Choosing a phone system that suits your business can be tricky;
you need to take even the smallest detail into consideration to ensure that you
will have the best communication system possible. The key is to identify your
needs first before heading out to look for a solution.
Your needs
The first step in acquiring a good phone system is to identify your needs. Ask yourself the following
questions below and jot it down a clean paper. Scribble it a couple of times
before finalizing your requirements.
Handsets – One of the most important requirements is the
number of extension that you need because it will often dictate how many
handsets you need. However it is not just the number of handsets that is
important, various models have various feature. Count the handsets according to
the function. If you need a reception style desk phone, a regular desk phone
and a wireless unit tabulate it in a separate line item.
Lines or channels – Another phone system component is the number of lines. The number of phone
lines or channels will dictate how many simultaneous calls your business phone
system can handle. Getting the right number can be a little tricky but you want
to get as close as possible to your needs. Make a summary of your call logs
with your old PBX and from there you can get average on how many channels you
need. For new businesses wherein base line data is not available it is
advisable to acquire a couple of more channels than you expect to ensure proper
capacity.
Features – You also need to decide what features you like on
your phone system whether you need a greeting message, an automatic attendant,
a menu system and other PBX features. List down all the possible features and
phone set up that you need and keep it handy as your reference.
Telephone numbers – Another essential component of any phone
platform is the number. If you have an existing one then most likely it is best
to move that number from your existing carrier to your new one or if you need a
new number then you need to decide whether you need a regular landline, a 1300
or an 1800. With you will be using Hosted PBX systems then you can even acquire
a virtual number from any location giving you local presence that you need.
Phone system types
After getting your requirements right then the next step is
to identify what kind of phone system is best for you. Today there are two
types to choose from. Firstly the conventional on premise PBX and secondly is
the newer hosted PBX that sits in the cloud. Both phone systems have their own
pros and cons, at the end of the day it is your business so only you can tell
which if the two best suits you.
On premise PBX
This type of phone system is well established and business
grade quality can be expected however the downside of the system is the cost
and maintenance. Call rates are significantly higher because it still uses
traditional means of transmission and PBX hardware may need regular maintenance
to keep it running smoothly.
Hosted PBX
On the other hand hosted PBX systems are cheaper to deploy,
maintain and use. On average businesses can save 50% with the system but like
the latter it also has downside, being a VoIP solution it is directly dependent
on the quality of your internet connection. If you are able to secure a good
connection then there is no problem but if it is hard to secure one in your
area then the solution might not be for you.
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