Phone System Thursdays
Let’s supercharge your phone system & take your business communications to new heights.
Phone System Thursdays
Let’s supercharge your phone system & take your business communications to new heights.
Phone System Thursdays
Let’s supercharge your phone system & take your business communications to new heights.
Our Latest Phone System Article
How to Stop Spam Calls to Your Virtual Phone Number November 14, 2019 - Spam takes all forms nowadays with the explosion of communication capability by way of email, calls, and even text messages. There’s the occasional solicitation call, and then there’s a whole other category of relentless spamming to your phone number… ... Recent Posts
Why No Business is Too Small for a Phone System October 31, 2019 - Is your small business just too darn small to need a professional phone system? Absolutely not! Whether you are running a one-person shop out of your home office, managing a remote team, or huddling with your staff in a small… ... 
3 Ways to Forward Your Landline to a Cell Phone October 17, 2019 - As a business owner, you take important phone calls at the office. But you're not always in the office. You're meeting clients, attending events, and ducking out for lunch at school with the kids. So what do you do when… ... 
How to Use Your Existing Phones with a Virtual Phone System October 3, 2019 - Entrepreneurs have a lot of questions on their minds, especially when starting out or scaling up. How will I make payroll? How do I advertise my business? Is my product properly positioned in the market? Even, what's the best phone… ... 
Why You Shouldn’t Abandon Your Business Phone Number September 19, 2019 - As a business owner, it is vital that you are always available to your clients, but you may be risking future success if you’re relying on a land-line or traditional cell phone number. Your phone number will quickly become listed… ... 
9 Reasons Why Your Customers Want to Text You September 5, 2019 - On December 3, 1992, an engineer named Neil Papworth made telecommunications history. On that day, he sent the very first text message. It read, "Merry Christmas." Papworth typed the message on his desktop computer, and Vodafone executive Richard Jarvis received… ... 
5 Misconceptions About Phone Systems, Debunked August 22, 2019 - Business phone systems are becoming increasingly advanced and complex thanks to constantly evolving communication technology. These new systems provide excellent alternatives to the traditional phone systems that have been in place for decades. As with most new technologies, however, misconceptions,… ... 
5 Reasons Why You Should Get Rid of Your Business Landline August 8, 2019 - In the old days, one of the first steps to opening a business was having a telephone installed. Now, the traditional landline phone may be on its way out, replaced by cell phones and PSTN technology. In fact, many companies… ... 
10 Reasons Your Office Phone System Should Go Virtual July 25, 2019 - 1. Trim the Fat & Lower Your Cost Have you considered switching from a traditional phone company to a virtual phone system? A virtual phone service like Talkroute is most likely going to be much less expensive than using… ... 
Was Your Number Port Rejected? Here are 8 Reasons Why July 11, 2019 - Transferring your business number to a new service provider shouldn't take a lot of time or trouble. Sometimes, however, number porting turns into a giant headache. When you’re transferring your number to a new provider, the last thing you… ... 
How Your Business Can Benefit from a Virtual Phone Number June 20, 2019 - As virtual phone numbers were basically created for businesses, it’s a given that they carry with them a lot of benefits for businesses. Those benefits are not always spelled out for businesses by the virtual service providers, though, so… ... 
Google Voice Alternative: Talkroute is Better for Business June 6, 2019 - Google Voice is one of those services that was created by a very large company who found and employed an elite team of very smart people, who then took a great idea built by GrandCentral, put the power and… ... 
Phone Number Porting & Call Forwarding: What’s the Difference? May 30, 2019 - Do you find yourself in a position where your calls are coming in for the business, but they’re being sent to the wrong place? What do you do in that scenario? Well, the first problem might be that people are… ... 
The History of 800 Numbers and Why We Want Them May 23, 2019 - Toll-free phone numbers have been around for quite a long time now, and their value to businesses remains even until today. There are a few benefits to having a toll-free number, most notably the fact that anyone can call it… ... 
8 Ways to Tell If You Have a High-Quality Phone System May 16, 2019 - Every business needs some kind of phone system. Well, nearly every business needs it. There are some businesses today who actually manage customer support entirely through email and other messaging platforms, but even for those who have the ability to… ... 
5 Things You Need to Know About Your Caller ID Display Name May 9, 2019 - Your caller ID display name is something that you kind of take for granted, that your business name is just automatically, always going to show up whenever you call someone. That probably should be the case, but it’s unfortunately not… ... 
What to Do When Your Business Line Gets Excessive Unwanted Calls May 2, 2019 - Your first instinct when you start getting a lot of unwanted calls to your business number will be to become panicked and angry. That is natural and totally understandable, but try not to freak out because you do have some… ... 
10 Reasons Why You Probably Need a Vanity Number April 26, 2019 - No one wants to be just a number. People have been trying to come up with ways to add meanings to phone numbers and to memorize them for a really long time. To pull just one example from… ... 
Toll Free or Local Number: Which One Does Your Business Need? April 18, 2019 - Something as simple as a phone number isn’t often on the minds of entrepreneurs starting a business for the first time. With most business tools found in the cloud or on your computer, you probably won’t need to worry… ... 
How You Should React to Missed or Lost Business Calls April 4, 2019 - Although you can take measures to ensure that you just about never miss a call, ever, it’s inevitable that it will happen from time to time when a caller slips through the cracks for some reason. A proper phone system… ... 
Does Your Phone System Need a Call Menu? Here’s How to Tell March 28, 2019 - As a small business, especially a new one, one of the best features you can add to your phone system is the same one that you probably don’t even consider. That’s the call menu. A call menu is simultaneously… ... 
12 Fun & Professional Business Voicemail Greetings for 2019 March 24, 2019 - The voicemail greeting is an important element of your business’ phone system because it is often the first impression of your business that customers will have. Creating a really good voicemail greeting is a unique opportunity that you can… ... 
Text Messaging & Small Business: Why Text is So Important March 21, 2019 - We live in a much different world today, and small business can be said to be at the forefront of changing times because commerce usually leads the push into the future. That’s a much larger conversation, of course, but… ... 
5 Keys to Help You Find the Perfect Business Phone Number March 7, 2019 - Choosing a new phone number for your business can drive you crazy, as there are so many options and factors to consider when you want it to be just right. There are a few guidelines, however, that you can… ... 
Why You Need More than a Cell Phone to Run Your Business February 28, 2019 - There inevitably comes a time when your business outgrows your cell phone, at which time you’re going to need some kind of a system. Running your business from a cell phone works great at first; however, when a ton… ... 
10 Phone System Terms You Probably Misunderstood February 21, 2019 - As users of phone systems, people generally assume that they understand most things about them and what all the words mean because after all, we’ve all used phones for our whole lives. The only problem with that is, phone… ... 
5 Things You Shouldn’t Tell a Customer On the Phone February 14, 2019 - Phone calls with customers are peculiar situations because, first of all, they’re still a pretty essential method of serving customers, even in the age of the Internet. Also, a representative of your business needs to conduct themselves a little… ... 
How to Solve Common Problems with Your Business Phone System February 7, 2019 - Once you get your business phone system solid and running just the way you want it to for the company, you probably aren’t going to have too much go wrong with it, but things do happen from time to… ... 
Why VoIP Phone Service is More Trouble than It’s Worth January 31, 2019 - There are many different types of phone service. With our technology today, you can literally have your pick of a variety of service providers that will fit your particular business the best. Given that advanced technology, however, VoIP (Voice… ... 
7 Ways to Improve Your Phone System with Automation January 24, 2019 - Automation for phone systems was one of the most important things that was ever created for businesses. It’s honestly kind of crazy not to take advantage of automation for managing your business calls because it does nothing but add… ... 
5 Things That Upset Customers When They Call Your Business January 17, 2019 - It’s tough to know what your customers are thinking, which is basically the whole reason that marketing strategy exists, but you can be sure of a few things. People don’t like to wait, they don’t like to go through… ... 
3 Types of Virtual Phone Systems & What to Look Out For January 10, 2019 - Thinking about making the switch to a virtual phone system? You’re not alone. Due to a few important factors, such as cost, simplicity, and the ability to run your business from anywhere, many businesses, no matter how large or… ... 
