up-to-date with your phone book to know who to call. Instead, you can choose to set up email alerts and be sure that you’ll get an alert whenever a call or a visit is scheduled.
A hosted phone system gives you all the benefits of an independent phone system without all of the hassles of owning and operating one. In addition, most operators offer a variety of plans and pricing structures, so you should be able to find something that fits your needs. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get started, then most likely your best option is a hosted phone system.