A softphone is a mobile phone app that lets your mobile phone act as a business phone. A wired desk telephone is the hardware, or hard phone. A softphone allows you to use your business line when you’re away from your desk or business, helping to make sure you never miss a call. Some softphones also allow you to text customers in addition to calling.
A softphone lets you access your business line from anywhere with a data connection. You can often use a lot of the same features offered by your desk phone, too. Here are three ways to get even more out of your mobile softphone app.
Keep a strong data connection
Because your calls will be made over mobile data, you want to ensure that you have the best connection possible. If you’re walking in and out of buildings, you should turn off your Wi-Fi and only rely on your 4G data. As you walk by buildings, your phone tries to connect to Wi-Fi networks and will have variations in connectivity, leading to unclear or dropped calls. Instead, turn your Wi-Fi off so you have a constant data connection.
Configure call routing
A softphone provides a lot of options for how you want to handle calls. You can have simultaneous ringing, meaning your desk phone, mobile phone, and desktop app all ring at the same time so that you can pick up from wherever you happen to be. Or, if you’re usually at your desk, you might want to set calls to ring to your cell phone after 3 rings. Some choose to have calls ring to their desk, then their mobile, and then send to a separate voicemail inbox. Just talk with your customer support team to determine the best route for your calls to take.
Take advantage of features
The biggest mistake people make when using a softphone is seeing it as just a calling app. However, it’s so much more. You’ll be able to keep business contacts in the app separate from your personal contacts in your phone. And, you can conference more than one person from your business line. Best of all, some mobile softphones allow you to text your customers from your business number. Providing a new convenient line of communication is a great way to check in on customers and earn more business.
Mobile softphones are a great solution for people who aren’t always at their desk phone. You’ll miss fewer calls and be able to reach more people with the smart features included in a softphone app.
