Category: Virtual Phone System

The Most Important Things Start-Ups Should Invest in Early

October 25, 2022 (updated November 14, 2022) | By Laura Castelli | 0 Comments

When starting a business, you’ll undoubtedly have a million things to do, whether it be product development or fundraising. So, what do business owners need to prioritise for maximal growth? Truth is, there isn’t one area that should be prioritised more than another. This means it can get difficult to manage if internal processes aren’t optimised.

Around 20% of businesses are dissolved in the first year according to research carried out by Fundsquire [1]. The reasons for startup failure could be one of many including: getting outcompeted, hiring the wrong people or burnout.

To help better manage your business and avoid startup failure, owners should look to invest early into these things:

Scalable Tech Solutions

Whether it be long processes like data logging or physical equipment like work phones, there are almost definitely tech alternatives available that will make your life easier as a business owner.

An example is Devyce – a modern business phone system.We provide you with two numbers on your phone through an app so you can affordably make business calls without having to commit to a lengthy contract with a phone provider.

Devyce also offers a Teams Plan to provide your employees with business numbers and you have access to a Teams Management Portal where you can view call analytics and manage employee inbound/outbound calls. The Teams plan is scalable to your business needs and growth so it will save you money in the long run, allowing you to allocate more budgets to other departments such as Marketing.

Check out our Teams Plan for your business here:

Marketing

So, getting Devyce has saved you a lot of money on the telecommunications side. Now what do you invest in? Marketing!

Many businesses underrate the importance of marketing, especially in the early stages. An important component of marketing is customer relationship management. While many businesses’ marketing efforts are directed towards top of the funnel objectives and getting those sales, the actual relationship a business has with its customers is widely neglected.

It can get difficult to stay on top of all your customers’ journeys without a system to collate all the information. To ensure you foster and maintain beneficial relationships with your customers, business owners should look to utilise CRM platforms like Hubspot. This will encourage more positive reviews to be generated for your business, further helping as 90% of consumers rely on reviews when making a purchase decision [2].

You can also integrate your CRM system with Devyce to keep track of your client calls and the follow up!

Your Team

The people you choose to work with can be the make-or-break factor for your business. It’s important that you take the time to hire the right people to deliver on your long-term business goals. Not only will you need to hire the right people, but you will also need to invest time into their development as your business grows.

However, the pandemic has changed the way we work, and many businesses need to hire remotely. This has many advantages for business owners including saving money due to lack of need for office space. Although, it can be challenging as business owners will need to find ways to seamlessly integrate new hires into the company from afar.

Here’s how Devyce can help; our plans are easy to sign up to and within minutes you can assign business numbers to your employees. With Devyce your employees can work from anywhere in the world and the app is easily accessible on any smartphone – just download it from your app store!

Find out how else your business can benefit from switching to Devyce here.

References:

[1] https://fundsquire.co.uk/startup-statistics/

[2] https://www.qualtrics.com/blog/online-review-stats/

The strain placed on businesses that provide a work phone

October 19, 2022 | By Laura Castelli | 0 Comments

It’s time to stop carrying two separate phones and avoid using your personal number at work.

Did you know that issuing a work phone and allowing personal numbers to be used can place strain on three focal areas of your business, its economic prosperity, the environment, and your employee’s well-being. Here’s how…

The economic prosperity of your business

Giving out a work phone is uneconomical. Especially when the majority already have a perfectly usable phone that they can just simply port a new number into.

An iPhone’s price can range from £300-900, that’s a large expense for any business. Considering also that this investment may only last a few years due to the constant upgrades and technology advancements.

As we are slowly transitioning back to normal life after COVID-19, business travel will inevitably continue to increase, and that alongside BREXIT means one thing… increased roaming charges when you send your employees abroad!

Productivity. A new buzzword. Productivity is vital for a company’s profitability and ultimately its long-term success. But how are businesses tracking your productivity on a personal device? The answer is that they are struggling, as 40% of managers struggle to monitor performance, placing strain on businesses [1]. But by porting a second number onto an existing device, using Devyce, you can improve your business’s productivity and communication through the management portal. The portal allows transparent reporting of your employee’s data, so you can get the most out of every employee and know when to reward them or promote those that are excelling.

