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It does not help, however, that I am in business for myself because that means that I shoulder all of the responsibilities for success or failure. That has created a lot of stress in my life. Fortunate for me, I have found a system to help take some of the pressures off while providing a structure for success. That is, an 800 number and PBX system.
My own personal 800 number for my business makes managing tasks much easier. If you are not familiar with an 800 number, this is how it works. An 800 number or toll-free number as it is also called, is set up to automatically forward to your regular business number. You pay for each call that comes in on that number. This is very valuable to those who seek to do business with you because they do not have to incur charges when trying to reach you out of your local dialing area.
Next, an associated PBX system can be purchased and set up that will help you manage calls as well as disseminate information. When a caller dials an 800 number to your business, they will be placed into your automated attendant system that allows them to retrieve information or speak to a live person.
This allows you to focus on the business at hand. As callers go, their issue is of utmost importance (and it might very well be) and that forces you to drop what you are doing in order to help them. That takes you out of your game and puts you behind. With the PBX system in place, the issue is handled even to the point of having the call forwarded to a live person. But, first, they are given options which can help them solve their problem.
Most of you are probably asking the "how much" question. You would be surprised at the affordability of these 800 numbers and PBX systems. In fact, they used to be thought of as a large company feature only. Not anymore. Most small and medium sized businesses like mine use them to help manage their customer base. What you will find is that these systems are not just an add-on to an existing business, but rather they become the business structure.
One of the best parts of an 800 number and PBX system is that it prevents you from having to hire a person to help you manage the customer service side of your business. And, it is immensely more affordable. It does not require vacations, time off, or sick days. It works 24 hours per day, seven days per week. And that is something that even YOU cannot do.
So, if you find yourself being pressured to the point of physical exhaustion and/or health related issues, then an 800 number and PBX system can be the stress reliever for which you have been looking. Trust me, I know from experience.