Softphone benefits for flexible offices and their occupiers

5 min read
16/10/2020
By Connor Shugrue

In flex-space working environments, it’s critical that operators provide their tenants with technology that helps them remain productive while away from their desks. A softphone is a web and app based communication tool that can help differentiate your workspace offering while delivering an excellent member experience.

With the influx of corporate adoption of flex-space, operators are increasingly looking to expand their services offering to include VOIP phone solutions to cater to the demanding requirements of corporate tenants. The more capabilities you enable your tenants with, the happier they’ll be. To set yourself apart from competition and delight members, here are the benefits of introducing a softphone app into your flexible workspace.

What is a Softphone?

A softphone is a software application on your computer or mobile device that you can use to make phone calls over the Internet. Rather than relying on a traditional telephone line network, softphones use VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) to send and receive calls and manage contacts all from the same interface screen. VoIP is simply the technology that converts your voice into data so it can be carried through a data network, like the Internet.

The move to Unified Communications by businesses around the world is unstoppable, according to an April 2016 study by Credence Research — workers are increasingly demanding packaged mobile solutions, and that demand will grow steadily through 2022. The desktop softphone or smartphone app is becoming an increasingly favoured choice for workers. Most recently on the technology panel at September’s GCUC UK event, Salto Systems stressed the importance of cloud-based working, and specifically, the softphone to overcome the physical limitations of a workspace.

 

The benefits of the Softphone in flexible offices

Extra revenue stream – A softphone app will make it easy for your members to communicate from anywhere whilst building a new, consistent revenue stream for your flexible workspace. You can set your own price and bundle voice options to make your offering competitive and better position your business.

When it comes to IT and voice services, offering your own softphone solution can ensure you don’t miss revenue opportunities. For example, allowing members to use their own softphone apps may mean more flexibility to them but less revenue to you. Moreover, longer-term it may mean a poorer experience as you wouldn’t be able to offer support for their app and compatibility issues may arise with other systems within your space. There are a lot of softphone apps available on the market, but you should introduce a hassle-free solution that syncs up with member billing and can be easily managed through one platform.

Differentiation in a competitive market – Enhance your customer offering and delight your members by providing an extensive communication package. You can even further differentiate your workspace and reinforce your brand reputation by having a custom branded softphone app. In the competitive flexible workspace market you need to be offering members the best of the best technology and take your offering to the next level to outperform the competition.

Ease of use for flexible workspace operators and their tenants– Because members are able to use their existing landline number, softphone configuration and installation is simple and quick. Members only have to download the app and login once. A hassle-free solution means excellent member experience and satisfaction, ultimately resulting in greater customer retention rates.

 

Most importantly, how does a Softphone benefit your tenants?

  • Seamless, simple and secure
  • Easy to use, fast and reliable
  • Cost-effective – communicate globally, pay locally
  • Full integration with contacts – saves time and effort of manually entering contact data
  • Best in class call quality over Wi-Fi – no need to worry about poor cellular signal
  • Geographic flexibility and mobility – stay connected everywhere
  • Flexibility – access the app from anywhere at any time on any internet-enabled device
  • No hassle – there’s no need to source a separate supplier
  • Business efficiency – decrease on hold time with the ability to answer from any place

 

Softphone: enrich your proposition

By nature of the constantly evolving workplace, tenants and members increasingly value space, services, and amenities that are malleable to their varying business and personal needs. Integrating flexibility into your tech services offering drives greater margins and results in happier customers, which long-term equates to greater retention and greater revenue. Infrastructure that supports VoIP solutions drives value to your members, money to your bottom line and better positions your workspace for growth.

Leading services offices operator LEO uses the essensys softphone and comments, “The softphone app has been a fantastic addition to the essensys service offering, as it enables me to work more freely whilst hot desking across our portfolio of properties.” Peter Kitchener, London Executive Offices

With the essensys softphone app you can make and receive calls from anywhere in the world using your landline telephone number over your mobile 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi networks. Operators can manage member’s call activity and automatically bill them through one platform. Discover more here

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In this article

  • What is a Softphone?
  • The benefits of the Softphone in flexible offices
  • Most importantly, how does a Softphone benefit your tenants?
  • Softphone: enrich your proposition

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