What is a PBX System and How Does It Work? January 3, 2019 - A PBX is one of those things that a lot of businesses are using without realizing that that’s what they’re using. When a business has at least a couple of employees, it has always been kind of a staple… ... 
8 Ways a Cloud Hosted Phone System Can Transform Your Business December 27, 2018 - If you have never heard of a cloud-hosted phone system, or a cloud-hosted PBX, and you’re a business owner, then it’s definitely something that you should give a try. Also known as a cloud-based, or virtual phone system, it… ... 
Transfer Live Calls with the Push of a Button December 13, 2018 - For businesses who have traditional phone systems in their offices, the ability to transfer a call is something they take for granted, and for new businesses today who are running their businesses from a cell phone, they find a… ... 
How a Virtual Phone System Can Improve Communications December 5, 2018 - How easily can your team communicate with each other at work? When you take an honest assessment of the system you use for everyone to stay in touch with each other, you might very well discover that you’re wasting… ... 
Can Your Customers Break Your Phone System? November 28, 2018 - Just like when you open a new website for your business, and you’re testing the site in all sorts of different ways to make sure you can’t get it to “break”, you have to do the same for your… ... 
Why You Should Cut Your Landline Phone Service November 15, 2018 - As much affection as we may have for them, the truth is that businesses don’t absolutely need a landline phone anymore. If you love your landline and still want to hang on to it, then of course they still… ... 
4 Steps to Manage Your Phones Completely Online October 31, 2018 - Today, we are living in a golden era of technology which is making it possible for small businesses to streamline every aspect of their operations with simplicity and relatively low cost. Your phone system is no exception, either, because… ... 
What Happens While Your Number is Being Ported? October 18, 2018 - What is the first concern you have when switching phone service providers? It probably won’t take you long to answer. You’re probably going to be worried about what is going on with your long-held business phone number while your… ... 
How Can You Use Any Phone with a Virtual System? October 10, 2018 - Many virtual phone systems are known for being compatible with any type of phone, and any carrier. That’s a great asset for small businesses, but how is it possible? If you’re unfamiliar with virtual providers like Talkroute, then this… ... 
3 Ways to Configure Any Business Phone System October 4, 2018 - One of the things that makes a virtual phone system great is that it is so versatile and adaptable, no matter how many or what kind of phones your business will be using. In this post, you’ll find 3… ... 
4 Reasons Virtual Phone Systems Are Better Than Traditional September 26, 2018 - Communications technology is moving into the future, allowing businesses capabilities that haven’t been possible with a traditional office phone system. Furthermore, it isn’t just the new features that make virtual systems superior to traditional; there are improvements to infrastructure,… ... 
Dead Space in Your Phone System and How to Eliminate It September 20, 2018 - Though it’s not usually one of your highest priorities when you’re setting up your automated phone menu, this is something you might want to give some attention to. Your service provider will likely have a system with the preset… ... 
4 Things You Didn’t Know a Virtual Phone System Could Do September 13, 2018 - As virtual service providers proliferate more and more, many people are now aware that these systems are perfect for businesses; however, most have no idea what they are capable of. Here are a few of the most useful ways… ... 
Are There Uptime Issues with a Virtual Phone System? September 6, 2018 - If you’re looking into a new phone system for your business, then the first thing you will probably want to know is if you need to worry about the service unexpectedly going down for any reason. Business owners especially… ... 
The Best Way to Handle Multiple Incoming Calls September 4, 2018 - It would be nice if your business only received one call at a time, but that of course isn’t always the case. At times, you will inevitably get multiple calls coming in at the same time, meaning you’re going… ... 
5 Good Reasons to Ignore Cheap Phone Systems August 31, 2018 - There are now more virtual phone service providers than there have ever been before, which presents an interesting problem overall, as well as a huge advantage for a business owner. The problem is that it takes business owners much… ... 
3 Reasons Your Call Transfer Feature Isn’t Working August 23, 2018 - Live call transfer is a feature that is essential for many businesses, which makes it pretty scary for a business owner when it doesn’t seem to be working. Before you start to panic, consider these possible reasons that you… ... 
Using Your Phone System’s Mobile App for Business August 16, 2018 - Not long ago, it would’ve sounded strange to associate a mobile app with your business’ phone system, but today’s virtual phone systems use a mobile app to make call management a lot easier for your company. Here are a… ... 
Top Reasons Why Businesses Are Switching to Virtual Phone Systems July 12, 2018 - Phone service is still very important to small businesses as it is still one of the preferred methods of customers to reach out to a business. All kinds of companies are now reevaluating their phone systems to see how… ... 
The 5 Most Commonly Misused Phone System Terms July 6, 2018 - The first step in any kind of communication is the definition of terms. Not only is it invaluable to effective communication, but in the same way, understanding industry terms such as phone system jargon and even just the names… ... 
Why a Talkroute Phone System Doesn’t Require a Mobile App June 28, 2018 - When you start your search for a new virtual phone system, you’ll quickly discover that there are numerous options to choose from. What you have to carefully consider is what type of virtual phone system you want because there… ... 
5 Steps for Managing Your Forwarding Phones June 22, 2018 - The phones that you use to answer business calls are the most essential element and most valuable point-of-contact you have with your customers. Most of the time, you can pretty much set it and forget it, but then there… ... 
Is the User Interface of a Virtual Phone System Important? June 14, 2018 - The criteria you use to judge virtual phone systems may not include the user interface, or control panel—but it should. Your control panel, otherwise known as your “dashboard”, is how you interact with your business’ phone system and needs… ... 
Why Any Business Can Have Perfect Call Quality May 24, 2018 - Connection quality and excellent phone reception is always a top concern for businesses of any size. Unfortunately, if you choose the wrong phone service provider, you may not enjoy the consistent quality that you need because not all providers… ... 
4 Tips to Maximize Your Business Voicemail May 17, 2018 - Voicemail is pretty straightforward. Every business uses it because you just can’t get to every call, but is every business using voicemail to its full potential? Probably not. Put these 4 strategies into practice to get the most out… ... 
4 Things Your Audio Prompts Should Never Say May 15, 2018 - The messages and audio that people hear when they call into your phone system should be orchestrated in such a way that informs the caller while keeping them calm and interested. If the message goes off the program even… ... 
3 Reasons Your Business Service Provider Isn’t Good Enough May 10, 2018 - Your business depends on consistent communication, and much of your communication relies on quality phone service. It’s for that reason that the service providing you with a phone system cannot give you a barely adequate, shiny product that has… ... 
Does a Virtual Phone System Have to Use VoIP? May 4, 2018 - Virtual phone systems for business are steadily becoming more popular and more accepted, but they are still vastly misunderstood. This article is an introductory attempt to dispel some of the misconceptions that people have about virtual phone services. When… ... 
What to Do When Your Business Outgrows Your Cell Phone May 2, 2018 - If you’re starting a new business today, then chances are, you’re running it from your cell phone. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, and it can work for you for a long time. As your business begins to… ... 
How to Pick the Right Phone Number for Your Business April 26, 2018 - How important is your business’ phone number? Outside of your website, it’s typically the first point-of-contact with your business for your customers, so… pretty important. Sometimes you just end up with a random number to serve as your main… ... 
Stop Paying Per Minute for Your Virtual Phone Number April 24, 2018 - Your virtual phone service shouldn’t cause you stress. It should give you peace of mind by supporting all of your business phone calls, every day, without forcing you to count the minutes you’re using to make sure you don’t… ... 
Does Your Phone System Need a Welcome Greeting? April 12, 2018 - Welcome greetings are a pretty standard feature used by businesses to make a good first impression on their callers. It’s the perfect way to accomplish that, but it doesn’t mean that you should automatically and always use one. There… ... 
IVR vs. Direct Dial: What Works Better for You? April 5, 2018 - Call routing for a business is essentially very simple, right? A customer calls your number, and then they’re connected with a representative from your company. That’s pretty much all it is when you boil it down, but there are… ... 
4 Call Forwarding Strategies to Manage Calls Faster March 29, 2018 - We’re all familiar with how useful call forwarding can be for handling business calls. You can give customers one central phone number to call, and then send the call to pretty much anywhere you want, depending on how good… ... 
