Vendirex.com

Buying a Business Phone System

by VENDIREX on 07/05/2015 - 03:07 pm |

Tag: Help Desk Software

Of course, one of the most vital elements to any existing company is its phone system. It should be an easy installation when the right business phone system is chosen; one which matches your office building’s structure with the necessary connectivity of your entire staff.

 

With email, texts, and Skype or other Internet-based communication tools in constant use these days, don’t discount the importance of the telephone. It is still the primary source of first contacts from new customers, as well as the best way for clients to reach you from their cell phones. Remember to make it easy for your callers, by either picking up the calls in person, or making sure your dial directory is short, sweet and accurate.

 

THINGS TO CONSIDER

 

Capacity

Always choose a system which has room to grow as inexpensively as possible; i.e. is expansion affordable and easy to install? Two of the factors which will determine the correct size of the system for your current business are:

 

  1. Number of Trunks - aka the total phone lines required to handle your customers’ incoming calls, as well as employees’ outgoing calls.

  2. Extensions - you will need an extension for every desk in your office, and one for each equipment device such as modems, scanners, fax machines, credit card machines (i.e. everything which uses a phone line to operate).

 

Compatibility

Make a list of the makes and model numbers of all equipment in the office which you will be including in the phone network (see Capacity #2). Be prepared to give this list to the dealer you are working with (or group of potential vendors), and be certain they provide systems which are compatible with what you already have onsite.

 

Features to Include

Examine the way your phone system will be used, and limit your feature choices to those which will improve the office workflow. Aim for user-friendly and intuitive features, as most employees will not spend much time learning the technicalities, and therefore the value of these add ons could be lost.

Auto Attendant - your recorded message answers the phone, giving the caller instructions for reaching the intended person or department. If the traffic isn’t heavy, you may want to have your staff answer instead - callers can definitely lose patience with robo-menus at times.

 

Conferencing equipment - think about how frequently more than one person (in office or outside) is required to be on the phone at the same time.

 

Music on Hold - you will simply plug in your own source of music.

 

Dial Directory - assists your callers to find the person they need; by name, extension or by use of a directory. Remember these are only as useful as the data given - if names have to be ‘spelled’ out on the caller’s keypad, this leads to errors and wasted time. Preferably, you would provide the full name verbally with a 1-2 number extension for them to key in.

Voicemail - obviously a necessity, however it can be expensive as a business phone system inclusion. If you already have voicemail in your telephone line provider’s package, let the phone system dealer know, to make sure the system you choose is compatible.

 

Display phones - these include a small screen that displays the name and extension of an in-office caller, the duration, and possibly out-of-office caller ID.

 

Speaker phones -  used in many conference rooms, but tend to be a standard on most new handsets. Half‐duplex feature allows only one person on the call to be heard at a time (like a walkie-talkie), and full‐duplex allows both parties to speak at the same time, just as a regular phone call.  

 

 



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