Key VoIP Features Your Business Should be Using

You’ve heard a lot about the potential benefits of switching your hotel to a VoIP phone system, but not all digital PBX networks are the same. Hotels aren’t like other large businesses — the needs of your staff and your guests are unique. To make the most of your new technology, you need features that will empower your team and provide a better experience for your guests. Here are the key features you should be looking for in your VoIP system.

1. Digital Directories

Everyone has dealt with the frustration of having to sift through a complicated phone directory to reach the person you’re looking for.

With the right VoIP system, you can set up a digital directory that eliminates that process entirely. Callers will be able to find specific guests, facilities, or staff by name or department, then transfer immediately to that phone number. You can even change the number, forward it to a mobile phone, or move the handset to a different room and the directory will update automatically.

2. Unparallelled Mobility

One of the unique challenges of running a hotel is that your customers are on the premises at all times. This means that your staff’s number one priority has to be in-person interaction with guests — not answering the phone.

With a VoIP system customized for your hotel, your staff can do both. They can roam the hotel, assisting guests in person while being available to answer calls through a Bluetooth-enabled headset. A VoIP system provides the power and versatility of the front desk computer with the mobility of a cell phone.

3. Business Tools

Business travelers made nearly 500 million trips in 2019, and any hotelier knows that this key client base brings with them a unique set of demands from your hotel technology. With a sophisticated VoIP network, your hotel can offer business travelers:

  • Low-cost long-distance calling
  • Digital faxing
  • Seamless conference calling
  • High-speed video conferencing
  • Dedicated temporary numbers for each conference room
  • Voicemail transcription
  • And more

As technology advances the technological expectations of business travelers will only continue to become more complex. Switching to a VoIP system allows your hotel to keep up with their changing needs.

4. Guest Information

A key feature that boosts customer experience, guest information enables you to gather valuable information on a caller to direct the conversation. Before you pick up the phone, you’ll know:

  • The guest’s reservation status and room number
  • Their full name and location
  • Whether they’ve stayed with you before
  • VIP or rewards status
  • Preferred language and whether or not they need a translator
  • Payment history and information
  • Personal room preferences (view, bed size, etc)
  • Wakeup call preferences

With this information at hand, you can provide a far more personalized guest experience by asking the right questions, making guests feel at home.

5. Remote Check-In and Checkout

Waiting in line after a day of travel can be exhausting. With a digital PBX system, guests are granted the convenience of skipping this step entirely by choosing to check in remotely. Remote check-in enables your guests to make their way straight to their rooms by checking in and verifying payment information from their smartphones. And if your guests are in a hurry on their way out, they can check out on their devices through the same process.

6. Integration with Other Internal Systems

Hotel housekeeping staff waste a fair amount of time knocking on doors to find that the room is occupied or being met with “do not disturb” signs on doorknobs. By integrating your internal communications system with other networks, you can significantly increase the efficiency of your staff, ensuring that maintenance and housekeeping crews only go to the rooms where they’re needed.

Talk to Phonesuite Today

For all of the features we’ve mentioned above, not to mention world-class service and competitive prices, get in touch with Phonesuite today. We’ve installed our proprietary VoIP system, designed from the ground up for the unique needs of the hotel industry, in more than 6,500 hotels in the last 30 years. Our system is designed for any hotel, from the smallest boutiques to the largest full-service luxury resorts, and offers a lower initial investment and competitive per-room monthly costs. Curious about the cost? Contact Phonesuite for a quote.