Limited resources and faint brand recognition make it difficult for small- and medium-sized businesses to compete with larger companies on the market; but not impossible.
Roughly 44 per cent of Australian small businesses fail in the first three years because of poor strategic management, according to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission. Whether that be because of a failed plan to get the product to market or simply not having a firm grasp on how to market is irrelevant. Sales teams need an effective small business phone system to contend with their larger counterparts if leadership has any hope of capturing more market share.
Growing pains
It's difficult to sell your company to a client if it can't take a phone call from him or her in the first place. Many organisations are still using analogue phone systems, which have a number of disadvantages:
- High maintenance costs.
- Unexpected downtimes due to weather or other circumstances.
- Increased workload for IT.
- Excessive call-waiting times for customers due to system overloads.
But unlike other digital infrastructure improvements that can require a hefty investment with no quick return, unified communications (UC) is a cost-effective platform that small businesses can incorporate to receive immediate results.
Benefits of small business phone system
Missing a call from a client can mean the difference between being in the red or the black at the end of the fiscal quarter. That issue is no longer a problem with a built-in application like personalised call routing, which allows sales people to receive calls from their office phone or mobile simultaneously.
A small business phone system helps you match larger competition.
By upgrading the phone system, an organisation can give the sales team and other client-facing employees the flexibility and reliability they need to compete with larger enterprises. Staff members are able to run screen shares, conference calls and chats from one platform with ease, giving them an advantage over other businesses that may use siloed applications.
UC also provides internal benefits, the likes of which could give employees an added two hours in productivity each day. Features like click-to-email and employee presence make getting ahold of co-workers or supervisors to sign off on orders a breeze.
The ultimate goal is for a small business to create a digital environment - one that flows seamlessly. Don't settle for a VOIP system; deploy a UC platform that offers unique applications, as well as the ability to integrate important programs like Salesforce. Contact a Fonality representative today to find out how a small business phone system can improve your sales team.
