What are Extensions?
Phone extensions offer companies an excellent option for saving time by enabling customers to quickly connect with the appropriate department, division, or representative of your company upon calling your main phone number. This means less time spent searching for the right person to speak to for the customer, while quickly getting their needs met and receiving excellent communications from the start of their call.
Some of the most beneficial aspects of extensions include:
- Efficient management of high call volumes
- Better handling of customer service
- Reduced costs on call handling and call centers
- Effective communication even during after-hours calls
How Do They Work?
Extensions function very simply and setting up extensions on your phone line can be customized to your needs. When someone calls a business, they will instantly reach a navigation menu that offers several prompts of numbers that can be pressed to reach a certain department or to enter the actual extension number of the person or department they are trying to reach. After dialing in the extension, the call gets automatically transferred to that person/department. In the event the caller does not reach someone to answer the call, they can leave a message that will then be handled directly, instead of creating an additional hassle if the caller had reached a general receptionist and had to wait days to receive a response.
How to Get and Setup Extensions with Your Virtual Number?
Surely you have called a business and instead of reaching a person the moment the call has been answered, you instead reached a recording that provided direction towards different extensions you could press to be directed to the right department or representative.
From the customer’s perspective, this allows for faster service that gets you to exactly who you need to speak to. For businesses, it allows for faster management of calls because it organizes and channels them exactly where they need to go. Extensions allow businesses to reduce expenses and save on costs, while upping their customer service due to the simplified handling of calls, especially in the event of high call volume.
Simplifying the Phone Call Process
Extensions are highly useful because they simplify the overall functioning of managing incoming calls to the business. They reduce the need for having more people employed just for the task of handling jobs, while also enabling calls to be directed instantly to the appropriate department or representative.
If the caller is familiar with your system and does regular business with one of your employees, connecting to their line is just as simple. All they have to do when prompted is dial in the correct extension number and wait a few seconds to get connected directly.
For businesses in need of excellent call management, one of the most important features available is having extensions. Extensions enable businesses with multiple services, a large staff, and different departments to streamline their calls accordingly. This is one of the best ways to manage large call volumes, while still being able to maintain excellent customer service in the process. Extensions can be used efficiently during off-hours, enabling customers to still receive a certain level of service. Due to their ability to channel calls to the right person or department, they can save businesses and call centers a great deal of money because they save time while ensuring the right representatives handle calls without creating too much run-around. Extensions allow urgent matters and VIP callers to be handled with priority, and they can contribute to shorter wait times for customers. This ultimately equates to happier customers who are satisfied with the phone service they receive, and businesses that gain even greater value from their phone systems.
