Being accessible to customers and prospects is a key to success in any small business. But perhaps nowhere is it more critical than the real estate industry, where catching a single call can translate into thousands of commission dollars.

To stay reachable, you probably rely on technologies such as voicemail systems, fax machines, cellular phones and pagers, which have all become common tools of the trade. However, despite efforts to remain reachable through traditional telephony methods, a chasm still exists between you and your telephone system while you are away from the confines of the office.

Enter a new generation of networked personal computer-based phone systems with intelligent call handling to offer the flexibility that Realtors need. Called a PC-PBX, this new technology is boosting agents’ productivity while reducing the cost of doing business.

Simply put, a PC-PBX is a phone system that runs on flexible, intelligent computer software rather than a proprietary hardware switch. Not only does the "computer telephony" technology provide standard features like voicemail and auto attendant, but it also offers a wealth of new features that make agents more productive when they're in the office, and more accessible when they're not.

Here are some examples of how a PC-PBX phone system works:

Juggle calls intelligently. Each time you get an incoming call, a PC-PBX phone system tells you the name of the caller and gives you the option to take the call or defer it to voicemail. This is especially handy when you're already on a call. The system lets you decide which call is more important - you can put the current call on hold and take the new call... or keep talking and let the new call go to voicemail. You can even put the new call on hold (with a message telling the caller to hold) while you finish up with your current client.

Sally is at her desk talking to a mortgage banker. A new call comes in and the phone system "whispers" the name of the new caller to her. The call is from Ed, an out-of-town customer who wants to make an offer on a house, so Sally puts the banker on hold and takes Ed's call. Had it been a less important call, Sally could have deflected it to voicemail and kept on talking with the banker. By having this information at her fingertips, Sally can decide which calls to take and which to defer.

Never miss an important call. Being out of the office doesn't necessarily mean being out of touch. Instead, you can reroute your calls to any forwarding number - or list of forwarding numbers - so you can stay reachable wherever you go. No more needing to give out multiple phone numbers and, because the system announces who is calling, you can decide which calls you want to take and which ones you want to defer to your office voicemail box.

Let’s say Sally is working at an open house. Rather than miss a day's worth of calls, she simply phones in to the PC-PBX and has her calls forwarded to the phone number of the house she is at. When she picks up a call, the system confirms that the call is for Sally and tells her who is calling. She has the option of taking the call or deferring it to voicemail where she can retrieve the message later.

Handle VIP calls. Sometimes it isn't practical to send all of your calls to a forwarding number... but you'd still like to be accessible for important calls. With PC-PBX phone systems, you have a lot of options. You can have calls from specific people forwarded while others aren't. Or, have the system page you when you receive an urgent voicemail message, and display the name and the phone number of the caller on your pager. Another option is to leave customized voicemail greetings for individual callers to offer impo rtant clients special attention.

This feature is especially useful when spending the entire day out of the office. For instance, Sally has several appointments lined-up for a couple who is interested in buying a new home. She's also expecting several important calls that she doesn't want to miss. Sally doesn't want to annoy the couple by having all of her calls forwarded to her cell phone, so she instructs the phone system to only forward calls from the specific people she's interested in. To be on the safe side, she also has the system page her each time she receives an urgent voicemail message, displaying the name and phone number of the caller who left the message.

Reduce voicemail tag. Returning voicemail messages can be time consuming, especially if you have to write down each person's phone number. With a PC-PBX, you can have the phone system automatically dial the number of the person who left you the message. When you finish your call, you can continue on and listen to the next voicemail message. Not only is this a time saver, but it could also be a lifesaver when you're in the car!

While in the car, Sally starts listening to her voicemail messages. Each time she hears a message that she wants to return Sally instructs the phone system to call the person back automatically. She doesn't have to pull the car over and write down any phone numbers. After she's done talking to the person, Sally simply goes on to the next voicemail message and decides whether to call that person back, too.

Not only does a PC-PBX system deliver a wealth of intelligent features, but surprisingly it's also more affordable than a typical phone system. The handsets are less costly, advanced features are included at no extra cost, and the PC-PBX system reduces monthly phone bills and service fees. It's especially cost effective to upgrade the system. Anyone who's had to go through a "trash can upgrade" to add voicemail features or has had to deal with the Y2K problem will be pleasantly surprised to see how easy it to keep the system current.

PC-PBX telephone systems open new doors for Realtors, allowing them to treat each client in a special manner while keeping control of his or her time. Whether you're working in a team or individually in an office, a PC-PBX telephone system allows you to control calls and stay in touch with important clients from the very beginning. This innovative technology solution offers you the opportunity to never miss a call, stay connected and ultimately expedite the selling process so that you can make more money.

Published: April 16, 1999

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Editor's Note: This article reflects the opinions of Steve Manson only and not necessarily the views of this or any other publication, organization or Website owner.