3 Ways to Make Sure You Never Miss a Voicemail March 15, 2018 - We all make it a top priority to never miss a phone call, but it can be just as detrimental to miss a voicemail. If a voicemail gets overlooked or accidentally deleted, you never know what opportunity was lost… ... 
How to Create the Perfect Welcome Greeting March 1, 2018 - Some of the simplest and most common elements of your business’ phone system can be the most nuanced and difficult to make right. The welcome greeting is usually the first thing a caller will hear, making it a pretty… ... 
4 Ways You Can Mess Up Your Phone Tree February 22, 2018 - Even though the whole idea behind a phone tree, or auto attendant, for your phone system is to simplify things and minimize errors, you can still mess it up before you even start using it; that is—when you set… ... 
How the Auto Attendant Changed the Game February 16, 2018 - Adding an auto attendant to your phone system gives you a great advantage over the typical system that simply rings your phones directly for a staff member to pick up your calls. For some organizations, sending calls directly to… ... 
Toll Free Numbers Make Your Business Seem Bigger February 8, 2018 - Obviously, a simple phone number isn’t going to grow your business in a literal sense, but a toll free number will give customers the impression that you have a larger reach. There is a reason that toll free numbers… ... 
Using Call Queues to Manage Your Business Calls February 1, 2018 - What are call queues good for? We all know basically what they do, but is there a way to optimize how you use them? Every virtual phone service does call queues a little differently, approaching call management from different… ... 
Why You Should Give Toll Free Numbers a Try January 25, 2018 - Does your business have a toll free number? It’s understandable if you want to project a connection with your community with a local phone number, which is a tried and true strategy. Meanwhile, there are always toll free numbers… ... 
Why Your Business Needs to Use Call Forwarding January 18, 2018 - Call forwarding isn’t what it used to be. It has evolved into a fairly standard feature of phone systems and is far more variable and useful than it was with the local phone company. Whether your business has one… ... 
6 Ways to Use a Virtual Phone Number January 11, 2018 - Virtual phone numbers tend to still be a little esoteric, even though people who are running a business usually have some idea of what they are. In reality, there isn’t too much difference between a virtual phone number and… ... 
The #1 Mistake We Make When Choosing a Phone Service January 9, 2018 - Whether you’re choosing your phone system for a new small business, or updating your existing system, there are a lot of factors to consider. Is a traditional wired system more appropriate, or is your business structure better suited for… ... 
Read This Before You Switch Phone Service Providers December 28, 2017 - First of all, if you are moving to a new service provider but do not need to keep your existing phone number, then there isn’t much to it—you cancel your old service, and start up with your new one.… ... 
Carriers & Service Providers—What’s the Difference? December 5, 2017 - Most people typically use these two terms interchangeably, and though the carrier and the service provider are in some cases one in the same (this is explained later in this post), it’s important to make a distinction between them… ... 
Everything You Need for a Professional Phone System October 12, 2017 - Setting up the right phone system for your business does not have to be complicated, and it doesn’t have to be expensive. By utilizing and applying these key elements, you can set up a system that provides everything that… ... 
Find a Perfect Toll Free Number with (833) Area Code September 14, 2017 - Have you dreamed of registering the perfect toll free number for your business? Well, the realization of your dream may be closer than you think—just not in the form that you might expect. On June 3, 2017, a massive… ... 
Insider Tricks for Using a Virtual Phone System September 12, 2017 - You know when you get a new stereo, and then months later, you figure out things that you didn’t even know it could do? It’s a lot better to know those tricks beforehand, which is why this article contains… ... 
The FCC and Your Phone Service: What You Need to Know September 5, 2017 - According to their official mission statement, the Federal Communications Commission is the government agency which “regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.” The… ... 
The 4 Most Used Recordings for Your Phone System August 8, 2017 - To set up a great phone system means adding brief audio messages in the right places for your callers to provide information, direct them to the correct person, and even hold their attention so the caller doesn’t hang… ... 
New Buzzwords in Phone System Technology August 3, 2017 - Out of all the trending buzzwords in phone system technology, these are some of the most discussed among businesses. The buzz surrounding professional phone systems is, admittedly, not the most exciting buzz, but if you are a business,… ... 
What to Do When Your Service Provider Won’t Port Your Number July 27, 2017 - Phone number ports usually go pretty smoothly, letting your number seamlessly transfer to the new carrier without issue. There can be complications sometimes, though, and one of those complications is when your old carrier just will not release… ... 
SMS Guide for Business: What Not to Send in a Text July 25, 2017 - SMS is quickly becoming a pervasive tool used by businesses, and that’s not only for company to client, but also for employees to message each other. With all these messages flying around, it’s good to give yourself some… ... 
Business Phone Systems: Traditional vs. Virtual July 11, 2017 - The easiest way to understand a virtual phone system is to think of it as a traditional office phone system, with all the features, but without all the equipment. Virtual phone systems have been around for a while… ... 
Simple Tips to Solve Minor Phone System Issues June 22, 2017 - When a technical issue arises with your phone system, it can be scary. Your phones are something that you don’t really expect to stop working. Maybe it’s because the landlines we had in our homes growing up almost… ... 
Don’t Give Out Your Phone Number—This is Why May 18, 2017 - Though we all know that our phone number is private and important to us, as an individual or a business, there is something seemingly arbitrary about giving it out to someone, especially in the unassuming environment of the… ... 
A Little History & Fun Facts About Phone Numbers May 2, 2017 - They used to start with letters. Up until about the 1950s, phone numbers were alphanumeric, eventually settling on a 2-letter, 5-number system that usually identified the region of the phone number and also aimed to make it more… ... 
How to Speak Professionally on the Phone April 27, 2017 - For most of us, there’s not much science to it; we pick up the phone, we start talking. Even if you have a naturally soothing voice that reassures and delights everyone who hears it, you can still benefit… ... 
4 Basic Steps to Stop Unwanted Calls March 30, 2017 - You would think that we would all respect each other’s space, not to mention time, and refrain from calling other people when the call is not welcome. Sadly, though, we all get those unwanted calls from telemarketers, identity… ... 
How to Port a Number from RingCentral to Talkroute March 20, 2017 - Looking to transfer your existing phone number out of RingCentral? Then you’ve come to the right place because this is the complete guide for porting your RingCentral number to Talkroute. The porting process can be lengthy and frustrating… ... 
How to Port a Number from Time Warner to Talkroute March 8, 2017 - If you’re porting your phone number to a new service provider, and your current provider happens to be Time Warner, then you’re in luck because they usually process port-outs in a timely manner. They also make it easy… ... 
How to Turn Your Cell Phone Into a Business Phone February 28, 2017 - More and more entrepreneurs are running their businesses from their cell phones. The only problem with this is that, as you grow and soon need more professional features, the cell phone, by itself, doesn’t quite cut the mustard… ... 
Set the Perfect Ring Time for Your Office Phones February 23, 2017 - One of the most common questions we get at Talkroute is, how long should we let our phones ring? And the real question behind this is, of course: How long will it take for our customers to hang… ... 
In a Shared Office Space, Get Your Own Phone Bill February 14, 2017 - For most individuals and businesses, one thing you don’t usually worry about is getting the phone bill from your service provider. This is typically not an issue because they can furnish a bill for any phone number you… ... 
How to Create Memorable Extensions for Your Team February 7, 2017 - When you have multiple employees in various departments, you’re probably going to want to give each of those employees their own extension. The extension numbers assigned to employees is not something that a business usually spends very much… ... 
How to Create Your Own After Hours Phone Service January 17, 2017 - Already have a phone system for regular business hours, but don’t have one in place for people who call you after hours? Though Talkroute is a fully-functional business phone system that can handle your daily call volume, you… ... 
Why Voicemail Transcription May Not Be Reliable January 12, 2017 - As recently as a few years ago, speech-to-text was nowhere near as capable as it is now. It was highly unreliable and barely considered for voicemail transcription. Now, as the technology advances and speech recognition becomes more accurate,… ... 
Automatic Speech Recognition & Mixing it with IVR January 3, 2017 - The first time companies began using Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) to direct callers through their automated menus, callers were constantly becoming frustrated because in the beginning, speech recognition was crude and very limited in its capability. Though it… ... 