Teams Plan – Devyce

Your Employees

Using a personal number at work is accentuating the ‘always on’ mentality because you can still receive calls ‘after-hours’ to your main phone number, meaning you are always on the clock. This leaves your employee’s work-life balance far from balanced. This can lead to an array of negative effects, highlighted in a US Research study that found receiving messages after working hours increases negative emotions, stress and insomnia [2]. As well as excessive smartphone use affects your cognitive and learning skills. Ultimately leading to employee ‘burnout’; a recent study found that 77% of American workers have experienced [3].

A solution: It has been found that using your personal phone, with a second number, can rebalance your work-life and relieve the above effects as it is easy to clearly differentiate between work and personal calls.

Do Not Disturb Feature

Without this clear differentiation, all calls look the same, whether a personal or a work-related call. This means you don’t always know how to respond when answering the phone, which can leave employees feeling that they’re always on.

The Environment

Sustainability is a fundamental area to consider in your business today due to its importance for investors, employees and consumers. However, smartphones are a large contributor to the carbon footprint and are killing the planet.

Did you know that…

By 2040 it is predicted that smartphones will have the biggest carbon footprint in the tech industry [4].
Just one iPhone X alone creates 79kg of CO2 in its lifetime [5].

By removing the need for second devices, you can lower your carbon footprint, lower your expenses, retain happy and healthy employees and in turn impress your stakeholders!

References:

[1]

https://hbr.org/2020/07/remote-managers-are-having-trust-issues

[2]

https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2020/06/28/turning-off-your-work-phone-and-emails-could-help-reduce-after-hours-work-stress-study.html

[3]

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/burnout-survey.html

[4]

https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/science/2018/03/02/news/how-our-smartphones-are-hurting-the-environment-1268849/

[5]

https://reboxed.co/blogs/outsidethebox/the-carbon-footprint-of-your-phone-and-how-you-can-reduce-it

5 ways Devyce will improve your Real Estate Business

October 4, 2022 (updated October 5, 2022) | By Laura Castelli | 0 Comments

Improve your mobility
Tell us we’re wrong but, estate agents are always on the go. Devyce allows you to call from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. Additionally, realtors are finding SMS useful when on the go to communicate with clients, with nearly 93% communicating through text [1]. By using our app, you can message your clients, as well as phone them!
We can also improve your geographical presence, as you can select a phone number from a specific area, meaning you can create a local presence!
Secure and protect your personal and client data
Devyce will protect your personal number, by providing you with a business number, meaning your personal details aren’t exposed. Whilst also protecting your client data, as data is handled in line with GDPR and messages are encrypted between the app and the carrier.
Improve your Customer Experience
Building good relationships with buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords is a critical component of being an Estate Agent. Devyce can enhance your customer experience, by allowing you to hear other team members voicemails and forward any calls, meaning no calls are missed whilst making it easy for others to pick up where someone else left off. The auto attendant feature filters calls and delivers them to the correct destination in the business. Creating a seamless and consistent customer experience.
Easily integrate with Hubspot, and import your CRM’s contacts, so you can pull up your client information easily. See who’s calling and prevent prospects slipping through the cracks!
Reduce your costs.
Devyce can help you reduce your calling costs! No set up fees, no hidden fees and no contracts!
Track sales and monitor performance
We track calling analytics, including the proportion of unanswered calls, call duration, and call recording. This way agents are able to find the optimum time to reach clients. Whilst also providing valuable insights into how you can improve your calling techniques, for the future. Better calls, more leads!

References:
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/12/17/implement-business-text-messaging-to-draw-more-local-customers/?sh=2b69c5be731a

The Essential Guide To Voip Systems For Small Businesses

April 20, 2022 (updated October 10, 2023) | By Florence Hastings | 0 Comments

The ultimate guide to setting up your team with the best VoIP phone system to enhance your small business!

What Is A Voip Phone System?

VoIP phone systems are the new age landlines. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) does as it says, uses the internet to make and receive calls completely wirelessly. VoIP systems digitise calls and texts and send them through internet lines, rather than ordinary landlines. VoIP has been around for a while, but is becoming more and more popular as it is evolving to be quicker, cheaper and more efficient. Many businesses and households already use VoIP systems for their communications, a seemingly clever move as landlines are slowly becoming obsolete.

How Do You Use A Voip Phone System?

VoIP systems work over the internet, but what does that mean?

Well, in the simplest of explanations, VoIP systems digitise your voice into online data and send it to your phone provider via the internet, which is then passed on to the receiver. VoIP phone systems rely on high speed internet to make and receive communications; this means you can make calls with a VoIP system on a computer, a mobile phone or a VoIP adapter.

