Business phone systems make an impact on your business. Good calls make a big difference, whether you run a flower shop or a large call centre.
The correct business telephony setup is vital for success. A business phone solution links you and your customers and co-workers. Therefore, it’s worth investigating before deciding on the right one for you.
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Choosing the Right Phone System has never been easier.
There are many options, so choosing the right business telephony solution can be tricky. This post will look at the delivery options, features you need and how you can guarantee a return on investment (ROI).
Overview:
- What is a Business Phone System?
- Different Types of Business Phone Systems
- Price
- Setup and Connectivity
- Mobility and Flexibility Requirements
- Scalability
- Business Phone Features
- Small – Medium Business Phones
- Large Enterprise Business Phones
What is a Business Phone System?
A business phone system is a device or software used to communicate. A business telephony service allows for making and receiving calls.
A phone solution can come in several devices. Devices include mobile phones, desk phones, and desktop and wireless phones.
A business phone is a landline for your business calls. Depending on the phone system, it can come with some added features.
Does My Business Need A Phone System?
No matter the size, your business needs a phone. Of course, there are many means of business communications. However, phone calls are the most popular.
92% of all customer interactions happen over the phone. -Salesforce
Unless you’re a new start-up, you probably have an existing phone setup. The question is, is it meeting your business needs?
Different Types of Business Phone Systems
Phone technology has evolved rapidly in the past decade. Many still use PSTN / ISDN lines, but internet telephony will soon be the status quo.
- On-Premise (Phone Line Model): Century-old copper lines. Phones as we know them. Businesses will typically have a PBX for multi-line telephony. A private branch exchange (PBX) is a machine that supports a business phone system. These are managed in-house or with an IT Partner and are increasingly costly. There are also feature and scaling limits.
- Hosted Cloud Phones: Cloud-based telephony managed by service providers. Cloud systems are owned by your provider and maintained remotely. No PBX is needed, which means no maintenance or upgrade fees.
- Hybrid Phone System: It isn’t simply a choice between lines and VoIP phones. If your business has invested in a PBX, you can improve it with VoIP routing.
Let’s take a look at the most common business phone options:
Traditional / On-Premise Phone System
Legacy phone systems are nearing the end of life. This option is location-dependent and needs a PBX for multi-line phone systems. Old phone systems can cost a fortune before you make a single call.
VoIP Phone Systems
VoIP is also known as an IP phone system. VoIP is a phone system that works through the internet instead of copper lines. VoIP compresses voice into data packets. Once the signal reaches the receiving caller, the data decompresses. The receiver will hear your beautiful voice in HD quality.
How to Choose a Business Phone System?
It can be hard to understand where to start. There are so many different phone systems and providers. Firstly, analyse your current communication capacity.
- Is it meeting your expectations?
- Are your bills not adding up?
- Does it support remote workers?
- Is it reliable?
Did you answer ‘No’ to any of the questions? If so, it’s time to look elsewhere.
We now know what phone systems are out there. So, it’s time to explore what is right for your business. We will look at:
- Price
- Setup and Connectivity
- Mobility and Flexibility Requirements
- Scalability
- Features
1. VoIP Pricing
Pricing will always play a role with your phone system. Is it possible to get more features for less spending? Yes! Switching from traditional to VoIP phone systems can do just that.
- Direct Savings: Begin saving when you cut out the lines (line rental). VoIP phone systems deliver calls over the internet. Fully hosted VoIP has no PBX maintenance costs (CAPEX). VoIP also offers unbeatable local and international calling plans.
- Indirect Savings: Enjoy no upgrade fees, no on-site engineer visits or maintenance fees on hardware. Additionally, businesses save time with all in one communication. Save time and boost productivity so teams can work on their bottom line.
- Learn More: Visit Plans and Pricing to learn more about clear pricing plan options.
Return on investment on a cloud phone system is instant. Maintaining traditional PBXs systems comes with a ton of cost. Blueface offers bill analysis that helps make sense of complex pricing. Bill analysis helps businesses identify cost savings quickly.
2. VoIP Setup and Connectivity
We all want easy solutions. However, older telephony options can be the opposite. Traditional phones require on-site hardware and continued maintenance. If your business is struggling with a confusing system – it may be time to switch to a new phone system.
One of the benefits of a virtual phone is its simple setup. The secret is it works over an internet connection. Since hardware isn’t needed, you can begin making calls instantly. VoIP phones are a simple plug and play!
Reliable connectivity is another consideration when picking the right phone system. According to our research, reliability (69.5%) is the main deciding factor when choosing a provider.
