How to Choose the Most Effective Small Business Phone Systems For Your Office

Choosing a phone system may seem like a simple task... until you begin delving into the variety of options and customizable features available. Today's phone systems are quite intricate and can be customized to fit the processes of your unique business. With so many versions of office phone systems available it's important to have a good understanding of the products before you make your selection.

Important Factors In Evaluating Small Business Phone Systems

There are quite a few factors to keep in mind while shopping for small business phone systems. Units that are fairly easy to install eliminate the expense of hiring a professional. Office phone systems designed to be easily set-up by novices provide you the opportunity to manage how the system will actually operate while avoiding the fees from an installation technician.

You may find a great deal on an office phone system but by the time you pay for the installation and the configuration of the system it may end up being one of the most expensive in its category. If the phone system requires professional installation, a lot of them do, make sure you find out the installation fees before purchasing the equipment. Some vendors do offer free installation for small business phone systems but make sure they have not hidden the installation fee in the equipment price or added it on somewhere else in the phone system package. Insist on a total package price from the vendor. You now have an opportunity to accurately compare prices among the dealers.

Does the system allow for the intergrading of cell phones and remote telephones? It's important for employees to be connected to a central phone system which lets them share the same phone number and avoid the hassles and the unprofessional appearance that result when you have to provide your clients with a variety of phone numbers for different departments and employees.

Find out how many outside phone lines and extensions the office phone systems can handle. Extensions are necessary for all the equipment that needs the small business phone system including fax machines and modems. If the unit features a 10 x 30 system that indicates the phone equipment can handle 10 phone lines and 30 extensions.

Important Small Business Phone Systems Features

• Auto-attendant allows businesses to record informative messages for incoming callers such as how to connect with specific employees or departments, driving instructions to the office, business hours and a brief description of products and services. Auto-attendant allows small businesses to skip the yearly expense of a receptionist.

• The Music-on-hold function gives the office a professional image. Just don't forget the caller!

• The teleconference call feature is becoming more important due to the cost of traveling.

• Call cascade allows incoming telephone calls to be sent to a different employee if the person requested is not available.

• Voicemail capability eliminates fees to outside sources.

• Automatic call forwarding is an important feature. Incoming callers can be connected with the employee they're seeking even when the employee is out of the office.

There are several manufacturers of phone systems designed specifically for small business phone systems such as Allworx, Talkswitch, Aastra, and Bizfon. And wthin these and other manufacturers, there are several different types of phone systems.

#1 PBX Systems

Some experts recommend PBX small business phone systems for businesses which include 35 or more employees. However, some businesses with far less employees choose PBX systems due to the important functions they provide. Most of the helpful features businesses are looking for are included in the system. They are highly programmable so you can tailor them to your specific needs. They typically require a professional technician to install them.

Conclusion: Good deal for the money, even for small businesses.

#2 Key Phone Systems

These systems use older technology and are typically found in offices with between 4 and 35 employees. They offer functions that are typically not found in basic telephones such as connecting with an employee in the same office and the phone lines in use have a button lit up. Most of the time professional installation is required.

Some of the newer versions have a lot of the features found in PBX small business phone systems; however the PBX systems typically offer a wider range of customization.

Conclusion: Effective phone systems but use old technology.

#3 KSU-less Systems

These small business phone systems are sometimes used in offices with less than 10 workers. They typically only have some of the features found in more sophisticated phone systems. Not all of them are compatible with existing wiring or with answering machines and other existing communication equipment. Some employees have complained about the occasional problem in which two conversations blend into each other. The price savings has declined over the years when compared to more sophisticated small business phone systems.

Conclusion: when you add the negatives to the diminished price savings most businesses are better off going with more sophisticated small business phone systems.

#4 VoIP Phone Systems

Voice over IP technology (VoIP) lets your employees make and receive telephone calls with people located all over the world over the internet, which provides huge savings in long distance calling fees. Also, network management costs are eliminated. Employees can use the system while they are out of the office. VoIP includes advanced calling functions and voicemail can be accessed by phone as well as by computers.

Some VoIP phone systems place calls within a company's computer network and allow multiple offices to use a single phone system.

The primary disadvantage of a pure VoIP system is its dependence on the internet. If your internet access is disrupted you phone system won't work. This can be somewhat of a disaster for a lot of small businesses. Potential customers may simply contact one of your competitors and you will never know how much the interruption affected your company's revenue.

Conclusion: Great for substantially reducing long distance call charges but includes some instability due to being dependent on the internet.

#5 VoIP Hybrid PBX Phone Systems

This type of system is popular with small, medium as well as large companies. Businesses can utilize the IP network and eliminate toll charges on long distance calls. They take advantage of the internet; however they are also connected to standard telephone lines, so if the internet connection goes down you won't miss important business calls with these small business phone systems. This provides businesses with the best of both worlds.

Employees working from remote locations have the easy access to the company's phone system as they would with a pure VoIP system. The hybrid systems using IP phones are connected to the computer network. They display the phone lines which are in use by employees just like a key system. They also have a wide data path which provides opportunities to send more information from small business phone systems to individual phones when compared to a standard phone system.

Conclusion: A top-notch office phone system due to telephone call savings, advanced features and stability.

The dealer you purchase from will have a drastic impact on your bottom line. Some dealers charge extra for installation, customization, and setup - some offer this at no cost. Then there's the cost of training you and your staff on how to use the phone system and maintenance of the system over time. Again, some small business phone retailers charge additional fees for these types of extra services while others charge an additional premium.

Find out the total cost of installation and configuring of the office phone system. It's important the dealer has an installation technician that has experience installing the unit you have selected.

Check the manufacturer warranty as well as the service agreement from the vendor. Are there extra fees for service? They may offer a lower equipment price compared to their competitors but the service fees might be higher which can cost you money in the long run. Ask if they provide free training.

It is important to focus on the total cost of ownership of small business phone systems and not just the price of the equipment.