How do you do inbound calls (phone work)?

[SmartChic]

I am starting a virtual assistant business and I am very excited!!

But I am wondering for all of you who do phone work for your clients, what type of phone system and/or software you use? I want to offer inbound and outbound phone services (surveys, appointment setting, customer service, etc) for my clients but don't know how to get started. I heard that you could use Skype but I wasn't so sure.

If you could let me know some suggestions, I would be soooo grateful. Thanks!

[SmartChic]

Wow.. lot's of views but no comments.. hopefully someone will give me some advice. Thanks!

[tenXmom]

One of my clients uses PBNext, the calls come thru my computer and are forwarded (triggered by my clicking) to one of my office lines

Another company has supplied me with a VOIP phone with two lines, I have an extension in their phone system, their calls route straight to me

A third has one of my office numbers posted on their site for questions

For my business I use Vonage phones and fax

At one point I thought of using Skype and having seperate dedicated numbers for various clients

[sydnee21]

All of my clients have used RingCentral. I occasionally use Skype for small outbound projects, but it's way too unreliable for ongoing, inbound service.

[robgoldizen]

You can chose among this different phone system types:

• Key Systems
• Virtual / Hosted / Centrex Systems
• IP based PBX Systems
• PBX Systems
• Hybrid Phone Systems
• VoIP Phone Systems

[sallymckays]

If you know someone to setup for you an open source PBX phone system then you can start with this. I heard about RingCentral, Grasshopper. You can ask for their free trial to see if most of your requirements will be satisfied.

[dkramer]

I use get800today.com as my virtual PBX for my incoming calls from clients (I can also use it for outgoing calls but I don't because I have unlimited LD). I decided to use a virtual PBX so that I could have a toll free phone and fax for my business.

What I like about some virtual PBX's is that you can have a whisper message at the beginning saying who is calling so you can decide to take the call or send them to voicemail.

I do take incoming calls for one specific client and he just set it up as a forward from his line to my normal line. It shows up as his number so I know how to answer it when I see it and if I decide I can't answer it at that moment they will go to his voicemail, which he will then forward to me.

I think if you're going to be taking incoming calls for lots of clients you may want to consider multiple VOIP systems or something along that line.

Good Luck,

Dawn