Many businesses in Vancouver and beyond are adopting Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems for several key reasons. Besides enabling them to make low-cost long-distance calls, the technology also lets them take advantage of a host of excellent features, among which are virtual phone numbers.
What are virtual phone numbers?
Also called direct inward dialling, virtual phone numbers bear a lot of similarities with traditional public switched telephone network (PSTN) numbers you’ve been using for years. They usually share the same structure and number of digits and both permit you to make and receive calls. Virtual phone numbers, however, differ from conventional landline phone numbers in several ways.
First, PSTN numbers are often tied to a single line and hardware, usually the physical telephone provided by the phone company. Virtual phone numbers, on the other hand, are not associated with a specific line or location and can be assigned to several types of devices, including mobile phones, desktop softphones, and IP phones.
Second, PSTN calls connect through kilometres of physical wires. In contrast, virtual phone numbers connect calls at light speed through the internet. Virtual phone numbers can still bridge connections to traditional PSTN lines, though, allowing callers using standard landline phones to connect to VoIP phone systems and vice versa.
What are the benefits of using virtual phone numbers?
Whether you serve customers within Canada or in other parts of the globe, using a virtual phone number gives you the following advantages:
It gives you a local presence
When looking for services, people tend to look for providers in their area for the sake of their own convenience and peace of mind, even if the service can be performed remotely. If you're a remote service provider, using a local number is crucial to building a local presence and makes it more attractive for clients within your location to reach out to your business. But what if your business is located in Vancouver and your customers are in Toronto, Quebec, or London?
To solve this issue, you can get a virtual phone number with your customers’ area code. Every time your faraway customers use this number to contact you, it will route the call to the device it is associated with. This allows you to answer their queries, address their concerns, or educate them about your services as if you had a local office, when in fact, the only offices you have are miles away.
It helps you save money
Being able to use your customers’ area code has another benefit: it helps both you and your clients avoid the high cost of long-distance calls. If your business has an international presence, this can easily translate to thousands of dollars in savings every year.
Furthermore, virtual phone numbers make it possible to assign multiple numbers to a single device. For instance, your smartphone can be associated with a virtual phone number that’s different from your personal phone number. With such a setup, you can take business-related calls on your phone through the virtual phone number and keep these separate from calls made via your personal contact details. This allows you to handle calls from customers, colleagues, and vendors without having to buy additional hardware.
It enhances your business’s flexibility
As remote work is likely to become a permanent part of the post-pandemic normal, cloud-based solutions like VoIP will become crucial to many businesses’ ability to operate smoothly. If you have staff working from home, you can assign virtual phone numbers to your remote staff’s personal phones. This will allow everyone to communicate with each other regardless of where they're working.
It can improve your business’s image
Virtual phone numbers can help you provide better customer service. You can establish several phone numbers, each leading to different services or departments within your business. This makes it easier for clients to reach the person they’re seeking or achieve the resolution they need.
What’s more, you can use virtual phone numbers to extend your branding. Vanity numbers are a type of virtual phone number that use phrases or numbers that remind callers of your brand. For example, if your business sells Japanese food, you can use “1 800 SASHIMI.” Or if you run a dental clinic, you can use “1 800 MYSMILE”
Using virtual phone numbers helps not just your business, but also your customers. Quicktech offers VoIP solutions that enhance the way you communicate within your organization, as well as with your customers and vendors. Discover the many ways that VoIP can empower your business when you download this free eBook today.