Business Phone System – 15 Things You Must Know Before Selecting One!
Business Phone System, Things You Must Know Before Running A Business.
Even in a world of text messages, email, and social media, the phone is still where most business still happens. It’s more efficient in many ways and makes for connecting with people in more memorable ways, so if you want your business to succeed, you will need the right business phone system for your company and your ambitions.
When it comes to business phone systems, there are lots of different options to choose from. It can be confusing and overwhelming to pick the right system when you are first starting. The complexity of installing a business phone system largely depends on the type of phone system you want to implement. The different phone systems range from simple to very complicated to set up and install for your business.
There are multiple factors to consider when selecting the business phone system you want to install for your business. Some key considerations for you are your location and budget. For example, you may work virtually, or you may work in an office. Take a look at your budget and business needs. Assess how many employees you have and how big you plan on growing your operation.
It’s important to consider future growth plans because, with the right phone system, you can scale and grow your business with ease. You will be able to get a better idea of which phone system to use once you figure your business needs.
Here we will discuss the main types of business phone systems in Canada and describe the characteristics of each phone system and how to pick the best business phone system.
Why A Business Need A Business Phone System?
Internal Communication
With a PBX system installed, you can get a better communication system internally. All employees and employers can stay interconnected and communicate very easily with each other. This will ensure a smooth flow of communication throughout the hierarchy of your firm.
External Communication
Not only will your internal communication get better, but the external communication will also heighten. Your clients and customers can now contact through this medium and ask their queries. Automated replies can save for general replies such as your office hours.
Saves Time
Installing a PBX phone system will save you a hefty amount of time that would have otherwise be wasted. For example, your employers do not have to sit at their desk waiting for calls. Rather, a preset automated voice will answer the typical calls.
Saves Money
Apart from time, it will also save your money in the long run. PBX phone systems are free internally! Think of it as an intercom at your house but on a much larger scale. You can call your colleagues anytime inside the premises and not worry about paying extra phone bills.
No Training Required
Another aspect of saving your time and money is through the elimination of training. With this communication system in your office, you will not have to spend time and money training your administrative employees on answering calls and queries of customers.
Shows Professionalism
Ever called a well-known firm and had an automated voice answering your call? This is the case of big enterprises shows professionalism. The fact that they invested in this particular facility for the ease of customers. The call is then directing towards the department or person you are looking for.
Better Infrastructure
A PBX phone system definitely gives you better communication infrastructure. With this, you can reach better heights of success at a faster rate. Your communication system will be upgraded to a whole new level. More so, the flow of communication will also better organized.
Better Efficiency
PBX phone systems provide an efficient means of communication. Good communication is vital in any organization, and it is best when done efficiently. With any PBX phone system, you are sure to achieve this as this is a very efficient means of communication technology.
Useful Features
PBX phone system comes with a lot of features. You can make international calls free of cost, record calls, provide reports and even track performance over a certain period of time. Some even come with special features apart from these typical ones such as call diverting.
User-Friendly
All these benefits of a business phone system may sound complicated and difficult. However, in reality, it is actually very user-friendly. The control panel they operate with is user-friendly and easily manageable. With only meager instructions, people in the firm can begin to operate it.
Now that you have a general gist about business phone systems, you should also be aware that there is not one typical phone system out there. There are quite a few – Hosted PBX phone system, cloud-based PBX phone system, IP PBX phone system, and open source PBX phone system exist to name a few.
This article concentrates on the types of business phone systems. Therefore, we will give you a tour of the world business phone systems. Let us move forward by first knowing more about the type of business phone system we are discussing here:
There Are Six Type of Business Phone Systems
- Key Systems Unit (KSU)
- Key KSU-less systems
- Private Branch Exchange Systems (PBX)
- Voice Over Internet Protocol Systems (VoIP)
- Hosted VoIP business phone System
- Cloud VoIP business phone System
Key Systems Unit (KSU)
A key system is good for small to medium-sized businesses. This system is generally using for businesses with 5 to 40 employees. There is a central control device called a KSU which gives the phone system extra features that are needed for the business. For example, a person would be able to dial another extension within the company without getting interrupted by someone trying to use the line at the same time. Typically, the telecom company will provide installation and maintenance included in the cost of the KSU phone system. This type of system is not complicated to install because the provider will handle installation on your behalf.
Key KSU-less systems
This system does not have a KSU control unit, which is why it is called a key KSU-less system. This type of system is good for businesses that have fewer than ten employees. With a KSU-less phone system you still have access to many features such as conference calls, multiple extensions, and call transferring. The advantage that KSU-less systems have over the KSU systems is that there is a lower cost to use the KSU-less system. The downside to this is that you and your business will have to maintain the phone system without additional support from phone companies. This can make it complicated to set up and install if you or your team does not have any knowledge about phone systems.
Private Branch Exchange Systems (PBX)
PBX phone systems are generally used by businesses that have 50 or more employees. This type of system has a lot of advanced features and flexibility needed by growing companies. PBX systems are generally expensive to set up and install. This type of system is good for businesses that have complex phone system needs.
Traditionally, PBX systems required lots of expensive equipment to set up and install, but due to advancements in technology, there are options available for businesses to use PBX systems without the need for lots of expensive equipment.
With a legacy PBX system, you are limited a certain number of outside telephone lines and internal devices or extensions. That is why it is advantageous for businesses using legacy PBX systems to make a switch to IP based PBX systems. An IP based PBX system allows for unlimited growth in terms of lines, extensions, and devices along with a host of other added benefits. With an IP PBX system, you also get more advanced features that would normally be very costly to add on with the traditional legacy PBX systems. Such features include: ring groups, automated receptionists, voicemail, call queues, and call reporting.
