We're sure you've heard all the estate agent jokes by now. But we've been working hard on this zinger, so give us one chance to make you laugh?

Question: How many estate agents does it take to install a VoIP phone system?

Answer: None. Just call us and we'll take care of it for you.

Ahem… alright. We admit it needs work. Or maybe the world just isn't ready for cloud phone comedy.

Either way, there's truth behind the gag.

See, we've worked with a number of estate agents in the UK. We know you keep schedules that would make a worker bee demand a pay rise. We know you just don't have time to think about tech, and telephony, and all the complicated stuff that gets in the way of your day job.

And we've seen, first hand, the positive impact cloud telephone systems can have for estate agents.

So forgive the joke. Give us five more minutes of your time, and we'll show you exactly why you should consider cloud telephony, and how we can help you get up and running.

Cloud telephone systems for estate agents: the basics

Consider this your cloud telephony 101. These are the bread-and-butter features that can help you construct a tasty communications sandwich, full of crunchy salad and juicy ROI.

(We'll skip the fundamentals here. But if you need a refresher on VoIP telephones, check out our blog post "How does a VoIP phone system work?"

Call recording

We all know the importance of good record keeping, whether it's to monitor customer service, resolve potential disputes, or improve your business's decision-making processes.

Good news – we can recommend and install VoIP phone systems that have robust call-recording features built right in. And – bonus – these might even be more useful and feature rich than your current call-recording system.

Call management

Our VoIP systems take call management into a whole new dimension. Not only do they allow for the call-forwarding and transferring features you're used to, but they also offer extended collaboration tools that can speed up your communications workflow.

For instance, with the right setup, you can automate call transfers based on all sorts of conditions. This is great for managing high call volumes and can integrate with any virtual receptionist or interactive voice response systems you might have in place.

You can also get live alerts to see whether colleagues are available before you even attempt contact. (No more wasting time playing "who's-at-their-desk bingo".)

Hold music

Yes, hold music is still a thing with VoIP phones. And no, despite them being pretty futuristic, you're not obliged to subject customers to hyper-fast German techno.

Response-time monitoring

As any estate agent knows, customer service is king, and monitoring your agents' response times is a great way to ensure that you're delivering an excellent customer experience.

Our cloud telephone systems let you track key KPIs out of the box. They can even integrate with your current CRM system if you want to really supercharge your service.

Voicemail

Even with the most modern cloud phone systems, good old voicemail isn't going anywhere. And – once again – VoIP offers features above and beyond what most traditional landlines can muster.

Like with any answering service, you can access VoIP voicemails from your telephone handset. But because everything is handled online, you can also listen via software, or even receive audio files directly to your email inbox.

Cloud telephone systems for estate agents: the REALLY impressive stuff

We've covered some of the VoIP features we're often asked about. Here, we're going to talk about the advanced features that can really, REALLY make a difference.

This stuff is especially important for estate agents, because – as you know – in the world of property, wasted time means lost sales. With these tools in your toolbox, you'll be able to offer a service that's as slick as an oiled eel.

Multi-location performance monitoring

We've touched on call performance monitoring already. But where VoIP really shines is in its ability to seamlessly aggregate data from multiple sites.

With cloud telephony, no branch is an island. Your call data is stored securely in a central server, so it's like all your colleagues are in the same building, using the same landline.

Our telephone systems for estate agents offer live transparency of the number of incoming, outbound and missed calls across your entire business. You can access call reports to monitor how different branches are performing. Or you can drill down to individual calls, with comprehensive call recording features.

The wealth of data available is staggering. And in our fast-moving digital world, good data makes all the difference.

Unlimited talk time

We don't need to tell you twice. Estate agents spend a lot of time on the phone, so call charges can quickly become astronomical.

Allow us to instantly lower your blood pressure. The cloud telephone systems we recommend for estate agents offer unlimited calls to UK landlines and mobiles.

No more worrying about your business phone bill. With VoIP, everything is covered with one flat fee. Go on, give your bookkeeper the day off.

Answer office calls, anywhere

How many hours do you think you've wasted by missing client calls? Forgetting to call them back? Calling them a day later having forgotten exactly what the call was about?

VoIP phones work seamlessly across multiple devices. Using an app on your smartphone, you can answer office calls wherever you are – running an errand, driving your car, relaxing with a nice cup of proper tea… (see what we did there?).

To the caller, it's just like they've called you at the office. For you, it means never having to miss a call again.

Integrated video calls and live chat

Imagine a prospective seller wants to contact an agent. Imagine they can simply navigate to your website, begin a live text chat with an agent, then – with the click of a button – start talking to the agent, face to face on video. Imagine they can do this anywhere, from their desktop, mobile or tablet.

It sounds like sorcery. But with our VoIP systems, this scenario can very much be a reality.

Impressive right? Well, get this. Research has shown that, by making contact more seamless, this feature can boost website-to-enquiry conversions by up to 30%.

It's very easy to implement, too. All it takes is a single line of code on your website.

Caller ID

As far as features go, caller ID might not seem all that special. But we know that, for estate agents, knowing who you're talking to is critical.

Greeting callers with a "hi John" or "hello Sally" can make all the difference. It can make the caller feel like they're getting a true, one-to-one service rather than jumping through the usual call-centre hoops.

Our cloud telephony systems make it easy to manage client contacts, so you can nurture multiple client relationships without breaking a sweat.

What about installation?

We won't beat around the bush. Replacing your company phone system is a big decision, and it's not one that should be taken lightly.

That's why we're dedicated to making the experience as smooth as possible for you. All you have to do is clue us in on your business's needs, and we'll recommend a phone system that will provide the biggest boost in your productivity.

We can advise on the best VoIP-enabled handsets, which provide all sorts of useful call monitoring features. And we can suggest software solutions that make colleague-to-colleague collaboration easier than ever.

We'll handle installation too. And training. And we'll provide ongoing 24/7 support.

In other words, we're here to save you time and brainpower, so you can focus all your energy on running and growing your business.

Want to know more? Get in touch with our friendly advisors for a no-obligation chat. (And we really do mean a chat. We don't do hard sells.)

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