Boosting Home Office Productivity with a Small Business Phone System

Whether you are a one-person business starting out with limited resources or you own a small- to medium-sized business with employees, professional communication affects your image and customer service. Employees and entrepreneurs are challenged with maintaining that professional image in the remote work setting where home offices exist in various environments. A small business phone system can ensure professionalism over the phone, which is often a point of first contact for prospects and customers. 

Remote workers may use their cell phones to accomplish work tasks out of necessity because they don't have an enterprise phone system. There are many advantages and disadvantages to using a personal phone for work. A small business phone system removes the disadvantages so business communication remains productive and professional. 

Personal Phones in a Professional Environment

The biggest problem with personal phones for work is the use of a personal phone number. If employees are using their personal number, it is displayed on the customers' caller ID. This can be confusing to the customer and inconvenient for the employee, not to mention that it doesn't put forth a very professional image. 

A customer who receives a call from a private number might be skeptical about who is on the other end of the line. They will want more information about why the caller ID doesn't match the business name, and the employee will have to spend time explaining rather than conducting business. It doesn't produce the image that the company is credible because the customer will see that they haven't invested in business basics.

Downsides of Using Personal Numbers to Conduct Business

A business phone number works almost like a storefront, letting customers know they're working with a company that has professional values. 

Although remote work is not a secret, people like to think they're communicating with someone in a professional setting when interacting with any business. There are limitations to using a personal line, such as not being able to transfer calls or place customers on hold.

In order for remote setups to remain effective over the long run, workers must be able to deliver the same services as an in-house team. Customers don't want to feel like they're conducting business in someone else's home. 

Using a personal number for business can erase employee privacy and work-life balance. Employees should not receive calls from work prospects or customers during personal time, even if work and life occur in the same location. This can negatively impact employee satisfaction or encourage non-professional relationships after hours that may be contrary to business goals.

The key takeaway is that personal numbers confuse personal and professional lives in a way that limits productivity, employee satisfaction, and customer service. Having a professional phone system alleviates all of these issues and sets up your business for success. 

How Professional Phone Systems Boost Home Office Productivity

Now, let's look at the benefits and features that come with small business phone systems. In addition to putting forth a professional image, you can also gain access to: 

• Business phone number
• Synced contacts
• Audio conferencing
• Call forwarding
• Hold music
• HIPAA compliance/privacy

These features boost the productivity of employees or entrepreneurs who have professional phone systems by elevating their ability to communicate via telephone. Professional communication is not downgraded with apologies about the limited features of their personal device. Instead, personal device capabilities are elevated to that of enterprise systems, and customers cannot tell the difference. A small business phone system negates the differences between business office and home office phone calls. 

Business-Ready Communication

Small business phone systems streamline workflows and communication pathways for employees and customers. The ability to place a customer on hold, screen calls, and forward calls allows your business to manage communication more effectively. It is a positive business practice to provide solutions to customers, and this can be done in one phone call. With a professional phone system, the customer doesn't have to wait to hear back from another party who couldn't be reached on the employee's private line. 

Inter-office communication is also elevated by the ability to track calls and engage in conference calls. Small business phone systems bring in-office communication to the remote work setting. This improves relationships between workers in the work office or hybrid setting as well. 

Simple and Affordable Small Business Phone System Solutions

Large enterprise phone systems used to include landlines or expensive software solutions that were unattainable by small businesses with limited resources. Not getting professional phone systems can limit productivity and profits. Finding a simple and affordable small business phone system is the best way to get the benefits of large systems in a budget-friendly package. 

Small business phone systems are compatible with the current phones that you or your employees are already using, even if they are personal devices. However, the phone systems use a business number and create enterprise software solutions through an app or online portal. Employees don't have to get rid of their personal phones but instead can use professional enterprise phone features with their private phone of preference. 

Cellular phones and landlines can be transformed into feature-rich phone systems that make the home office just as good as the traditional work setting. The phone capabilities boost productivity and maintain the professionalism of the business no matter where the employee is working.

Don't cut corners by letting employees use their personal phone lines. It's bad for employee satisfaction, productivity, and customer perceptions, which means it’s bad for business. Instead, make a minimal investment in a small business phone system and elevate the professionalism of your business. Customers will appreciate the attention you've paid to enhancing the quality of their experience, and your employees will thank you. 

If you are looking for small business phone system solutions, sign up for Phone.com or contact us today and request a demo. We offer 24/7 support via phone, email, or chat, so your business will always have the phone features you need to deliver quality products and services to your customers. 

Contact Information:

Phone.com

625 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07102
United States

Amber Newman