A Virtual PBX System Helps Small Businesses Maximize Their ROI
A virtual PBX system is a private branch exchange similar to the ones found in the average office, except they are virtual. In other words, they have the same benefits and features of the typical phone system like caller on hold, extensions for employees and departments, and call transferring capabilities. A benefit to using the virtual type though, is the fact that they are housed and maintained offsite by a provider. The greatest advantage is that you can make use of extensions in order to track the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, including the ability to run reports.
Being able to test and track which advertising campaigns are effective is something that really wasn't possible before the virtual PBX system. Considering that small businesses try to advertise in as many different areas as they can like newspapers, television, radio, and the phone book, it is hard to tell which is bringing in the most customers. However, a virtual PBX solution makes it possible to see what ad prompted the call. How is this possible? When a prospect calls the phone number in the ad, they hear a recorded message. However, the extension that was used is tracked and can be analyzed later.
By running a report on which extensions were called and which were not, it is easy to see which ads are bringing in the most business. Say, for example, that the radio failed to prompt anyone to call, but the newspaper did. The business would then know it would be a wise idea to stop advertising on the radio and put more into the newspaper campaign. Never again will you have to wonder whether or not your advertising dollars are being well spent. To not know what advertising mediums are effective is essentially like throwing mud at the wall and hoping that something sticks.
If you want the phone calls from all the ads to go to a certain person, that is possible too. The extensions will still be recorded, and you will still be able to see what is effective and what is not. A virtual PBX system is very customizable in the way that it can answer calls and has flexible call forwarding rules. This makes it very attractive to small businesses because each one is unique. Being unique and having the ability to track and maximize advertising returns is what will help a small business quickly rise to the top of the competition.