How Business Phone Features Can Take Your Mom-and-Pop Business to the Next Level

Mom-and-pop businesses like yours have held an important place in communities for generations. These small businesses provide a number of important benefits to their communities by employing people and offering personalized products and services. However, what happens when you want to take your mom-and-pop business to the next level? The technology behind today's business phone features can help you step up your business game and offer more to your neighbors.

Much of the marketing and sales focus these days is on creating a personalized experience for each customer. Yet instead of focusing on how the big chains do it, it's businesses like yours that are models of how to move forward. Local stores place a premium on providing personalized customer service that's rarely seen in other stores, and now everyone else is trying to copy that.

By using contemporary communication technology, you can capitalize on these current strengths. Technology is not making your business impersonal — instead, it improves what sets you apart. And don't worry, you don't have to be a tech expert to make everything work right.

Here are three ways to provide greater service to your customers by using small-business phone services:

1. Virtual Receptionist

Are you still using a regular answering machine or even an automated message with a single voicemail box? This way, the receptionist must manually retrieve the message and then route the message (often on paper) to the right person. This delays the delivery of your customer's question to the right person and takes valuable time that could be used helping customers. By using a virtual receptionist, your customers can be transferred to the right employee even when your receptionist has gone home for the day or is away from their desk.

2. Visual Voicemail

You want your employees to get back with customers right away. However, if they're in meetings or noisy coffee shops, it isn't always practical to check their voicemail. It's far easier for them to check their email under the table or when no one is paying attention. With visual voicemail, all voicemails are transcribed into email and sent directly to the employee. This makes it simple for employees to have all the information they need, no matter where they are. And, most importantly, your employees can get back to customers in a timely manner, which improves customer satisfaction.

3. Business Text Messaging

It used to be that service was only provided from phones or recently, email. These days, many businesses are offering another communication option: business text messaging. Technology now allows your employees to text with customers using their business phone numbers from whatever devices they prefer, even personal mobile phones or tablets. This allows employees to give customers the assistance they need from home, the road, or anywhere in between.

Using contemporary business phone features, your small business can provide an even higher level of personalized service. Your customers, your community, and your bottom line will thank you.

Speak to a Vonage Business consultant to learn more about cloud communications for your mom-and-pop business.