A Virtual Switchboard Is Ideal for the Remote Office

In the early days of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), every call that came buzzing along those traditional copper wires had to be routed through a switchboard. And despite how switchboards were literally just boards covered with sockets, they played a key role in developing the phone communications system we use today.

Back then, however, any calls you wanted to make required informing a switchboard operator of your intended destination before they would manually patch you through.

Now, by combining with future-ready Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems, a virtual switchboard can drive and regulate the process of connecting callers to everything from other people to pre-recorded resources and live AI assistants.

This makes virtual switchboards an ideal solution for remote businesses with geographically dispersed teams, as they provide a cost-effective means to simplify and streamline the transition from legacy technology to a more modern business phone service.

What can a virtual switchboard do?

A virtual switchboard is essentially software that functions like a Private Branch Exchange (PBX). Instead of a hardware PBX, companies can opt for software that gives them the same control over their phone system: administrators can set up call routing, voicemail, new user accounts, conference bridges, phone menus, and so on.

On the front end, a virtual switchboard acts like an automated attendant who gets callers to their intended destinations without any need for human intervention. This allows customers to manage some or all of their needs without speaking to an agent, which usually boosts important call center metrics like First Call Resolution (FCR) and containment rate.

On the back end, a virtual switchboard reduces operational costs and improves call flows. For one thing, you don’t need to staff or train a receptionist to perform the function, because once you’ve set up your virtual switchboard and configured your call flow (including all crucial checkpoints and menus), the system runs itself. Your only task thereafter is to revisit it periodically and ensure that your approach is effective enough to meet your operational benchmarks and goals.

Even better, the same VoIP systems that power virtual switchboard technology also offer seamless integration with other predictive advancements, including Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and Automated Call Distribution (ACD). These help to allocate calls more efficiently, and reduce the overall call burden on existing agents by offering callers self-service options.

You can expect your VoIP virtual switchboard to come with the following key capabilities to help streamline your daily operations:

• Call routing: Connects callers with the right information or department without the need for human intervention.
• Virtual receptionist: Greets callers with a menu of personally recorded messages to set the right tone for your business.
• Automated call menus: Guides the caller IVR call flow with self-service options that promotes a better call experience and frees up agents.
• Call recording: Gathers crucial data for compliance along with insights about caller needs and behaviors.
• Multi-device configuration: Routes calls to remote agents over various work-from-home frameworks using call groups, Find Me/Follow Me, etc.
• Business phone number: Allows you to carry on with your existing company contact lines or choose from a selection of local and vanity business numbers.
• Integrations: Mix and match features as you need them, including IVR, ACD, and newer machine learning (ML) and AI-based predictive technology.

Many of today’s best VoIP providers offer access to these virtual switchboard features in addition to in-depth analytics tools, giving you consistent opportunities to improve, simplify, and optimize your business practices.

Setting up a virtual switchboard

The initial setup process of a virtual switchboard is quite simple; it begins with comparing providers and selecting one that offers all of the key VoIP features for your specific business. While you may not use every available feature right now, you’ll want a VoIP system that can scale with you over time — so think beyond what you need at the moment and consider how you’ll achieve future goals and manage growth.

SEE: Discover how much a VoIP phone system should cost.

After you’ve identified a provider with the right capabilities and a suitable cost structure, the next step is porting your old numbers to a new provider.

Important: Don’t cancel your old service until your new service starts — you could face delays or lose your existing number. The whole process takes a few weeks. You have to sign an LOA before you can port your old numbers.

Unless you are hosting your own VoIP server (i.e. you are installing your virtual switchboard on servers your company manages), the next step will be adding new phones and users to your new phone system.

You’ll need to get comfortable with the online user interface so you can quickly navigate the main menus and find pertinent data. To help you and your team get up to speed, your provider will offer support through tutorials and access to its help desk — use those resources and make them available for anyone who is going to be using the new system.

Once you have a solid understanding of the interface layout and functionality, you can begin customizing your virtual switchboard. With just a few clicks, you can add users, record and configure voicemails, and establish your customer call flows — all from one convenient interface.

From there, you can quickly and easily configure your menu options for all of your main business lines, tailoring the flow for each separate number.

Ideal uses of virtual switchboards

Even the cheap VoIP services come with a virtual switchboard that can handle all the core phone administration responsibilities a small business requires, like basic call handling, routing, tracking, voicemail, conference calls, and so on.

On the other end of the spectrum, contact center software is going to integrate every channel you use into a single virtual switchboard — talk, text, email, chat, and more — it’ll all be in a centralized platform that lets agents see the entire customer relationship at a glance.

Many modern businesses utilize a virtual switchboard as a central feature of their daily operations. We’ve listed a few different examples of these below.

Remote companies

Not only can a virtual switchboard be created and updated from any location, but it can also be used to route incoming phone traffic to employees and partners working offsite.

This is a huge benefit for teams that don’t operate in one central location, such as an ecommerce business that manages incoming calls for processing orders, handling customer service issues, and other pressing needs.

Beyond the operational benefits, a virtual switchboard makes remote work security much easier. Once employees sign into the phone service, they are on the vendors’ network and they are responsible for keeping conversations secure and private. This is much easier than trying to manage VPNs at scale and much less costly than MPLS and other on-premises solutions.

Field service companies

The increase in complex services such as smart home devices and solar panel technology means more technicians are on the road providing onsite installation, maintenance, and repairs.

A virtual switchboard enables callers to reach these technicians in the field. It can also be integrated with field service management software to allow for automated self-service options like appointment scheduling or visual IVR.

SEE: Five ideal use cases for visual IVR. 

Call centers

Good call center software will have a very capable virtual switchboard. It maximizes both caller and agent time by directing incoming traffic to the right destination. It also promotes self-service solutions that improve the overall customer experience while reserving agent time for tackling more complex issues.

As a foundational part of VoIP telephone systems, the virtual switchboard forms the basis for other system integrations like IVR, ACD, and payment gateways.

Legacy system replacement

Companies looking to make the leap from the PSTN to a VoIP system might consider a virtual switchboard to be their new best friend. It’s even possible to integrate this modern solution with an on-premises PBX using a SIP trunking provider. This allows you to keep using your PBX, desk phones, fax machines, and other equipment while you migrate at your own pace.

In this case, they’ll be able to get access to a software-based interface that is much simpler and faster to navigate than its clunkier copper wire counterpart.