Just about everyone knows that Voice over Internet Protocol systems present a financial advantage when compared to legacy PBX phone lines; what they may not be familiar with is that certain advanced features make VoIP a superior choice during some of the busiest times for business owners. Brick-and-mortar retailers, e-commerce stores, wholesale distributors, entertainment venues, restaurants, and tour operators are some of the businesses that are used to experiencing higher activity during the holiday season, and this directly impacts office communications.

Key Features of VoIP Systems

Call hunt, call transfer, and call forwarding are standard features of business communications that date back to the PBX days, but they are far more powerful with VoIP systems. When these features are a part of unified communications, any device that can support voice calling can be an extended office. An e-commerce store that experiences higher sales volume during the holidays can either encourage some customer service agents to work extra hours from home or hire telecommuters during the season. Managers can also transfer office calls to their smartphones when they are away from the workplace.

The VoIP automated attendant or virtual receptionist can be programmed to deliver important information over the holidays. A restaurant that gets busy during this season can configure the attendant with information about reservations and specials. Travel agencies and tour operators can provide information about special holiday travel packages. Retail stores can route calls more efficiently to various departments and even offer coupons that are exclusive to callers. Best of all, holiday background music can be played in case callers need to be placed on hold.