8 Things We Love About Internet Phone Calls (aka VoIP)

Image courtesy of WR Newz.

Internet phone calls, referred to as Voice over IP (VoIP), are becoming an increasingly popular cloud service due to the low cost, long-term hardware sustainability, increased quality, and wider variety of features, as compared to the copper infrastructure of traditional phone systems.

Check out Packet Media and our favorite features that nonprofits love below and learn more about VoIP for nonprofits:

1. Data management

   With VoIP, your nonprofit can store data about your call costs, outbound and inbound phone number, and call duration among other organizational call data.




2. Multi-line call routing

   Help callers find you with this premium seat feature, which allows you direct calls to multiple lines in a certain order. That way if you are waiting for an important call, but have a busy day ahead of you, set it up so that your office phone rings 3 times before forwarding the call to your cell phone for 3 rings, and even forwarding it a second time to your home phone.




3. Hold music

   Turn your cell phone into any other professional phone by forwarding your calls to it. Even enable hold music.




4. Call center

   Set up a fully operational call center at your organization with this add-on feature. Coach your staff members by joining in on a call without the caller knowing.




5. Voicemail to email

   Transcribe voicemail and send it to your phone or computer in the form of a text message or email. Actually keep a written record of voicemail, rather than scrolling through lists of saved messages.




6. Call screening

   Automate call routing by defining rules for inbound calls. Depending on the rules, calls will be segmented and directed to the appropriate lines using call ID. Differentiate donor calls from corporate partners and business calls.




7. Do not disturb

   All of these features are highly customizable and allow for quick changes--which is great when you're ready to go on vacation or stop call forwarding to your cell phone for the night.




8. Secure your office with your phone

   With some add-on hardware, you can set up a security intercom on your phone and control door access by buzzing people in with it.