As a virtual PBX provider, we have quite a variety of customers using our service. Pick an industry and we probably have a customer in it! Whether they’re using it just for our voicemail features or to run their entire customer service call center, each of our customers are using Grasshopper to grow their business. Check out a few real life examples:

1. Increase Your User Base.

A customer of ours, Allan Branch of LessAccounting recently blogged about how LessAccounting managed to increase their user base just by adding a toll free phone number to their site. Adding a toll free number alone improved their conversions AND resulted in them hiring a full time phone support person because of the overwhelmingly positive feedback they received after adding the number.

Less Accounting is now taking the success of adding a toll-free number to their site a step further. They are using their number to re-enforce their brand and make sure their customers feel the love. How are they doing this? By being proactive. They’re calling customers before customers even know about an issue (like their bank account didn’t import correctly) and calling new users a few days after they sign up to make sure things are going smoothly for them.

This is all because they decided to take the plunge and add a toll-free number to their site. Something as simple as this will absolutely make your customers feel more comfortable buying from you and help drum up your business!

2. Get New Employees Up and Running, Fast.

At HomeStars, they use our virtual phone system to make sure that they don’t experience any growing pains as their business scales. With a virtual PBX, you can easily set up extensions for your new employees, no matter where they are located. The HomeStars’ team is spread out across North America and has employees in six different cities, which could be a logistical nightmare when trying to get a new employees setup with their extensions. With Grasshopper, you can manage this simply, and all in one place…online.

Another challenge with hiring new employees is training, but training them on the phone system isn’t something HomeStars has to worry about. It’s easy for people to start using the VPS right away and without much training or explanation. This means their employees can hit the ground running and start bringing in business from day one.

Companies bring on new employees for a reason, because they need the help or their business is growing (most likely both). For HomeStars, using Grasshopper made it easy for customers and potential customers to reach them and have their issues addressed quickly.

3. Franchise Your Business.

If you read our blog regularly, you probably recall the post on how 360clean is using Grasshopper as a time card system. Barry Bodiford, founder and CEO of 360clean, uses our phone system to keep track of his employees who are working off site at various client’s offices.

As a franchise, having a virtual PBX makes getting new locations up and running a breeze. With a VPS, franchises are able to start generating business and revenue the second they get their toll free or local number.

Another benefit is extensions. Because you aren’t limited to 5 or 10 extensions, you are free to get creative with how you assign your extensions. 360clean uses one of their extensions (and encourages other franchisees to do the same) as a way for employees to clock in and out.

Imagine not having to do site visits to check in on your employees, not needing to invest in a time card system, and no matter where you are, knowing who is working where, and when they start and finish? Saves you money and gives you time to focus on the more important aspects of your business!

4. Expand Your Business.

After successfully building his business for 6 years, Moe Bashi of Exceptional Limo, decided to launch a separate entity, in addition to his already established site, with the hopes of increasing sales and awareness of his worldwide chauffeur service. Using a virtual PBX, made this business decision an easy one.

A virtual PBX makes it easy for companies to track where their business is coming from. Exceptional Limo was able to determine, based on the phone number customers were calling, which site was driving the most traffic. Just by setting up another site, and adding another toll free number to their Grasshopper account, they saw their call volume increase upwards of 50%!

With a virtual phone system, you aren’t locked in or limited to just one number. They grow with your business and actually make it easy for you to launch new or complimentary companies.

5. Stay Connected and Stay Top of Mind.

The benefits of using a virtual phone system to run your business are endless, as you can see from above. One of the greatest benefits of all is that they enable you to stay connected, wherever you are. At Natural Running Store, the president, Patton Gleason is oftentimes on the go, as is the lifestyle of many startup founders and entrepreneurs. Being a startup, it’s important that you stand out from the competition and make a name for your company.

With the Grasshopper, Patton Gleason was able to differentiate his company from others by creating direct lines of communication with his vendors and customers.

Communication with vendors and customers is crucial to Natural Running Store’s success. Using a virtual PBX enables entrepreneurs on the go like Patton, to develop these type of relationships anywhere, and at any time. This is extremely cost effective for your business because you’re not missing important calls when you’re stuck at the airport or not sitting at your desk. Patton was able to stand out in his industry by establishing and maintaining a personal touch with his vendors and customers that just couldn’t be done with your standard phone system.

With the support and flexibility of a virtual PBX, it’s no wonder businesses using them are booming! Do you use a virtual PBX in an innovative way? Or is your virtual phone system responsible for the growth of your company? We want to hear about it!