Factors To Consider When Purchasing Office Phone Systems

By Coleen Torres


Office telephone systems are an integral part of internet protocol networks that seamlessly time together data, voice, instant messaging, video conferencing and other important business communication tools and applications. Office phone systems make basic and complex business communications more affordable, whether they are used in a small business or as part of a large company. They can help you save money on long distance charges by enabling you to use your data network to make calls internationally and nationally at low rates.

A telephone system for offices also helps reduce the costs of changing or moving a phone extension. You will save time and money if you need to add a new employee or new site. The other benefits of having such a system are ease of use, accessibility and improved customer service. Phone systems come in a variety of configurations and have a wide range of features.

When looking for a phone system for your firm, it is advisable to consider several things. One of them is what your users require. The right system can help your employees work better. Consider whether your employees require one phone number that rings concurrently on a number of devices or one that needs conferencing tools for rich media.

Some of the important features and capabilities of a good telephone system include automated attendant, video conferencing, presence technology and intercom. The presence technology feature allows enterprise owners to know who is available in their organization at any given time. Another essential feature is unified messaging, which allows notifications to take place through email, telephone or text message.

It is also essential for business owners to consider how many extensions they need and the call volume when shopping for telephone systems. In this way, they will be able to select the right size and type of telephone system. Those who have small offices should choose a phone system that is meant to be used in offices that have 20 users or less. Business owners who have a large office should look for a system that is able to connect a number of office locations into a single telephone system. Installing such a system is a complex undertaking and it requires the use of many telephone lines in the form of a specialized circuit.

In general, small offices require phone systems that have basic functionality like direct inward dialing, voicemail, transferability and conferencing ability. The other important feature to look for is music on hold. This feature allows organizations to let their customers listen to promotional messages or music as they wait to speak to the customer service department.

Large organizations usually require a telephone system that is more robust because call volume is high. You should buy a system that is able to meet the demand of the high call volume such as being able to route calls efficiently and quickly if you have a company or large business. You should also choose systems that have standard features like call parking, call forwarding and call monitoring.

If it is necessary to employ an operator, you should choose a phone system that comes with an attendant console. The console has several buttons and is able to receive and route a large number of calls. The most important thing is to select a telephone system with capabilities and features that can meet the short and long term goals of your enterprise.




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