Why Should You Use A Voip Phone System For Your Small Business?

Having a digital communication system for your team is the new trend in business. Giving employees a second phone number for work, all on the same system, instead of a second mobile phone or office phone, benefits the business and the employee, allowing companies to maintain professionalism and employees to stay connected no matter where they are.

Features included with VoIP systems include:

✅ Virtual receptionist

✅ Call forwarding

✅ Voicemail transcription

✅ Do Not Disturb button

✅ Conference call

✅ Call recording

✅ Call logs

✅ On-hold music

Cost efficient
Perhaps the best advantage of the VoIP phone system is the price. Most VoIP providers charge a monthly fee, based on how many users are on it rather than how many minutes are used; meaning you can have unlimited calls for a lower price. For example, most VoIP providers will charge around £20-30 a month, whereas landlines will charge around £50-75 a month.

Easy Setup
Setting up a second phone number on your personal phone is easy as pie. Most VoIP systems work through a phone app and can be downloaded and running within minutes with a smartphone. No need to spend extra hours installing complicated technology.

Professionalism
Having a second phone number allows you to stay connected with colleagues, clients and customers while still maintaining professionalism. Whether you are part of, or running, a small business, or working for yourself, or as a freelancer, having a professional phone number can go a long way in gaining customers’ trust and confidence in you and your business. Giving out your personal number is not only ideal for you, but also perhaps not comfortable for the customer. Virtual phone numbers allow you to have an online landline number, if you chose, for your business to maintain professionalism and privacy.

Enhances Communication
Despite more people than ever working from home, business communication cannot stop; it can be difficult to stay in touch from home with colleagues and clients.

A virtual number makes you accessible wherever you are, enhancing team collaboration by making it easy and simple to send and receive messages and important information, no matter if a team member is in the office, at home or the other side of the world. Having a solid communication system that supports your employees’ lifestyle of remote working, for example, can build morale and keep them motivated despite communication limits created by the pandemic.

Call from anywhere
Remote and hybrid working is the new normal since the pandemic. VoIP phone systems support the remote and hybrid work model, as it allows employees to communicate from wherever they are, whether it is at home, at work or on the other side of the world.

Scalability
With a cloud-based phone system you can add or remove phone lines for new or leaving employees. As your business grows, your phone system can too, without any stress or hassle.

Better Customer Support
Being able to contact customer support in case of an emergency is essential when running a small business. If your phone lines are down, it can negatively affect the accessibility of your business and leave customers stranded and unhappy with your service. Most VoIP service providers maintain direct contact with you and your company, so that if you have any issues they are available straight away to fix your problem; you won’t have to wait hours or days to get a reply from a big corporation that owns your landline.

Simple Equipment
VoIP being a cloud based service not only provides better quality and service, it also presents a more practical solution for small businesses. To use a VoIP phone system you don’t need any extra equipment or IT specialists to install and manage it, which not only makes life easier for you but also saves time and money for your business

Which Is The Best Voip Phone System For Small Businesses?

There are many VoIP phone systems on offer to small businesses, you’ll want to get the best one for the best price. The good thing about VoIP phone systems is that all you need is high quality internet connection, a router and a modem, all which businesses have anyway, to get started. The big question is which provider to go with.

Devyce is a VoIP service that specialises in fitting the needs of a small business. We know what a small business needs in terms of communication, and Devyce deliver. Devyce offer a special Teams Package tailored to small businesses at only £15.99 a month per user. With Devyce, the account manager has access to our Portal, which provides instant number allocation and deallocation, call forwarding, call recording, full call reporting and analytics and CRM integration. You can give your employees a new number, or bring their number to Devyce by porting. Devyce provides an easy, cheap and efficient VoIP phone system that optimises your small businesses communication and, with customer support available 24/7, supports you every step of the way.