Top Complaints of Customers Calling a Business December 15, 2016 - Welcome greeting is too long. The initial greeting someone hears when they call you should ideally have a duration of only a few seconds, and it can even be a simple, “Thank you for calling [your business]”. A… ... 
How to Run Multiple Businesses from a Single Phone December 6, 2016 - When you’re not familiar with virtual phone systems, the idea of running more than one business from a single phone might seem like a really bad idea, if it’s even possible at all. But it is more than possible;… ... 
How You Can Guard Against Phone Number Spoofing December 1, 2016 - Caller ID spoofing (for lack of a better term, apparently) is simply masking the outgoing caller ID with a number other than the real one, which is technically not illegal unless you’re doing it for unlawful purposes. … ... 
How to Keep Your Office Phones on During an Outage November 17, 2016 - No phone network is perfect. No matter what type of phone system you have in your office, there is always the chance of an outage, which is why you can’t put all your eggs into one basket, as… ... 
Why Doesn’t My Company Name Show on Caller ID? November 14, 2016 - This article will give you an overview of how the company name is set for outgoing caller ID, including a description of the process and why, sometimes, it doesn’t show up for the person you are calling. … ... 
10 Steps to Handle a Tough Customer on the Phone November 10, 2016 - 1. Listen. This has to be one of the most crucial aspects of handling difficult callers, and customers in general. When you really listen to what they are trying to tell you, you are simultaneously showing concern and… ... 
What Happens After You Port a Number to a Virtual PBX? October 4, 2016 - The foremost thing you have to understand about ports is that when you take your number from one service provider, and port it to a provider, it is a clean transfer. That is, once the port to your… ... 
Area Code, Prefix, & Other Parts of a Phone Number September 1, 2016 - Did you ever wonder where the digits in your phone number come from, and what they mean? As you probably suspected, each segment has a reason for being there. Like most codes, it contains information in each part… ... 
How to Port a Phone Number from Vonage to Talkroute August 25, 2016 - Porting your Vonage phone number to Talkroute is just like porting any other number, except for the fact that they do not list your phone number on the phone bill, which is necessary to prove that you have authority… ... 
6-Step Plan to the Perfect Business Phone System August 23, 2016 - It takes more than a phone number and a person sitting in an office taking calls to have an efficient, well-ordered phone system. Especially if you’re a small business with minimal staff to answer phones, you’ve got to… ... 
Backup Phone System for Any Business August 18, 2016 - Your business depends on your phones, possibly more than any other system you have. Whether by network malfunction or act of God, there is no way to predict when the phones may go temporarily out of service—but you can… ... 
How Long Does it Take to Transfer My Number to a New Provider? August 2, 2016 - You would think that transferring your phone number to a new carrier would be instantaneous, but due to the nature of the telecom infrastructure, it does take a little time. There are a few things that have to… ... 
How to Port a Phone Number from Verizon to Talkroute July 28, 2016 - Porting your phone number out of Verizon is fairly painless. When you’re ready to port your Verizon or Verizon Wireless number to Talkroute, they will oblige and release the number as long as you provide all the correct information.… ... 
How to Port a Number from Google Voice to Talkroute July 19, 2016 - So you’ve found Talkroute and you’re ready to take the leap from Google Voice because you finally realized that Talkroute is way more awesome. Good for you. That’s how we know that we have the smartest customers. This… ... 
Telephone Terminology: Virtual Phone System Terms July 14, 2016 - Many of the terms associated with telephony are self-explanatory and familiar, but occasionally you’ll hear one that you’re not quite sure of, which is why we’ve compiled a short list of commonly used phone system terms. If you’re… ... 
Is a Virtual Phone Number the Same as a Standard Number? July 5, 2016 - When you first hear about virtual phone numbers, you might be a little apprehensive about using them for your business because it seems as if this is an entirely different kind of number, but it actually works just the… ... 
Divert Calls to One Platform by Consolidating Your Phone Numbers June 30, 2016 - As your small business grows, one thing that can become hard to manage is your phone numbers. You may only have one or two main business lines in the beginning, but as you gain more customers, hire more employees,… ... 
What Does VoIP Stand For, and What Does it Mean? June 16, 2016 - VoIP is an acronym that sounds weird at first—“vŏy’p”—but is actually fairly straightforward in application. It stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol, which, in the simplest of terms, means the type of phone service that works over an internet… ... 
Porting a Phone Number to a New Provider: An Introduction June 9, 2016 - So you’ve decided to transfer your business number to a new provider. Most likely, you’re apprehensive about a few things, and you’re certainly not the only one. Anytime when it is very important that you don’t lose your… ... 
The Simplified Call Path: How Your Mobile Dialing App Works May 31, 2016 - Though the connection is virtually instantaneous when you call someone, there is a surprising number of operations that have to take place before the call completes. Each of these operations is vital, sometimes quite complex, and they all happen… ... 
6 Helpful Tips to Transfer Calls More Efficiently May 24, 2016 - Managing and transferring customer calls is a vital aspect of customer service. Not only do you have to provide helpful and accurate information to assist customers on the phone, but you have to make sure that, if you must… ... 
How to Port a Phone Number from AT&T to Talkroute May 21, 2016 - Have you decided to move one of your AT&T numbers to Talkroute? Our porting team is happy to transfer your number to our service, and in fact, AT&T is one of the oldest and largest phone companies in the… ... 
5 Call Menu Examples for Your Phone Tree May 10, 2016 - This post will start with a few quick rules-of-thumb to help you create a professional and effective call menu. If you don’t have time for my rhetoric, then please feel free to skip down to the good stuff. … ... 
It Takes More than a Cell Phone to Run a Business April 21, 2016 - The ability to run a business from your cell phone affords you a great deal of freedom and flexibility, but at the same time, it can add a lot of frustration. The problem with doing this is that… ... 
6 Ways Your Voicemail Can Make or Break Your Business April 19, 2016 - Ask yourself this: Where would your business be without voice messaging? If you can’t reliably intercept and organize your business’ voice mail, then you can’t really serve your customers. This is one of the reasons that Talkroute exists in… ... 
When the Mobile Network Fails: Dropping Calls Like They’re Hot April 14, 2016 - There are a many elements that make your virtual phone system work, and one that is frequently taken for granted is your cell phone. Since Talkroute connects calls over the network that your phone already uses, it is a… ... 
How Does a Virtual Phone System Work? April 5, 2016 - If you’ve ever worked at a business, or have your own business that utilizes a traditional phone system, then you already understand how a virtual phone system works because the idea is the same. On-site, traditional phone systems have… ... 
Cell Phone EMF Radiation: The Dark Side of Technology March 31, 2016 - Do you remember when you bought a new cell phone, opened the box, and discovered a new pamphlet that warned you about the possible health risk associated with EMF radiation? Many people would probably throw this away, if they… ... 
On Hold Music and the Psychology of Waiting March 29, 2016 - Have you ever wondered why you hear music or informational messages while you’re on hold? The reason is to give callers something to listen to while they’re waiting, right? Well, yes, but music and messages on hold were deliberately… ... 
The PSTN Proves Old School Tech Still Has Its Place March 10, 2016 - PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)—The world's collection of interconnected, voice-oriented public telephone networks, both commercial and government-owned. Whenever you say “landline”, you are referring to a phone line that uses the PSTN. The PSTN is an invaluable… ... 
VoIP Service Providers’ Master Plan, and Why it Didn’t Work March 8, 2016 - Virtual phone service providers were on to something big. They knew they had a service that was a viable alternative to conventional phone systems, and they knew they could sell it because the cost was low for these pioneer… ... 
What Makes the Best Phone Tree for Business? March 3, 2016 - Customizable Call Menus The anchor of any professional phone system is the phone tree, or IVR, or call menu. You’ve probably realized, like hundreds of thousands of other businesses owners have, that utilizing a service which provides a professional… ... 
The Value of IVR for Your Business’ Phone System January 12, 2016 - IVR, also known as an auto attendant, phone tree, or call menu, exists to save time and frustration for you and your callers by directing them to the right person or department. With an automated call menu, you won’t… ... 
