Business phone systems are a very integral part of running a business successfully. Although there are multiple other means to communicate and share information today, including email, SMS, social media, or a website, phone calls remain integral. Australian businesses are seeing a spike in prioritizing communication.
Choosing the right business phone systems has to be done with careful consideration. Picking one that will help the business in the present and well into the future is a wise investment.
Look out for the following necessary features:
1. Ease of Scalability:
It deals with adding phones corresponding to the company's growth. When a business grows, it goes without saying that the number of staff also gradually increases. This addition also creates a demand for more phones within the system. So consider if doing this easy or troublesome with the phone system one is looking to install.
Some take elaborate changes and set up to add new members, while others may only require a call to the provider. Some services easily plug into the existing network, which makes the addition of more employees a breeze.
2. Backup:
Consider a situation where when the internet shuts down, does the phone system go down as well. Voice over IP or VoIP is famous for many reasons. But the problem lies in its inability to function efficiently without an internet connection. So what is the backup plan in such cases? PSTN or SIP OTT are some other additional options one could consider.
3. Handling of Call Volume:
It does not refer to the loudness but rather how much load it can bear. Consider aspects like how many people can use the system at once? The volume of phone calls that a business receives in a given day can give a pretty good picture of the efficiency of the existing phone system. Sometimes customers/ clients face difficulty to reach the help they need because of some limitations in the system. It will cost the business their most valuable asset- clients.
4. Answering the Phone:
This aspect deals with who is the first point of contact for the caller. Is it the receptionist or a call tree system? The quality of this initial treatment of the customers will affect the overall company image.
Decide whether one wants the receptionist to take up all calls and then direct them to the IVR. Here is when the callers press one for a specific function, two for something else, and so on. Or does one want everyone to have access to direct dial numbers?
5. The Number of Locations:
If a business has branches or offices in multiple locations, a hosted phone system might be the ideal solution. It allows dialling anyone within the system with an easy three-digit dial. As a result, offices spread out across the country will be able to talk to one another like they are next door.
6. Additional Phone system Features:
Some providers offer advanced features that are either built-in or will cost an additional fee. Consider if one would like to enjoy the following features:
- Additional phone lines
- Call queues
- Automated receptionist
- Call park
- Call routing and Recording
Opt for the best service suitable for a particular business. For example, if one prefers call routing over voicemail, ask the provider for that feature.
CONCLUSION:
An efficient phone system is indispensable to the working of any organization. So consider aspects like maintenance whether it is a good fit for the employees and how well it is making processes easy. If the existing phone system does not fit the above description or fails to deliver, it may be time to consider a new provider which offers enhanced features.
