Whether you’re a small business or a growing mid-sized operation, the right business phone system is crucial to both present a professional image and to ensure customers can always reach your team. Knowing which phone system is right for you, will depend on your organization’s size, how many extensions you’ll need, how often you’ll be adding new employees, and the size of your budget. Many phone systems are available to fit just about any budget, but you’ll most likely choose a landline, a VoIP (or Voice Over IP) or a cloud-based VoIP.
Landlines
Although landlines have been around forever, they are mostly found in large organizations nowadays. Using a PBX (or Private Branch Exchange), wire-based landlines create multiple extensions to reach every office or cubicle in your business. The PBX also creates the company directories and makes transferring incoming calls to different extensions effortless.
If all of your employees work primarily inside your office, and you have no real need for field agents, and your budget can bear the expensive set up and maintenance than landlines are for you. Keep in mind, however that any problems with your service will require a site visit from a technician. Unless you’re a large corporation that can keep an IT person on staff, you have more cost-effective options.
Voice Over IP
Voice over Internet protocol, or VoIP, can make your small business look like much larger operation. Like landlines, Voice Over IP works within your office. Instead of using wires to set up extensions, however, VoIP relies on your existing internet connection. A Business VoIP phone system is also more functional than landlines as they can integrate with computers, to turn your desktop and laptops into virtual phones with just the addition of a telephone headset.
In addition to computer integration, VoIP business phone systems offer sophisticated features such as interoffice instant messaging, interactive voice response, automated attendants, internet faxing, call monitoring and much more. Voicemails are automatically transcribed and emailed to you. Some VoIP systems will also work with customer relationship management software programs such as Microsoft Outlook and Salesforce to make phone calls as easy as just clicking on the telephone number.
Easy to set up without the need of technicians for maintenance, VoIP offers a cost-effective solution than landlines. The only drawback is that VoIP is dependent on an internet connection. If your internet goes out, so do your phones.
Cloud-Based VoIP
To bypass the risk of not having your phones available if your internet connection goes down, you may want to consider a cloud-based VoIP.
With a cloud-based system, you get all the benefits of a regular VoIP without concern over the state of your in-office internet connection. You also save money by not needing to buy additional equipment. The technology runs on the Cloud and is maintained by a service provider, such as Avaya or Cisco. Set up is relatively easy and adding new telephone extensions for new employees can be done on your computer.
If you need help deciding which office phone system is right for your company, Mokan Communications is here to assist you with the process of narrowing down your options.