6 Ways to Better Serve Callers on Hold December 10, 2015 - 1. Keep Your Caller Informed First and foremost, your caller will be much more comfortable on hold when they know exactly what to expect. As soon as the call connects, customers should be greeted with a clear, appropriate, and… ... Our Latest Phone System Article
How to Stop Spam Calls to Your Virtual Phone Number November 14, 2019 - Spam takes all forms nowadays with the explosion of communication capability by way of email, calls, and even text messages. There’s the occasional solicitation call, and then there’s a whole other category of relentless spamming to your phone number… ...
Recent Posts
Why No Business is Too Small for a Phone System October 31, 2019 - Is your small business just too darn small to need a professional phone system? Absolutely not! Whether you are running a one-person shop out of your home office, managing a remote team, or huddling with your staff in a small… ...
3 Ways to Forward Your Landline to a Cell Phone October 17, 2019 - As a business owner, you take important phone calls at the office. But you're not always in the office. You're meeting clients, attending events, and ducking out for lunch at school with the kids. So what do you do when… ...
How to Use Your Existing Phones with a Virtual Phone System October 3, 2019 - Entrepreneurs have a lot of questions on their minds, especially when starting out or scaling up. How will I make payroll? How do I advertise my business? Is my product properly positioned in the market? Even, what's the best phone… ...
Why You Shouldn’t Abandon Your Business Phone Number September 19, 2019 - As a business owner, it is vital that you are always available to your clients, but you may be risking future success if you’re relying on a land-line or traditional cell phone number. Your phone number will quickly become listed… ...
9 Reasons Why Your Customers Want to Text You September 5, 2019 - On December 3, 1992, an engineer named Neil Papworth made telecommunications history. On that day, he sent the very first text message. It read, "Merry Christmas." Papworth typed the message on his desktop computer, and Vodafone executive Richard Jarvis received… ...
5 Misconceptions About Phone Systems, Debunked August 22, 2019 - Business phone systems are becoming increasingly advanced and complex thanks to constantly evolving communication technology. These new systems provide excellent alternatives to the traditional phone systems that have been in place for decades. As with most new technologies, however, misconceptions,… ...
5 Reasons Why You Should Get Rid of Your Business Landline August 8, 2019 - In the old days, one of the first steps to opening a business was having a telephone installed. Now, the traditional landline phone may be on its way out, replaced by cell phones and PSTN technology. In fact, many companies… ...
10 Reasons Your Office Phone System Should Go Virtual July 25, 2019 - 1. Trim the Fat & Lower Your Cost Have you considered switching from a traditional phone company to a virtual phone system? A virtual phone service like Talkroute is most likely going to be much less expensive than using… ...
Was Your Number Port Rejected? Here are 8 Reasons Why July 11, 2019 - Transferring your business number to a new service provider shouldn't take a lot of time or trouble. Sometimes, however, number porting turns into a giant headache. When you’re transferring your number to a new provider, the last thing you… ...
How Your Business Can Benefit from a Virtual Phone Number June 20, 2019 - As virtual phone numbers were basically created for businesses, it’s a given that they carry with them a lot of benefits for businesses. Those benefits are not always spelled out for businesses by the virtual service providers, though, so… ...
Google Voice Alternative: Talkroute is Better for Business June 6, 2019 - Google Voice is one of those services that was created by a very large company who found and employed an elite team of very smart people, who then took a great idea built by GrandCentral, put the power and… ...
Phone Number Porting & Call Forwarding: What’s the Difference? May 30, 2019 - Do you find yourself in a position where your calls are coming in for the business, but they’re being sent to the wrong place? What do you do in that scenario? Well, the first problem might be that people are… ...
The History of 800 Numbers and Why We Want Them May 23, 2019 - Toll-free phone numbers have been around for quite a long time now, and their value to businesses remains even until today. There are a few benefits to having a toll-free number, most notably the fact that anyone can call it… ...
8 Ways to Tell If You Have a High-Quality Phone System May 16, 2019 - Every business needs some kind of phone system. Well, nearly every business needs it. There are some businesses today who actually manage customer support entirely through email and other messaging platforms, but even for those who have the ability to… ...
5 Things You Need to Know About Your Caller ID Display Name May 9, 2019 - Your caller ID display name is something that you kind of take for granted, that your business name is just automatically, always going to show up whenever you call someone. That probably should be the case, but it’s unfortunately not… ...
What to Do When Your Business Line Gets Excessive Unwanted Calls May 2, 2019 - Your first instinct when you start getting a lot of unwanted calls to your business number will be to become panicked and angry. That is natural and totally understandable, but try not to freak out because you do have some… ...
10 Reasons Why You Probably Need a Vanity Number April 26, 2019 - No one wants to be just a number. People have been trying to come up with ways to add meanings to phone numbers and to memorize them for a really long time. To pull just one example from… ...
Toll Free or Local Number: Which One Does Your Business Need? April 18, 2019 - Something as simple as a phone number isn’t often on the minds of entrepreneurs starting a business for the first time. With most business tools found in the cloud or on your computer, you probably won’t need to worry… ...
How You Should React to Missed or Lost Business Calls April 4, 2019 - Although you can take measures to ensure that you just about never miss a call, ever, it’s inevitable that it will happen from time to time when a caller slips through the cracks for some reason. A proper phone system… ...
Does Your Phone System Need a Call Menu? Here’s How to Tell March 28, 2019 - As a small business, especially a new one, one of the best features you can add to your phone system is the same one that you probably don’t even consider. That’s the call menu. A call menu is simultaneously… ...
12 Fun & Professional Business Voicemail Greetings for 2019 March 24, 2019 - The voicemail greeting is an important element of your business’ phone system because it is often the first impression of your business that customers will have. Creating a really good voicemail greeting is a unique opportunity that you can… ...
Text Messaging & Small Business: Why Text is So Important March 21, 2019 - We live in a much different world today, and small business can be said to be at the forefront of changing times because commerce usually leads the push into the future. That’s a much larger conversation, of course, but… ...
5 Keys to Help You Find the Perfect Business Phone Number March 7, 2019 - Choosing a new phone number for your business can drive you crazy, as there are so many options and factors to consider when you want it to be just right. There are a few guidelines, however, that you can… ...
Why You Need More than a Cell Phone to Run Your Business February 28, 2019 - There inevitably comes a time when your business outgrows your cell phone, at which time you’re going to need some kind of a system. Running your business from a cell phone works great at first; however, when a ton… ...
10 Phone System Terms You Probably Misunderstood February 21, 2019 - As users of phone systems, people generally assume that they understand most things about them and what all the words mean because after all, we’ve all used phones for our whole lives. The only problem with that is, phone… ...
5 Things You Shouldn’t Tell a Customer On the Phone February 14, 2019 - Phone calls with customers are peculiar situations because, first of all, they’re still a pretty essential method of serving customers, even in the age of the Internet. Also, a representative of your business needs to conduct themselves a little… ...
How to Solve Common Problems with Your Business Phone System February 7, 2019 - Once you get your business phone system solid and running just the way you want it to for the company, you probably aren’t going to have too much go wrong with it, but things do happen from time to… ...
Why VoIP Phone Service is More Trouble than It’s Worth January 31, 2019 - There are many different types of phone service. With our technology today, you can literally have your pick of a variety of service providers that will fit your particular business the best. Given that advanced technology, however, VoIP (Voice… ...
7 Ways to Improve Your Phone System with Automation January 24, 2019 - Automation for phone systems was one of the most important things that was ever created for businesses. It’s honestly kind of crazy not to take advantage of automation for managing your business calls because it does nothing but add… ...
5 Things That Upset Customers When They Call Your Business January 17, 2019 - It’s tough to know what your customers are thinking, which is basically the whole reason that marketing strategy exists, but you can be sure of a few things. People don’t like to wait, they don’t like to go through… ...
3 Types of Virtual Phone Systems & What to Look Out For January 10, 2019 - Thinking about making the switch to a virtual phone system? You’re not alone. Due to a few important factors, such as cost, simplicity, and the ability to run your business from anywhere, many businesses, no matter how large or… ...