Step By Step Guide

An easy guide on how to get Devyce for your team:

1️⃣Purchase Your Team Devyce Plan Here: https://devyce.com/pricing/

2️⃣Log In To Your Devyce Account And Access The Portal Here: https://login.devyce.io/u/login?state=hKFo2SBKMW8tSk1pd0dUd2NHSXoxN3FJZ3NNb29LdnE2Ukdtd6Fur3VuaXZlcnNhbC1sb2dpbqN0aWTZIEMwLWFWNGM4YUVsVS0tejZNRGgwbzJwLWZaNldKUHo5o2NpZNkgN0NxRk41bDlWV3FSalR6UXE2MHdOaWdJV1NGTjdTMGg

3️⃣Add Amount of Numbers Needed

4️⃣Allocate Numbers To Employees

5️⃣Employees Download Devyce App

6️⃣ Monitor Team Communication via The Portal

Sources

https://www.grammarly.com/business/learn/digital-communication-strategies/?&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=search1gbnbstyleguidedsa&utm_targetid=dsa-1296364243343&gclid=CjwKCAjw8sCRBhA6EiwA6_IF4XLPe0nJsgPPCguig9KGXqbwu-Xfj7R7pyul_Fia3eBvqjZ2TMYN4hoC7hMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.ukpostbox.com/blog/how-to-digitise-your-business-comms

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8955-virtual-phone-numbers.html

https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-what-is-voip-and-how-does-it-work-explained/

https://www.business.com/articles/voip/

https://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/guides/internet/internet-phone-voip-offers

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8924-voip-for-business.html

https://fitsmallbusiness.com/voip-vs-landline/

How To Set Up Your Team With Devyce

March 31, 2022 | By Florence Hastings | 0 Comments

Have a read to discover why your team needs Devyce and how easy it is to set up!

Why Devyce?

Devyce is the ideal way to communicate with colleagues, clients and customers. Devyce can support businesses with a hybrid working model, remote working model or in office model, maintaining communication wherever employees are in the world.

Devyce works as a VoIP system, which means it works over the internet, so all you need is an internet connection and nothing more. VoIP systems digitise your voice into online data and send it to your phone provider via the internet, which is then passed on to the receiver.

Small businesses all over the world are using VoIP phone systems and seeing great results. In a study conducted by CISCO, it was reported that small businesses who switched to VoIP systems saw a 77% increase in productivity due to the unique features VoIP phone systems offer that landlines do not.

Some of the most significant advantages of using a VoIP phone system for your small business, like Devyce, are:

✅ Cost effective

✅ Call from anywhere

✅ Scalability

✅ Better customer support

✅ Simple equipment

Learn more about VoIP systems for businesses here: https://devyce.com/2022/01/26/how-voip-systems-work-and-how-it-will-improve-your-small-business/

Devyce For Teams

Devyce has been specially designed for small businesses and startups, in order to offer an efficient, cost effective and simple communication solution, that also helps uphold the professionalism of your business.

We know what a small business needs in terms of communication, and Devyce deliver. Devyce offer a special Teams Package tailored to small businesses at only £15.99 a month per user. Devyce provides an easy, cheap and efficient VoIP phone system that optimises your small businesses communication and, with customer support available 24/7, supports you every step of the way.

Devyce Features for Teams:

✅Personal Account Manager

✅Team Management Portal

✅Instant Number Allocation and Deallocation

✅Call Forwarding

✅Call Recording

✅Full Call and Text Reporting and Analytics

✅CRM Integrations

Step By Step Guide

An easy guide on how to get Devyce for your team:

1️⃣Purchase Your Team Devyce Plan Here: https://devyce.com/pricing/

2️⃣Log In To Your Devyce Account And Access The Portal Here: https://login.devyce.io/u/login?state=hKFo2SBKMW8tSk1pd0dUd2NHSXoxN3FJZ3NNb29LdnE2Ukdtd6Fur3VuaXZlcnNhbC1sb2dpbqN0aWTZIEMwLWFWNGM4YUVsVS0tejZNRGgwbzJwLWZaNldKUHo5o2NpZNkgN0NxRk41bDlWV3FSalR6UXE2MHdOaWdJV1NGTjdTMGg

3️⃣Add Amount of Numbers Needed

4️⃣Allocate Numbers To Employees

5️⃣Employees Download Devyce App

6️⃣ Monitor Team Communication via The Portal

5 Reasons Why You Need A Virtual Phone Number

March 23, 2022 | By Florence Hastings | 0 Comments

Virtual phone numbers are far more convenient, cost effective and manageable than traditional landlines. Still need to be convinced? Have a read of the top five reasons why you need a virtual phone number, for your small business or yourself, today!

What is A Virtual Phone Number?

A virtual phone number is essentially a VoIP phone system; this means Voice over Internet Protocol. So, instead of wires and plugs, calls are connected through the internet. Traditional phones are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Rather than sending information through physical wires, like traditional phones do, virtual phones receive and send data through the internet, making them completely wireless, no need for any extra equipment or technology.