The traditional legacy PBX systems were very complex and costly to install. Now with modern technology, there are many different VoIP PBX systems businesses could use that are much simpler to install, and less costly to set up and maintain.
Voice Over Internet Protocol Systems (VoIP)
VoIP systems are great for businesses of all sizes. Whether your business has less than ten employees or your business has over 50 employees, the systems will meet your needs. It brings businesses the latest features in phone technology. As you may be aware, VoIP phone systems utilize the Internet to make phone calls to make calls locally and internationally.
The system will allow you to easily unite multiple offices into a single phone system. VoIP systems will also allow you to eliminate long distance charges as all your calls will be made over your company Internet connection.
If your company has multiple offices or locations, your company might be a great fit to use a VoIP phone system. A VoIP phone system works especially well if you have remote staff members and use a remote customer service team. Your VoIP system features can be used across all locations and easily lets you scale into more locations with no complications.
Always Introduce QoS For VoIP Business Phone System If You Can
There are also some challenges when dealing with a VoIP system. For instance, it requires internet stability to maintain high call quality. Since we use the Internet for a large portion of our office work tasks, there are a lot of different devices using the Internet throughout the day in the office. This same internet connection is sharing with a VoIP system, and bandwidth could
A way to deal with the challenge of bandwidth issues is to use hardware such as routers with Quality of Service (QoS) features or applications that provide QoS, The function that QoS provides is to prioritize bandwidth distribution according to the configurations that are set. So you can use QoS and configure it to prioritize bandwidth distribution to the VoIP system during heavy bandwidth usage. That way your VoIP phone system can maintain high-quality calls and continue to operate without any issues.
Hosted VoIP Business Phone System
A hosted VoIP PBX system gives you the same functionality as a self-managed VoIP system. With a hosted VoIP system, the provider will host the physical servers running your system within their own organization. The advantage of this is that there are fewer upfront costs for your business. You would not have to purchase your own servers and hardware to run the system. You also would not have to maintain the servers, and this would reduce a lot of the maintenance costs.
Cloud VoIP Business Phone System
A cloud VoIP PBX system is very similar to a hosted VoIP PBX system. They both provide the same features and functions as any other VoIP system, but the main difference is in the storage of the servers. With a hosted VoIP system, the servers are stored in a single location that is controlled and managed by the service provider. With a cloud VoIP system, the servers are spread out and located in multiple locations. This means your data is constantly moving across the Internet. Basically cloud hosting uses virtual servers to handle data. A big advantage that a cloud VoIP system provides is the ability to scale with ease. With cloud hosting, you can expect there to be very little to no downtime because if servers in one location are down, the cloud VoIP system can use servers in other locations.
A cloud VoIP system can also be more efficient because the servers will be routed based on the location. This means even over long distances call quality will be good with no lag time because the VoIP system can use servers closer to the location of the callers.
Cloud VoIP PBX systems are far more scalable than most other PBX systems. This type of system is more customizable and gives you more features. Cloud VoIP PBX systems are well suited for businesses that have on the go demands that increase as they grow.
Since all of the servers and networks are managed for you, you don’t need to worry about providing tech support and maintenance for your VoIP system. Your service provider will handle the maintenance and provide tech support as needed. This is a great way for businesses to cut costs upfront and to have a readily scalable system.
Here Are Some Tips How To Choose Them.
Look for Flexibility
You want your company to grow, and locking in phone systems is not a great way to do that. Instead, you should look for business phone systems in Toronto that can change with your needs, whether that’s by adding new extensions or numbers or by adding more conference rooms when you move to bigger spaces. Flexibility is key for modern business. You are expected to be agile and adaptable. Your business phone system should be, too.
Get Features You’ll Use
At GenVoice, our business phone systems can come with up to 40 different features, and while some of those features are almost universally used by all our clients, some are tailor-made for certain types of businesses. No matter who you use for your business phone system, you will need to get the features you need without having to pay extra for features you don’t. Whether you want auto assist, real-time HTTP callbacks, or low international calling rates, you should be able to get the features that help your company to be efficient and successful.
Balance Affordability and Reliability
For many businesses, the phone services they get to come down to cost over everything else. They need something reliable, but they also need something that won’t cut into their budget. That’s why it is so important to choose a company that offers business phone systems that are both affordable and reliable. Without both, you could miss out on important calls and run the risk of over-paying for your phones.
Find Contracts that Work for You
Even the most flexible plans can try and lock you into minimum contracts—documents that won’t let you leave even if the services are inadequate or unable to account for your growth. It’s important to look for plans that don’t come with long-term contracts for your business phone system. A long contract could end up hurting your business in the future, especially if you don’t get what you expected. Instead, look for business phone systems that don’t try and nail you down with a contract that won’t work in the long run.
If you are looking for a business phone system, then check out the flexibility, versatility, and reliability of GenVoice. With business phone systems that you can design for your needs, you can connect with your clients, present and future, in ways like never before. GenVoice can offer plans without long-term contracts that keep you in control, all while growing with you as your company succeeds.
Conclusion.
Now that you have a better idea about the different types of phone systems, you need to make a choice based on your needs. Consider how many employees you have, and your future growth plans. It’s important to consider your future scaling needs as well as your current needs. You don’t want to be tied down with an expensive system that is hard to scale.
Here at GenVoice, we provide excellent Cloud VoIP business phone system for your business needs. If you are interested in learning more about Cloud VoIP systems, then please contact us. Before you choose your business phone system, make sure you are getting the one you need.