What is a PBX System and How Does It Work? January 3, 2019 - A PBX is one of those things that a lot of businesses are using without realizing that that’s what they’re using. When a business has at least a couple of employees, it has always been kind of a staple… ...
8 Ways a Cloud Hosted Phone System Can Transform Your Business December 27, 2018 - If you have never heard of a cloud-hosted phone system, or a cloud-hosted PBX, and you’re a business owner, then it’s definitely something that you should give a try. Also known as a cloud-based, or virtual phone system, it… ...
Transfer Live Calls with the Push of a Button December 13, 2018 - For businesses who have traditional phone systems in their offices, the ability to transfer a call is something they take for granted, and for new businesses today who are running their businesses from a cell phone, they find a… ...
How a Virtual Phone System Can Improve Communications December 5, 2018 - How easily can your team communicate with each other at work? When you take an honest assessment of the system you use for everyone to stay in touch with each other, you might very well discover that you’re wasting… ...
Can Your Customers Break Your Phone System? November 28, 2018 - Just like when you open a new website for your business, and you’re testing the site in all sorts of different ways to make sure you can’t get it to “break”, you have to do the same for your… ...
Why You Should Cut Your Landline Phone Service November 15, 2018 - As much affection as we may have for them, the truth is that businesses don’t absolutely need a landline phone anymore. If you love your landline and still want to hang on to it, then of course they still… ...
4 Steps to Manage Your Phones Completely Online October 31, 2018 - Today, we are living in a golden era of technology which is making it possible for small businesses to streamline every aspect of their operations with simplicity and relatively low cost. Your phone system is no exception, either, because… ...
What Happens While Your Number is Being Ported? October 18, 2018 - What is the first concern you have when switching phone service providers? It probably won’t take you long to answer. You’re probably going to be worried about what is going on with your long-held business phone number while your… ...
How Can You Use Any Phone with a Virtual System? October 10, 2018 - Many virtual phone systems are known for being compatible with any type of phone, and any carrier. That’s a great asset for small businesses, but how is it possible? If you’re unfamiliar with virtual providers like Talkroute, then this… ...
3 Ways to Configure Any Business Phone System October 4, 2018 - One of the things that makes a virtual phone system great is that it is so versatile and adaptable, no matter how many or what kind of phones your business will be using. In this post, you’ll find 3… ...
4 Reasons Virtual Phone Systems Are Better Than Traditional September 26, 2018 - Communications technology is moving into the future, allowing businesses capabilities that haven’t been possible with a traditional office phone system. Furthermore, it isn’t just the new features that make virtual systems superior to traditional; there are improvements to infrastructure,… ...
Dead Space in Your Phone System and How to Eliminate It September 20, 2018 - Though it’s not usually one of your highest priorities when you’re setting up your automated phone menu, this is something you might want to give some attention to. Your service provider will likely have a system with the preset… ...
4 Things You Didn’t Know a Virtual Phone System Could Do September 13, 2018 - As virtual service providers proliferate more and more, many people are now aware that these systems are perfect for businesses; however, most have no idea what they are capable of. Here are a few of the most useful ways… ...
Are There Uptime Issues with a Virtual Phone System? September 6, 2018 - If you’re looking into a new phone system for your business, then the first thing you will probably want to know is if you need to worry about the service unexpectedly going down for any reason. Business owners especially… ...
The Best Way to Handle Multiple Incoming Calls September 4, 2018 - It would be nice if your business only received one call at a time, but that of course isn’t always the case. At times, you will inevitably get multiple calls coming in at the same time, meaning you’re going… ...
5 Good Reasons to Ignore Cheap Phone Systems August 31, 2018 - There are now more virtual phone service providers than there have ever been before, which presents an interesting problem overall, as well as a huge advantage for a business owner. The problem is that it takes business owners much… ...
3 Reasons Your Call Transfer Feature Isn’t Working August 23, 2018 - Live call transfer is a feature that is essential for many businesses, which makes it pretty scary for a business owner when it doesn’t seem to be working. Before you start to panic, consider these possible reasons that you… ...
Using Your Phone System’s Mobile App for Business August 16, 2018 - Not long ago, it would’ve sounded strange to associate a mobile app with your business’ phone system, but today’s virtual phone systems use a mobile app to make call management a lot easier for your company. Here are a… ...
Top Reasons Why Businesses Are Switching to Virtual Phone Systems July 12, 2018 - Phone service is still very important to small businesses as it is still one of the preferred methods of customers to reach out to a business. All kinds of companies are now reevaluating their phone systems to see how… ...
The 5 Most Commonly Misused Phone System Terms July 6, 2018 - The first step in any kind of communication is the definition of terms. Not only is it invaluable to effective communication, but in the same way, understanding industry terms such as phone system jargon and even just the names… ...
Why a Talkroute Phone System Doesn’t Require a Mobile App June 28, 2018 - When you start your search for a new virtual phone system, you’ll quickly discover that there are numerous options to choose from. What you have to carefully consider is what type of virtual phone system you want because there… ...
5 Steps for Managing Your Forwarding Phones June 22, 2018 - The phones that you use to answer business calls are the most essential element and most valuable point-of-contact you have with your customers. Most of the time, you can pretty much set it and forget it, but then there… ...
Is the User Interface of a Virtual Phone System Important? June 14, 2018 - The criteria you use to judge virtual phone systems may not include the user interface, or control panel—but it should. Your control panel, otherwise known as your “dashboard”, is how you interact with your business’ phone system and needs… ...
Why Any Business Can Have Perfect Call Quality May 24, 2018 - Connection quality and excellent phone reception is always a top concern for businesses of any size. Unfortunately, if you choose the wrong phone service provider, you may not enjoy the consistent quality that you need because not all providers… ...
4 Tips to Maximize Your Business Voicemail May 17, 2018 - Voicemail is pretty straightforward. Every business uses it because you just can’t get to every call, but is every business using voicemail to its full potential? Probably not. Put these 4 strategies into practice to get the most out… ...
4 Things Your Audio Prompts Should Never Say May 15, 2018 - The messages and audio that people hear when they call into your phone system should be orchestrated in such a way that informs the caller while keeping them calm and interested. If the message goes off the program even… ...
3 Reasons Your Business Service Provider Isn’t Good Enough May 10, 2018 - Your business depends on consistent communication, and much of your communication relies on quality phone service. It’s for that reason that the service providing you with a phone system cannot give you a barely adequate, shiny product that has… ...
Does a Virtual Phone System Have to Use VoIP? May 4, 2018 - Virtual phone systems for business are steadily becoming more popular and more accepted, but they are still vastly misunderstood. This article is an introductory attempt to dispel some of the misconceptions that people have about virtual phone services. When… ...
What to Do When Your Business Outgrows Your Cell Phone May 2, 2018 - If you’re starting a new business today, then chances are, you’re running it from your cell phone. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, and it can work for you for a long time. As your business begins to… ...
How to Pick the Right Phone Number for Your Business April 26, 2018 - How important is your business’ phone number? Outside of your website, it’s typically the first point-of-contact with your business for your customers, so… pretty important. Sometimes you just end up with a random number to serve as your main… ...
Stop Paying Per Minute for Your Virtual Phone Number April 24, 2018 - Your virtual phone service shouldn’t cause you stress. It should give you peace of mind by supporting all of your business phone calls, every day, without forcing you to count the minutes you’re using to make sure you don’t… ...
Does Your Phone System Need a Welcome Greeting? April 12, 2018 - Welcome greetings are a pretty standard feature used by businesses to make a good first impression on their callers. It’s the perfect way to accomplish that, but it doesn’t mean that you should automatically and always use one. There… ...
IVR vs. Direct Dial: What Works Better for You? April 5, 2018 - Call routing for a business is essentially very simple, right? A customer calls your number, and then they’re connected with a representative from your company. That’s pretty much all it is when you boil it down, but there are… ...
4 Call Forwarding Strategies to Manage Calls Faster March 29, 2018 - We’re all familiar with how useful call forwarding can be for handling business calls. You can give customers one central phone number to call, and then send the call to pretty much anywhere you want, depending on how good… ...
