Phone Systems for Small Business
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A key services unit (KSU) enables ordinary phones to handle multiple lines and make calls to other in-office extensions. KSU-less systems are a cheaper option for companies with fewer than 10 people: The phones contain the technology, and the system is not permanently wired into the office space. Private Branch Exchange (PBX) PBX systems fit companies with more than 40 employees, or companies that need more advanced, customizable options. Bulky PBX systems in closets are things of the past: With improved technology, the newer models can fit comfortably on a shelf or a desk.
There are technical differences between KSU and PBX systems, but essentially, the physical system sits somewhere on-site. Both options require professional installation, configuration, and maintenance, and in most cases, the existing phone wiring will be adequate. Both KSU and PBX require a traditional existing landline with a local phone company. At this point, PBX systems are offered as part of a unified communications system that may also include features like instant messaging, fax services, and video chat.
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) VoIP systems have dramatically improved since we covered them a decade ago. A lot has changed since Andrea Piero wrote this excellent piece in 2007. As service has improved, sales of the various products have exploded. Instead of using a traditional phone line, VoIP phone services uses a computer network, either with a standard phone or an adaptor, and broadband internet services. VoIP phone systems involve dedicated equipment installed in a business that routes calls over the computer network. On-Premises or Cloud-Based VoIP Companies doing business via VoIP can have the hardware on-site (like a PBX) or can use a hosted VoIP system that solely relies on the cloud and off-site equipment. On-premises VoIP allows for a greater level of control, but comes with increased set-up costs, and the possibility that maintenance costs will increase. The trade-off is that the business controls the majority of what happens, but that requires an investment in well-trained IT personnel. VoIP hosted services may cost less initially, with lower maintenance costs but a higher risk of increased monthly costs. All the upgrades to the system are done by the phone company, but that means that the company is in charge of what happens with your phone business. With the advances in VoIP, the tradeoff of the flexibility may have smaller offices upgrading from KSU or PBX as soon as their hardware becomes outdated.
A cautionary note: VoIP service is usually only as good as your internet service provider. Seamless service requires a substantial amount of bandwidth, and there are still some areas of the country where access is spotty. If there's an outage, your VoIP service provider will be scrambling to route calls through another area where the service is clear. If you need more information, a lot of what's in our 2007 piece on this technology is still relevant. Virtual Phone Systems Virtual phone systems require no equipment, special Internet-quality phones or special wiring. Essentially, the system is a high-tech call-forwarding service that provides employees the ability to work from a workstation, on vacation, or pretty much anywhere. Traditional Landlines A landline telephone uses telephone wire or fiber optic telephone lines to transmit the sound waves we know as phone calls. Just buy a telephone from a store or provider (AT&T, Sprint, etc.), plug the phone into the jack that's already in your wall, and you're ready to go with the phone number that you carry with you, or the one assigned by your carrier. System Features Some of the features of small business phone systems are designed to help owners and their employees work smarter and faster.
Don't ever want a call unanswered during the business day? There's a feature for that. Want to be able to respond to messages via text or email? There's a feature for that, too. Here are some of the system features you can choose from when selecting a new phone system for your business: Voicemail is a necessity these days, as it's the best way to receive detailed messages - that's assuming people have the patience to leave a message. But accessing voicemail assumes that the receiver is sitting still with pen and paper in hand to transcribe message and number. Voicemail-to-email, voicemail-to-text, and voicemail transcription all do the same thing: they provide the user a quickly transcribed version of the conversation in a way that allows the user to respond more easily than dialing the caller back. Be aware that some of these services may already be offered free of charge via Google Voice. Transcription services and voice-to-email may also allow users to send the transcribed message to other employees as well. Call forwarding and call queues are priority features if never having a phone call go unanswered is important to you.
Call forwarding directs an inbound call to a designated phone or cell phone (if someone's off on vacation, their calls can automatically go to the employee who's covering for them). Call queues allow your system to search for the next available person to take the call, so instead of having an operator transfer a call manually, the call will be held until a staff member can answer it. Call recording does exactly what its name suggests: a call is recorder as a digital audio file. It differs from call logging or tracking - those services record details about the call (time, length, etc.) but not specifically the conversations.
Local and toll-free numbers may be critical if you do a substantial amount of business out of state or out of the country. With the proliferation of cell phones, "long distance" may be a thing of the past. However, a local number makes your business seem like part of the community, while a toll-free number allows anyone to reach you on your dime, not theirs. Be sure that if you go the VoIP route that you can use your existing number. If you're being given a recycled toll-free number, discuss reimbursement for calls you receive that should have gone to the business previously associated with the number. Interactive voice response (IVR) is an automated system which allows your business to create a web of menus which callers can navigate by pressing keys or speaking in response to a prompt.
Automated attendants function similarly to IVR, although an automated attendant is likely to use a simpler protocol than IVR. Interoffice instant messaging has become de riguer (via email or other applications like Facebook). You can have this service on your phone system as well, for those simple questions that doesn't need a call or a face-to-face chat. Remember that apps like GroupMe may offer the same kind of service for a smaller office. Conference calling is desirable in these days of virtual meetings, and possible with VoIP, your internet provider, or the computer software you use (like Google).
Extension dialing allows both outside and inside callers to reach employees via a dedicated, usually two- or three-digit set of numbers dedicated as that employee's phone extension. With VoIP providers, your extension can ring via the magic of call forwarding even if you're not in the office. Ring groups spread out the volume of among employees, usually in a designated department. Phone calls directed to a ring group can be answered by anyone in the group, or a designated order for the extensions (like a tree) can be reprogrammed. Read more
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