As legacy systems continue to deteriorate, cloud-based internet calls are the way to go, with little to no downtime in comparison.
3. Mobility and Flexibility Requirements
Hybrid working is in demand and is driving VoIP adoption.
Just under 70% of Irish employees want a hybrid working model in the future. While more than 20% want to work solely from home. -Irish Examiner
The need to support remote working is vital. So, how can your phone system help?
The Softphone App (or Softclient) allows businesses to make landline calls. All through an internet connection and their mobile device.
Similarly, the Desktop Phone App allows for business calls on the go. Make and receive calls through your desktop, laptop or tablet with click to call.
Alternatively, a business may have an MS Teams setup. Phone system integration with Teams can make it an all-in-one communication hub.
4. Scalability
The next question is, can your phone system scale? A business will grow or even, in some cases, decrease in size. Therefore, your communications must be able to scale as needed.
Installing a phone system is a significant time investment. Therefore, you need to think about your future business needs. Ask yourself:
- Users: Can your new system add and remove users easily?
- Locations: Can your communications go global?
- Costs: Do you need to pay more if you grow?
- Hardware: Will extra hardware be required?
Virtual phone systems help your business grow in other locations. An all-in-one platform provides an online management tool. Phone users and devices are easy to order in a few clicks! All without any extra lines, hardware or on-site callouts.
5.Business Phone Features
Feature-rich phone systems are not just for larger businesses. The cost and simplicity of VoIP are essential for all companies.
Maybe you run a high call volume call centre that needs automation. You may work in a sector that requires call recording for compliance. Or your business needs video meetings for teamwork. Here are just a handful of essential features that you need.
- Voicemail to Email: No more long voicemail reads. Download and review all voicemails from one platform. Get voicemail notes directly in your email inbox.
- eFax: Fax without the fax machine. Virtual fax uses a virtual fax portal to send private documents securely. Perfect for regulation-heavy sectors.
- Custom Music on Hold: Entertain and retain callers with custom messages on hold. Fill silences with license-free* music or add seasonal offer information. *Licensed music will incur charges.
- Call Reporting: Gain real-time feedback with the Blueface Console. Review all call activity with call analytics.
- Extension Dialing: Reach your team quickly (from any location) with wide-area extension dialing. Group hunting makes reaching a department even easier.
- Call Forwarding: Miss a call on your desk phone? No worries! Send calls to mobiles, teammates or other devices with forwarding.
A traditional phone line will struggle to deliver the features that VoIP / unified communications can. These features can increase productivity, customer service and teamwork.
Small and Medium Business Phone System Options
There is a lot to think about with telephony solutions for small businesses. The goal is to have your team working smartly in the most cost-effective way. Less staff doesn’t mean less revenue.
IP telephony for small businesses should be:
- Cost-Effective: Small business owners can save 40% on their phone bills. Cutting line rental cuts costs.
- Easy To Manage: Nobody has time to manage multiple systems. A user-friendly UC portal offers control of all users and devices.
- Reliable: Start-ups need to make a great first impression. Downtime with no business continuity is expensive.
Additionally, some VoIP features can make your SME seem big! Like always-on availability with clever call routing. Localised numbering options help too. Your business can gain a global presence – without the office space!
Large Enterprise Business Phone System Options
A large business needs a enterprise business phone system solution to support multiple sites and users. With a global reach, advanced features and scalability required, VoIP is best.
- Seamlessly Deployed: Roll out your communications solutions with no downtime. Great systems can integrate into your existing software suite.
- Scalability: Grow your business at ease. Add users, numbers and devices in a few simple clicks. All through an online platform.
- Flexibility: Larger organisations are no longer bound to one location. UC features allow for hybrid working models across multiple sites.
Features like multi-site help disperse calls across several branches. Video conferencing keeps internal collaboration going.
Many businesses have spent heavily on their on-site equipment. SIP Trunking supercharges PBXs and offers the benefits of a VoIP phone system. This process turns your PBX into a hybrid solution.
Breathe New Life Into Your Business’s Phone System With Blueface
Research is your first step in choosing the top business phone system for your business. However, it isn’t one size fits all. Firstly, set out your budget. Next, look at your team’s usage, future needs and consumer demands.
Blueface provides an affordable business IP telephony. Our solutions come with all you need to stay ahead of the competition. Future growth, hybrid working and the flexibility required.
Download a Free Guide!
Choosing the Right Phone System has never been easier.
Blueface can help with custom solutions, bill analysis and much more. Contact our experts today!