3 Ways to Make Sure You Never Miss a Voicemail March 15, 2018 - We all make it a top priority to never miss a phone call, but it can be just as detrimental to miss a voicemail. If a voicemail gets overlooked or accidentally deleted, you never know what opportunity was lost… ...
How to Create the Perfect Welcome Greeting March 1, 2018 - Some of the simplest and most common elements of your business’ phone system can be the most nuanced and difficult to make right. The welcome greeting is usually the first thing a caller will hear, making it a pretty… ...
4 Ways You Can Mess Up Your Phone Tree February 22, 2018 - Even though the whole idea behind a phone tree, or auto attendant, for your phone system is to simplify things and minimize errors, you can still mess it up before you even start using it; that is—when you set… ...
How the Auto Attendant Changed the Game February 16, 2018 - Adding an auto attendant to your phone system gives you a great advantage over the typical system that simply rings your phones directly for a staff member to pick up your calls. For some organizations, sending calls directly to… ...
Toll Free Numbers Make Your Business Seem Bigger February 8, 2018 - Obviously, a simple phone number isn’t going to grow your business in a literal sense, but a toll free number will give customers the impression that you have a larger reach. There is a reason that toll free numbers… ...
Using Call Queues to Manage Your Business Calls February 1, 2018 - What are call queues good for? We all know basically what they do, but is there a way to optimize how you use them? Every virtual phone service does call queues a little differently, approaching call management from different… ...
Why You Should Give Toll Free Numbers a Try January 25, 2018 - Does your business have a toll free number? It’s understandable if you want to project a connection with your community with a local phone number, which is a tried and true strategy. Meanwhile, there are always toll free numbers… ...
Why Your Business Needs to Use Call Forwarding January 18, 2018 - Call forwarding isn’t what it used to be. It has evolved into a fairly standard feature of phone systems and is far more variable and useful than it was with the local phone company. Whether your business has one… ...
6 Ways to Use a Virtual Phone Number January 11, 2018 - Virtual phone numbers tend to still be a little esoteric, even though people who are running a business usually have some idea of what they are. In reality, there isn’t too much difference between a virtual phone number and… ...
The #1 Mistake We Make When Choosing a Phone Service January 9, 2018 - Whether you’re choosing your phone system for a new small business, or updating your existing system, there are a lot of factors to consider. Is a traditional wired system more appropriate, or is your business structure better suited for… ...
Read This Before You Switch Phone Service Providers December 28, 2017 - First of all, if you are moving to a new service provider but do not need to keep your existing phone number, then there isn’t much to it—you cancel your old service, and start up with your new one.… ...
Carriers & Service Providers—What’s the Difference? December 5, 2017 - Most people typically use these two terms interchangeably, and though the carrier and the service provider are in some cases one in the same (this is explained later in this post), it’s important to make a distinction between them… ...
Everything You Need for a Professional Phone System October 12, 2017 - Setting up the right phone system for your business does not have to be complicated, and it doesn’t have to be expensive. By utilizing and applying these key elements, you can set up a system that provides everything that… ...
Find a Perfect Toll Free Number with (833) Area Code September 14, 2017 - Have you dreamed of registering the perfect toll free number for your business? Well, the realization of your dream may be closer than you think—just not in the form that you might expect. On June 3, 2017, a massive… ...
Insider Tricks for Using a Virtual Phone System September 12, 2017 - You know when you get a new stereo, and then months later, you figure out things that you didn’t even know it could do? It’s a lot better to know those tricks beforehand, which is why this article contains… ...
The FCC and Your Phone Service: What You Need to Know September 5, 2017 - According to their official mission statement, the Federal Communications Commission is the government agency which “regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.” The… ...
The 4 Most Used Recordings for Your Phone System August 8, 2017 - To set up a great phone system means adding brief audio messages in the right places for your callers to provide information, direct them to the correct person, and even hold their attention so the caller doesn’t hang… ...
New Buzzwords in Phone System Technology August 3, 2017 - Out of all the trending buzzwords in phone system technology, these are some of the most discussed among businesses. The buzz surrounding professional phone systems is, admittedly, not the most exciting buzz, but if you are a business,… ...
What to Do When Your Service Provider Won’t Port Your Number July 27, 2017 - Phone number ports usually go pretty smoothly, letting your number seamlessly transfer to the new carrier without issue. There can be complications sometimes, though, and one of those complications is when your old carrier just will not release… ...
SMS Guide for Business: What Not to Send in a Text July 25, 2017 - SMS is quickly becoming a pervasive tool used by businesses, and that’s not only for company to client, but also for employees to message each other. With all these messages flying around, it’s good to give yourself some… ...
Business Phone Systems: Traditional vs. Virtual July 11, 2017 - The easiest way to understand a virtual phone system is to think of it as a traditional office phone system, with all the features, but without all the equipment. Virtual phone systems have been around for a while… ...
Simple Tips to Solve Minor Phone System Issues June 22, 2017 - When a technical issue arises with your phone system, it can be scary. Your phones are something that you don’t really expect to stop working. Maybe it’s because the landlines we had in our homes growing up almost… ...
Don’t Give Out Your Phone Number—This is Why May 18, 2017 - Though we all know that our phone number is private and important to us, as an individual or a business, there is something seemingly arbitrary about giving it out to someone, especially in the unassuming environment of the… ...
A Little History & Fun Facts About Phone Numbers May 2, 2017 - They used to start with letters. Up until about the 1950s, phone numbers were alphanumeric, eventually settling on a 2-letter, 5-number system that usually identified the region of the phone number and also aimed to make it more… ...
How to Speak Professionally on the Phone April 27, 2017 - For most of us, there’s not much science to it; we pick up the phone, we start talking. Even if you have a naturally soothing voice that reassures and delights everyone who hears it, you can still benefit… ...
4 Basic Steps to Stop Unwanted Calls March 30, 2017 - You would think that we would all respect each other’s space, not to mention time, and refrain from calling other people when the call is not welcome. Sadly, though, we all get those unwanted calls from telemarketers, identity… ...
How to Port a Number from RingCentral to Talkroute March 20, 2017 - Looking to transfer your existing phone number out of RingCentral? Then you’ve come to the right place because this is the complete guide for porting your RingCentral number to Talkroute. The porting process can be lengthy and frustrating… ...
How to Port a Number from Time Warner to Talkroute March 8, 2017 - If you’re porting your phone number to a new service provider, and your current provider happens to be Time Warner, then you’re in luck because they usually process port-outs in a timely manner. They also make it easy… ...
How to Turn Your Cell Phone Into a Business Phone February 28, 2017 - More and more entrepreneurs are running their businesses from their cell phones. The only problem with this is that, as you grow and soon need more professional features, the cell phone, by itself, doesn’t quite cut the mustard… ...
Set the Perfect Ring Time for Your Office Phones February 23, 2017 - One of the most common questions we get at Talkroute is, how long should we let our phones ring? And the real question behind this is, of course: How long will it take for our customers to hang… ...
In a Shared Office Space, Get Your Own Phone Bill February 14, 2017 - For most individuals and businesses, one thing you don’t usually worry about is getting the phone bill from your service provider. This is typically not an issue because they can furnish a bill for any phone number you… ...
How to Create Memorable Extensions for Your Team February 7, 2017 - When you have multiple employees in various departments, you’re probably going to want to give each of those employees their own extension. The extension numbers assigned to employees is not something that a business usually spends very much… ...
How to Create Your Own After Hours Phone Service January 17, 2017 - Already have a phone system for regular business hours, but don’t have one in place for people who call you after hours? Though Talkroute is a fully-functional business phone system that can handle your daily call volume, you… ...
Why Voicemail Transcription May Not Be Reliable January 12, 2017 - As recently as a few years ago, speech-to-text was nowhere near as capable as it is now. It was highly unreliable and barely considered for voicemail transcription. Now, as the technology advances and speech recognition becomes more accurate,… ...
Automatic Speech Recognition & Mixing it with IVR January 3, 2017 - The first time companies began using Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) to direct callers through their automated menus, callers were constantly becoming frustrated because in the beginning, speech recognition was crude and very limited in its capability. Though it… ...