How Does A Virtual Phone Number Work?

Calls going through the internet simply means that your voice, or data, is transferred into online data before being received by the person on the other end. Relying on the internet for calls, and other forms of communication, did not make sense previously, as many people did not have internet access, but nowadays, pretty much every home, office or restaurant and bar has internet access, making it a super reliable way to communicate.

With a virtual phone number, you can purchase a package or an Esim and you essentially just use your phone as normal, but with your number existing in the data sphere, rather than fixed to cables.

By the end of 2025, traditional landline phones will be ruled out by service providers, who will aim to offer full broadband services to their customers, so people can switch to virtual phone lines without a hitch.

Why Do I Need A Virtual Phone Number?

Virtual numbers, to put it simply, make your life easier. They are easy to set up, use and maintain. As well as this, you can use a virtual number from anywhere in the world, where there is internet access, not just where the phone is connected.

Virtual phone numbers are ideal for people who own their own businesses, as you can add many lines on a single account, or travellers wanting to stay connected no matter where they are, such as digital nomads, explorers or expats.

Take a look at the top five reasons why you need a virtual number:

1️⃣Wireless

VoIP systems don’t require any wiring or digital setup, making it extremely easy to install and maintain. For example, with Devyce, all you need to do is download the app to have your digital number on your phone! Even if you are using a virtual number system with multiple lines, for example in an office, the set up remains the same and any changes made, such as allocation and deallocation of numbers, can all be done online.

2️⃣ Portability

Portability is a massive bonus for users with a virtual number. This means that you can move your number to different providers, transferring your number has never been easier, and with Devyce, porting your number takes less than 25 hours.

3️⃣Maintenance

Maintaining technology can take up a lot of time and money, most phone issues, personal or office, require professional help. With VoIP phone systems, however, no maintenance is required, software upgrades automatically and any issues can be fixed online, as there is no physical wiring.

4️⃣Cost

The financial benefit of using a virtual number is immense.

For businesses, using a VoIP system can save thousands in set up, maintenance and equipment costs. Traditional office phones require much more maintenance and that upkeep can cost a bomb. With a virtual office phone system, you don’t need to pay anything other than the monthly fee, which, at Devyce, is only £15.99.

For those on the move, virtual phone numbers can also save huge amounts on roaming fees. Most big mobile providers have reintroduced roaming fees in 2022, meaning using your phone outside of the UK is no longer free, you have to pay extra for calls, texts and data. If you are a frequent traveller, for work or your own pleasure, this can be a big spanner in the works, as it could cost you an extra £52 a month. With Devyce, you still only have to pay your monthly fee to use your phone number, regardless of where you are in the world.

5️⃣Convenience

Not only can you call from anywhere with a virtual number, but you can also adjust the settings, or phone lines, on the go. You can edit your voicemail, activate call forwarding and more, which is particularly useful for remote workers, as this would be something traditionally only done when in the office with your physical office phone.

Moreover, you can connect your virtual number to your computer, using your laptop or computer to call and text.

There are many more features that make using a virtual number more convenient than using a digital one. You can record calls, use a virtual assistant and track calls.

The only potential issue with using a virtual number, which is that it is reliant on internet connection. This means if you have a blackout, or can’t get WIFI, you are at risk of being disconnected.

However, internet connection is so common these days, free in cafes, bars and restaurants, as well as accessible in homes and offices, it is rare you would find yourself without a connection, but it is something to consider.

How To Get Started

Getting a virtual number, for your business or yourself, perhaps as a second number, is so simple. All you need to do is purchase a monthly subscription and then download the app; your virtual number is set up in minutes, ready for you to take advantage of all the benefits it has to offer.

Browse Devyce’s pricing plans here: https://devyce.com/pricing/

Read more about porting your number to Devyce here: https://devyce.com/porting/

Sources

https://www.rswebsols.com/tutorials/internet/digital-phone-vs-voip-phone-pros-cons

https://itstillworks.com/pros-cons-digital-phone-service-5033233.html

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8955-virtual-phone-numbers.html

https://itstillworks.com/diference-between-digital-phone-service-land-line-service-17315.html

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/broadband/article/digital-voice-and-the-landline-phone-switch-off-what-it-means-for-you-aPSOH8k1i6Vv