A growing number of companies are now offering remote work facilities to their workforce, and some companies even only have distributed staff and no office at all. While remote work has many benefits, the biggest challenge you face is communication and collaboration. So, in this article, we are going to share 5 great communication tools you get from cloud-based phone systems that help facilitate remote employee collaboration and productivity.
1. Webphone/mobile app: call from anywhere
With the hosted VoIP phone system, you can make phone calls over the Internet. With VoIP, employees get more flexibility with a phone they can use on the go. In addition to desk phones or IP phones, remote employees can also use web phones or mobile apps. With both the web phone and the mobile app, employees can use their extension number anywhere as long as they have active internet. With VoIP, home or remote employees can make calls from the work line and can manage incoming calls for the sales or customer service lines. For employees, it is essential not to use their number but to use a line of work for better security and quality control.
It may seem easier to use a mobile phone to call, but mobile apps make it easy for workers to access their office phone line. VoIP mobile apps are easy to use and employees can keep their personal and work calls separate. Mobile apps also include:
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Business directory
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conference call
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music on hold
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call recording
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Do Not Disturb (DND)
The web phone is integrated into the VoIP user interface, for those who prefer to work from their computer. You can make calls using your computer’s microphone or with a headset. You don’t need to download anything to use webphone, just your username and password to log in.
2. Live reports: better remote agent management
With live reports, you can see all active phone lines and calls in real time. You can see how many agents are active, busy, the caller’s average wait time, and the number of calls on hold. With this detailed information, you can manage agents and improve the customer experience. In addition to live reports, the VoIP dashboard also displays analytics to further analyze call usage and patterns. Thus, it can adequately handle peak calling hours.
3. Call recording
Another great tool for managing remote workers is call recording. Providers like VoIP system offer automatic and on-demand call recordings. All recordings are saved on the board; you can listen and download all the recordings directly from the dashboard. Managers can listen to call recordings and provide better feedback to agents. With remote employees, it’s important to have regular check-ins for training, particularly with the changing landscape where new features are added to the PR platform product. By reviewing a call recording, employees and managers can both discuss comments and suggestions for improvement.
4. Virtual fax
If you must send a fax, keep in mind that virtual faxing is much more secure than a landline fax machine. Virtual faxing is very easy to implement, with VoIP all your faxes are stored online and you can access them through an online dashboard. Providers typically offer two ways to send faxes, including uploading documents through the panel and sending a fax as an email attachment. Digital faxes allow remote workers to manage faxes from any location. Virtual faxing is not only more secure, but it’s also better for remote workers.
Better communication means less loneliness
By improving collaboration and communication among distributed workers, you can minimize the biggest challenge of remote work that is loneliness. Feeling useful and working as part of a team gives employees motivation and purpose. Teamwork means less loneliness and can lead to more productive and happy employees. And this, ultimately, can lead to mutual benefit for both the employer and the employee.