A complete guide to setting up your phones for the holidays

Introduction

The holidays are a time for rest and recuperation, but for businesses, it is also a time which needs to be approached with a strategic plan to ensure maximised productivity, and smooth operations, during periods of employee absence. Maintaining top-notch customer service is paramount to business reputation and success, and setting up your VoIP phone systems to be prepared for such situations is an effective way to ensure this.

Out of hours call handling

The first step in preparing for leave is taking advantage of the flexibility of out-of-hours call handling features, which are primarily driven by a time diary function. Managing call routes through custom scheduling for these periods of time means that you can maintain a professional image, give customers key information they need while you are away, and ensure satisfaction in times where your physical office space may be closed or unattended.

Conditional call routing for crucial business calls

Expecting a vital business call during the holiday period, but don’t want to be bombarded with other calls? Conditional call routing acts as a personalised concierge, ensuring that specific calls are not merely redirected, but are prioritised. For instance, a vital call may be programmed to skip the usual call queues to reach you directly, while others will be held back and rerouted, in a way that is flexible and adaptable to your needs and reduced working hours.

Taking your VoIP system home

While downtime is important during leave, the ability to extend your workspace beyond the office during the holidays allows for seamless business activity and communications, which ensures that no vital business endeavours are slowed down or hindered during such a busy and often unsettled time of year. Your Cloud PBX will aid with the transition, as it ensures you can route work calls to anywhere, including your home phone. Communications systems are no longer tied down to a traditional office phone, but can instead be accessed by a mobile or another device, connected via WiFi. The significance of this lies in uninterrupted connectivity, allowing you to enjoy your break while also having peace of mind that you are still accessible, if necessary, from wherever you are.

Crafting holiday greetings and messages

Spread some holiday cheer and let your customers know key information at the same time with topical voicemail greetings or messages. These create opportunities to inform your clients of business hours, holiday offers, and anything else they may need. The impact is twofold - your brand becomes memorable and feels approachable thanks to a festive greeting if you wish, and your customers feel satisfied and informed even when nobody may be there to take their call. Voicemail also helps businesses to save on potentially lost revenue, as callers can request a call back or are granted alternative contact options, such as SMS, and therefore are not left in the dark.

Grouping and managing calls with hosted VoIP

Hosted communications solutions introduce the concept of phone groups tailored to specific holiday call scenarios. Call groups and extensions are adjusted based on employee availability, and re-routed depending on who is available and contactable at any given time. Calls are therefore orchestrated in a way that ensures a smooth flow of communication during times when many employees will be likely to take leave at the same time, and businesses are able to prepare for such a scenario.

Missed calls to your mailbox

Voicemails can be translated using artificial intelligence into email transcriptions. This feature ensures that businesses are aware of missed calls and messages, and do not miss opportunities. A missed call landing in your inbox will prompt an email alert to your device where you can view it in written format, and address the situation accordingly. Not only does this aid in saving potential revenue loss but it also creates a reputation of high responsiveness and reliability for your business. 

Final thoughts

As the end of the year approaches, allowing your business to stay connected while granting employees a well-deserved break means customers are satisfied, productivity is maximised, and no leads are missed.

We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!