Affordable virtual phone system
This app can turn any smartphone into a call centre, writes Balqis Lim
HANDLING customer service and fulfilling inquiries are just part and parcel of a business process. Traditionally, this is done with a private office phone system or setting up a call centre and hiring operators, which can be costly for startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
However, what if there is an affordable enterprise-level virtual phone system as an alternative to complicated and expensive office phone systems?
There is one, known as Omni.
It can turn any smartphone into a call centre, controlled by a mobile app and a web dashboard.
FOR STARTUPS
With Omni, any startup or SME can own a Malaysian business phone number and power up their company with a phone system using just a mobile application. Fixed number or landline is not needed because every time a caller dials your office number, your smartphone will ring.
BRIDGING THE GAP
The system, which was rolled out by Digi Telecommunications (Digi) few months ago, aims to bridge the gap between investing in an expensive traditional phone system with limited re-routing options and missing incoming calls and potential sales opportunities.
Digi’s chief digital officer Praveen Rajan says, ”We see a clear market opportunity to leverage on our connectivity and network infrastructure to continue offering affordably priced, advanced digital solutions for SMEs to grow their businesses.
“We have already begun helping SMES to go digital with iFleet and vcash, and the availability of Omni will strengthen our proposition to be the trusted digital partner for small businesses in Malaysia.”
HOW IT WORKS
Just like how a receptionist would, Omni helps you to answer, redirect and manage your calls professionally without the need for physical telephones.
Omni Product Lead Eddy Han says it is an incredibly useful solution for today’s SMEs and entrepreneurs on-the-go, thanks to its host of work-oriented functions. Getting on board is a simple process.
“Comparable to subscribing to a Spotify or Netflix account, it takes about five minutes to complete Omni’s registration process at www.omnihotline.my and customers can begin using the system after that.
“From as low as RM60 per month, and unlike conventional plans in the market, there are no contracts to be tied down to.
“Customers also do not have to be a Digi user or sign up to Digi as anyone can subscribe to Omni,” says Han.
Additionally, Omni comes with a fixed line prefix, doing away with the need to share personal mobile numbers for business purposes and enabling its users to project a more “business credible” way of working.
Business owners can also register their personal numbers or the numbers of staff without actually revealing those numbers to their customers or the public.
MANAGING BUSINESS
With the web portal, customers can manage their business phone system such as determining their business hours, subaccounts and call rerouting structure.
The Omni system also allows customers to track usage, activities and managing their subscription and set their own virtual assistant message, extensions and numbers.
The Omni mobile app transforms team members’ smartphones into a call centre where they can receive incoming calls and make outgoing calls via the fixed line prefix and send business SMSes using the fixed line prefix and record, transfer or listen to incoming and outgoing calls.
“You can even send out SMSes through your office contact number. How cool is that? No more missing out on important calls as Omni also lets customers keep track of missed calls, read your voicemails and recorded calls on the app and online dashboard.
“Your voicemails are also automatically transcribed before they’re delivered, so not only can you listen right from your email, you can even read your messages,” Han says.
Some of Omni’s customers include UOA Development, local service providers ServisHero, budget international roaming provider Flexiroam, and a home cleaning service company Maideasy.
MOVING FORWARD
This year, the company will focus on showing the different use cases of what Omni can do to more SMEs nationwide, Praveen says.
He notes that there is no specific upgrade scheduled for this year but Omni will also look into adding new features such as multilingual capabilities, automated chat and translation.
All the features will emphasis on automating processes so that customers can benefit from such upgrades.