Top Complaints of Customers Calling a Business December 15, 2016 - Welcome greeting is too long. The initial greeting someone hears when they call you should ideally have a duration of only a few seconds, and it can even be a simple, “Thank you for calling [your business]”. A… ...
How to Run Multiple Businesses from a Single Phone December 6, 2016 - When you’re not familiar with virtual phone systems, the idea of running more than one business from a single phone might seem like a really bad idea, if it’s even possible at all. But it is more than possible;… ...
How You Can Guard Against Phone Number Spoofing December 1, 2016 - Caller ID spoofing (for lack of a better term, apparently) is simply masking the outgoing caller ID with a number other than the real one, which is technically not illegal unless you’re doing it for unlawful purposes. … ...
How to Keep Your Office Phones on During an Outage November 17, 2016 - No phone network is perfect. No matter what type of phone system you have in your office, there is always the chance of an outage, which is why you can’t put all your eggs into one basket, as… ...
Why Doesn’t My Company Name Show on Caller ID? November 14, 2016 - This article will give you an overview of how the company name is set for outgoing caller ID, including a description of the process and why, sometimes, it doesn’t show up for the person you are calling. … ...
10 Steps to Handle a Tough Customer on the Phone November 10, 2016 - 1. Listen. This has to be one of the most crucial aspects of handling difficult callers, and customers in general. When you really listen to what they are trying to tell you, you are simultaneously showing concern and… ...
What Happens After You Port a Number to a Virtual PBX? October 4, 2016 - The foremost thing you have to understand about ports is that when you take your number from one service provider, and port it to a provider, it is a clean transfer. That is, once the port to your… ...
Area Code, Prefix, & Other Parts of a Phone Number September 1, 2016 - Did you ever wonder where the digits in your phone number come from, and what they mean? As you probably suspected, each segment has a reason for being there. Like most codes, it contains information in each part… ...
How to Port a Phone Number from Vonage to Talkroute August 25, 2016 - Porting your Vonage phone number to Talkroute is just like porting any other number, except for the fact that they do not list your phone number on the phone bill, which is necessary to prove that you have authority… ...
6-Step Plan to the Perfect Business Phone System August 23, 2016 - It takes more than a phone number and a person sitting in an office taking calls to have an efficient, well-ordered phone system. Especially if you’re a small business with minimal staff to answer phones, you’ve got to… ...
Backup Phone System for Any Business August 18, 2016 - Your business depends on your phones, possibly more than any other system you have. Whether by network malfunction or act of God, there is no way to predict when the phones may go temporarily out of service—but you can… ...
How Long Does it Take to Transfer My Number to a New Provider? August 2, 2016 - You would think that transferring your phone number to a new carrier would be instantaneous, but due to the nature of the telecom infrastructure, it does take a little time. There are a few things that have to… ...
How to Port a Phone Number from Verizon to Talkroute July 28, 2016 - Porting your phone number out of Verizon is fairly painless. When you’re ready to port your Verizon or Verizon Wireless number to Talkroute, they will oblige and release the number as long as you provide all the correct information.… ...
How to Port a Number from Google Voice to Talkroute July 19, 2016 - So you’ve found Talkroute and you’re ready to take the leap from Google Voice because you finally realized that Talkroute is way more awesome. Good for you. That’s how we know that we have the smartest customers. This… ...
Telephone Terminology: Virtual Phone System Terms July 14, 2016 - Many of the terms associated with telephony are self-explanatory and familiar, but occasionally you’ll hear one that you’re not quite sure of, which is why we’ve compiled a short list of commonly used phone system terms. If you’re… ...
Is a Virtual Phone Number the Same as a Standard Number? July 5, 2016 - When you first hear about virtual phone numbers, you might be a little apprehensive about using them for your business because it seems as if this is an entirely different kind of number, but it actually works just the… ...
Divert Calls to One Platform by Consolidating Your Phone Numbers June 30, 2016 - As your small business grows, one thing that can become hard to manage is your phone numbers. You may only have one or two main business lines in the beginning, but as you gain more customers, hire more employees,… ...
What Does VoIP Stand For, and What Does it Mean? June 16, 2016 - VoIP is an acronym that sounds weird at first—“vŏy’p”—but is actually fairly straightforward in application. It stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol, which, in the simplest of terms, means the type of phone service that works over an internet… ...
Porting a Phone Number to a New Provider: An Introduction June 9, 2016 - So you’ve decided to transfer your business number to a new provider. Most likely, you’re apprehensive about a few things, and you’re certainly not the only one. Anytime when it is very important that you don’t lose your… ...
The Simplified Call Path: How Your Mobile Dialing App Works May 31, 2016 - Though the connection is virtually instantaneous when you call someone, there is a surprising number of operations that have to take place before the call completes. Each of these operations is vital, sometimes quite complex, and they all happen… ...
6 Helpful Tips to Transfer Calls More Efficiently May 24, 2016 - Managing and transferring customer calls is a vital aspect of customer service. Not only do you have to provide helpful and accurate information to assist customers on the phone, but you have to make sure that, if you must… ...
How to Port a Phone Number from AT&T to Talkroute May 21, 2016 - Have you decided to move one of your AT&T numbers to Talkroute? Our porting team is happy to transfer your number to our service, and in fact, AT&T is one of the oldest and largest phone companies in the… ...
5 Call Menu Examples for Your Phone Tree May 10, 2016 - This post will start with a few quick rules-of-thumb to help you create a professional and effective call menu. If you don’t have time for my rhetoric, then please feel free to skip down to the good stuff. … ...
It Takes More than a Cell Phone to Run a Business April 21, 2016 - The ability to run a business from your cell phone affords you a great deal of freedom and flexibility, but at the same time, it can add a lot of frustration. The problem with doing this is that… ...
6 Ways Your Voicemail Can Make or Break Your Business April 19, 2016 - Ask yourself this: Where would your business be without voice messaging? If you can’t reliably intercept and organize your business’ voice mail, then you can’t really serve your customers. This is one of the reasons that Talkroute exists in… ...
When the Mobile Network Fails: Dropping Calls Like They’re Hot April 14, 2016 - There are a many elements that make your virtual phone system work, and one that is frequently taken for granted is your cell phone. Since Talkroute connects calls over the network that your phone already uses, it is a… ...
How Does a Virtual Phone System Work? April 5, 2016 - If you’ve ever worked at a business, or have your own business that utilizes a traditional phone system, then you already understand how a virtual phone system works because the idea is the same. On-site, traditional phone systems have… ...
Cell Phone EMF Radiation: The Dark Side of Technology March 31, 2016 - Do you remember when you bought a new cell phone, opened the box, and discovered a new pamphlet that warned you about the possible health risk associated with EMF radiation? Many people would probably throw this away, if they… ...
On Hold Music and the Psychology of Waiting March 29, 2016 - Have you ever wondered why you hear music or informational messages while you’re on hold? The reason is to give callers something to listen to while they’re waiting, right? Well, yes, but music and messages on hold were deliberately… ...
The PSTN Proves Old School Tech Still Has Its Place March 10, 2016 - PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)—The world's collection of interconnected, voice-oriented public telephone networks, both commercial and government-owned. Whenever you say “landline”, you are referring to a phone line that uses the PSTN. The PSTN is an invaluable… ...
VoIP Service Providers’ Master Plan, and Why it Didn’t Work March 8, 2016 - Virtual phone service providers were on to something big. They knew they had a service that was a viable alternative to conventional phone systems, and they knew they could sell it because the cost was low for these pioneer… ...
What Makes the Best Phone Tree for Business? March 3, 2016 - Customizable Call Menus The anchor of any professional phone system is the phone tree, or IVR, or call menu. You’ve probably realized, like hundreds of thousands of other businesses owners have, that utilizing a service which provides a professional… ...
The Value of IVR for Your Business’ Phone System January 12, 2016 - IVR, also known as an auto attendant, phone tree, or call menu, exists to save time and frustration for you and your callers by directing them to the right person or department. With an automated call menu, you won’t… ...
6 Ways to Better Serve Callers on Hold December 10, 2015 - 1. Keep Your Caller Informed First and foremost, your caller will be much more comfortable on hold when they know exactly what to expect. As soon as the call connects, customers should be greeted with a clear, appropriate, and… ...