In any business, communication is crucial. Whether that’s peer-to-peer communication in the office or communicating with suppliers, partners, and other outside members of your network. If anything disrupts that communication, productivity and the businesses themselves can potentially be at risk.
At the heart of any business’s communication capabilities is its phone system.
Unfortunately, finding a phone system that is reliable, easy to use, and fits into your company’s goals can be a bit difficult. Today, we’re going to help with that by showing you how to choose a business phone system and what factors to consider.
Let’s get started.
1: Consider the Number of Users Within Your Business
The most important factor you’re going to need to consider is how many people will be using the phone system. Without that information, you can easily end up with a system that doesn’t support your entire team, and it can become a logistical nightmare.
Not only should you know exactly how many employees will need independent access to the phone system at any given time within your business, but with some software-based options, you should also know if there are any remote workers you plan to give access to the company system while they’re abroad, on-the-road employees who might need to use telecoms, etc.
2: In-House, Abroad, or Both?
You also need to know where your team will be using the phone system. In a normal office setting, this is easy to accommodate. Everything is in one place and set up on a straightforward network. What if you have remote employees or operate a business such as a plumbing business that requires various employees to take calls on the road? What if all your employees work across the country for a fully online business?
There are phone systems for all of these scenarios, but you should pinpoint what you need before you commit to any deal.
3: Features
Some businesses need more phone features than others. If you simply need a method for your receptionist to take calls and relay messages, a simpler system might be right for you. If you need your employees to be able to initiate phone meetings, send texts and emails, launch video meetings with both customers and internal peers, record calls for legal purposes, and other things, a more complex and feature-rich system will be necessary.
4: Budget
Like all things, money is a factor when it comes to the phone system you buy. There are options for practically every budget, and regardless of how big or small your business is, you can find a phone system that will at least meet your minimum needs.
However, the more you have to put toward your phone system, the better off you’ll be.
A proper business phone system typically charges monthly like any other phone bill, and then you have to pay for each individual handset or unit the company provides and installs. Usually, monthly fees are cost-effective, but units can cost between $200 and $1000 each.
Depending on the service, existing devices might be compatible to help lower your costs and repurpose suitable devices, but it’s typically better to have service-provided units for ensured compatibility and support.
5: Will a VoIP Work?
VoIP systems are relatively new. They’re software-based phone systems that allow most modern phones, computers, and tablets to access the phone service with all the features you pay for. These can be cost-effective, but they’re not perfect for every situation. Sometimes, traditional phone systems might be the better option such as in large office buildings where employees need to be able to catch on to a uniform phone system quickly and efficiently without supplying any device of their own.
6: Always Read Reviews
There are many business telecom services available, and not all of them are great. Always make sure you read reviews given by previous customers to gauge the customer service, product, and support quality before you commit to a long-term deal.
7: Take Advantage of Trials and Promotional Features
A great way to find out if some business phone system is for you is to actually use it. Luckily, many different telecom services do offer trial periods that allow you to use the service for a limited time free of charge, and even more offer promotional deals that make it possible to try the service at a highly reduced rate.
Take a great promotional deal, see if you like the platform, and if you do, consider moving forward.
Trials are particularly common with software-based options because of how easy it is to get them set up, but there are promotional offers offered across the board.
8: Get a Quote
This goes along with knowing your budget. Every service provider has different rates and package options, and you should be able to make comparisons before committing.
When you’ve gone through a list of potential service providers and gone through their various packages and reviews to see if they’re worthwhile, contact them.
You can speak to a representative and ask for a quote if you know how many people will be using the system, the type of system you want, and other requirements you’re looking for. Then, you can start comparing both the cost of each service and how well they’ll match what you need.
Don’t just go with the cheapest option. Take time to compare their offer vs their price quote to see if you’re really getting value from the deal. Keep in mind that your phone system will be a core part of your business, and it’s worth spending a little more to get more robust service.
Get Your Business Telecom System with Lanstar Voice and Data
The provider you choose for your telecom system is of the utmost importance. You need to be able to communicate effortlessly and reliably at all times, or your company’s productivity can wane, and your opportunities can be missed.
At Lanstar Voice and Data, we offer competitively priced telecom packages with the highest quality service, customer support, and package options available.
Contact Lanstar Voice and Data today.
