Two Phone System Features That Can Save You Money

Are you using only the most basic features of your phone system — dial out, answer a call, place a call on hold? Maybe even employing the old manual intercom method — yelling, "Yo!" across the office? Your phone system can do more. Here are two features that provide convenience and increase efficiency.

Speed Dial: The single most underused feature in phone systems

Why search a rolodex or database for a phone number when it can be programmed in the phone system? We use our speed dial list for vendors, partners, manufacturers, and employee cell and home numbers. Phone systems that provide 1,000 speed dial bins, such as Mitel and Vodavi, give you the ability to create a mnemonic to make speed dial bins intuitive. For example, our speed dial bin to call Vodavi is #7+863 (VOD on the touch-tone pad). Plus, we program toll-free numbers when available, which reduces our phone bill cost. Commit the up-front time to set up speed dial and it will save you time and money.

Automated Attendant: Backdoor to voice mail

Every voice mail system provides the automated attendant capability. A call is typically answered on the first ring — "Thank you for calling XYZ Company. If you know your party's extension number, you may dial it at any time..." Even if you answer incoming calls live, consider using one line to serve as what we call the backdoor to voice mail. When staff is out of the office, they can dial in and retrieve their voice mail messages, or transfer to inside staff members without tying up a person in the office. Have your vendors call in on the backdoor to voice mail number and let them direct themselves to their contact in the office. A backdoor to voice mail saves time, reduces interruptions, and lessens the need to put live customers on hold.