Multi-site businesses experience significant challenges when it comes to phone systems. The lack of a unified phone system tailored to your company's specific needs can harm communication and collaboration.

It can also have a negative impact on customer support, your employees' productivity, and, ultimately, your business. 

What is a VoIP phone system?

A VoIP phone system is a sophisticated and valuable communication technology that transmits calls over an IP network instead of a traditional telephone network. The VoIP system is especially good for companies with multiple offices and it can reduce costs while increasing productivity and team cohesion among dispersed staff.

What are the benefits of using VoIP for multi-location businesses?

Here are the top 5 benefits of switching to a VoIP system for your multi-location business.

1. Cost savings

Making domestic and long-distance calls using VoIP technology is cheaper than placing a call over a traditional phone line. And many VoIP providers offer local and domestic long calls for free for businesses that opt for their services. 

Your company's mobile phone costs will reduce too since you can use VoIP services via smartphone. Teleconferencing and video conferencing can cut travel costs, as essential discussions can be held with employees on fieldwork, abroad, or at another location.

And as a bonus, there are limited hardware requirements, and no hardware and software upgrades or maintenance expenses at any of your locations. 

Even more, extra features like voicemail and call monitoring are free of charge. 

2. Extensive multi-features

VoIP phone system comes with versatility of features allowing you to efficiently multi-task and enhances your business's productivity. Modern VoIP services usually include caller ID, contact lists, voicemail, and many more useful features.

For instance, you can forward messages and voicemails to multiple colleagues at the click of the mouse. With VoIP, you can receive all your messages, including voicemail and faxes in your email. 

And there is even an option of voicemail-to-text transcriptions you can receive in your inbox. 

VoIP's automated assistance service allows you to program important announcements or answers to frequently asked questions, so your customers get a top-notch service after your regular office hours. 

Providers offer plans with a different set of features, so make sure to explore their prices, basic and advanced features to choose the best VoIP provider for your business's needs.

3. VoIP services follow you wherever you go

VoIP services are particularly beneficial to multi-location businesses since the entire service is highly mobile. In case your company needs to change locations, or you outgrew your office, you can easily transfer your VoIP system.

You can also make and receive calls from multiple devices, including your tablet, smartphone, and laptop, so your colleagues and customers can contact you wherever you are. 

You can even choose where your calls will ring, so you don't miss any urgent calls. For instance, the first few rings might be forwarded to your office. 

If you don't answer, the call will be transmitted to your mobile phone, or even to a third device, like a laptop.

4. Connecting multiple locations and dispersed employees

Whether your staff is working from home or across multiple locations, another benefit of a VoIP phone system is effective telecommuting. Your employees can remotely utilize all the features like voice, fax, and data services.

VoIP users can connect from any location in the world, whether they work from their home offices or abroad. And what is also important, the number follows your employees wherever they are. 

Having offices in multiple locations can make communication harder. 

When considering how to improve communication, bear in mind that VoIP technology helps bridge the gap between offices by allowing the employees to connect, collaborate, and communicate effortlessly. 

For instance, co-workers can make a voice or video call in one click or chat with one another when in need of quick assistance.

5. Send incoming calls to your open offices or an available rep

If you want to avoid your customers getting transferred to automated assistance or voicemail box, you can configure business hour rules to send the incoming calls to your open offices. This way, you can ensure phone support throughout the day.

You can also unify your sales or customer service representatives from different offices under one phone number. You can do this by adding all of your sales or support reps to a ring group in the VoIP's service admin portal. 

The next step is to link this group to your sales or support phone number. So, when someone calls it phones of all the reps in the group will ring while they may be working in different locations.

This is a great way to make sure your clients reach a rep whenever they call your business.

Do you use VoIP systems in your business? Share your experiences and thoughts below.