By simply downloading an app, BeamRing cloud phone users can access their telephone system, with all the usual calling and voicemail features, using a mobile phone, tablet or PC. You may already be used to doing something similar by accessing your emails in a cloud environment like Office 365.

If you think this sounds interesting but are not quite sure how this would benefit your business, the following examples will show you how a cloud phone application can help you seamlessly implement your disaster recovery plan, make more sales, build customer trust, reduce staff stress and cut down on the amount of equipment you use.

Scenario one

An unexpected event means you have to send your staff home or they can’t make it to work

Why the app is ideal:

• Incoming calls get to where they need to be
• Staff can contact each other with ease
• No need to set up emergency call forwarding
• No need to advertise a temporary number
• Short term contracts available

Having all of your staff stuck at home due to extreme weather or a catastrophic event could leave you scrambling to forward incoming calls to another number, trying to advertise an emergency alternative number, or at worst, entirely unable to answer calls. And what about outgoing calls? Staff phoning contacts from their own personal numbers may feel uncomfortable and appear unprofessional. Even contacting colleagues will be tricky.

By downloading the Webex app to their mobile phone, tablet or PC at home, staff can use this soft phone as they normally would their desk phone in the office. Incoming calls reach the right person or department and anyone receiving a call from you would be none the wiser about the change in location. Staff can call each other as usual.

Scenario two

Your sales team often work out of the office

Why the app is ideal:

• Never miss a call
• Minimise time between lead incoming and qualification
• Build trust
• Improve answer rate of outgoing calls

When it comes to qualifying incoming sales leads, time is of the essence, so while visiting prospects for face to face meetings is of real value for your sales team, this might previously have been balanced with the risk of missing important calls.

The Webex with BeamRing app for mobile can be set up to ring at the same time as your office desk phone, meaning employees are able to answer calls whilst out and about, speaking to leads when they’re hot. While you wouldn’t expect a sales person to leave a meeting or networking event to answer the phone, being able to acknowledge and respond to a missed call as quickly as possible could make all the difference. Voice mail is easily accessible on the go; no need to wait until you’ve got back to the office.

It’s also about building trust. When you’re out and about making calls, rather than seeing an unknown mobile phone number on their screen, the customers and prospects you call see the office phone number they know and trust, meaning they’re more likely to pick up and engage.

The app can be downloaded to employees’ own mobile phones, meaning you no longer have to provide a work mobile and they no longer have to carry around two phones nor give out their personal number.

Scenario three

Your work involves moving from place to place within a fixed location

Why the app is ideal:

• No need to set up call forwarding when you leave your desk
• Reduce risk of callers becoming impatient and hanging up

When your role requires you to work between an office base and, for example, a warehouse floor, trying to run back to your desk when the phone rings may help you reach your 20,000 step target but it’s likely to cause stress, too.

Using the Webex with BeamRing app means you can avoid this problem without having to set call forwarding to your mobile phone each time you leave your station, nor rely on a permanent system of call forwarding after so many rings (by which time the caller may hang up).

Scenario four

You’re keen to switch providers but don’t want to spend out on lots of new equipment

Why the app is ideal:

• Reduces the need to invest in new equipment & its maintenance
• Keep things simple

The desktop phone is still the most convenient and user-friendly option for most businesses, but if you’re keen to switch to VoIP technology or move away from your existing provider and are concerned about the expenditure involved, using the desktop computer app is a good alternative.

Using a cloud phone system such as Webex with BeamRing means you’re already cutting down the amount of equipment in your office, and if you really don’t need desktop phones this can be reduced even further.

The Webex app can be downloaded to PCs and used in conjunction with a headset. All the features you’d expect from your phone system are there, just with less of the clutter, less equipment to be bought and less to maintain, too.