Choosing the Best Office Phone for Your Business

An office phone system seems to be a benign purchase decision on the surface; it's just a phone, right? Absolutely not. Phone systems are available in many different configurations with a huge list of possible features. Each business has unique needs regarding communication with clients and personnel. Is it a business of 20 or 300 people? Is there a lot of phone traffic or are many calls directly dialed to company cell phones? These questions must be evaluated, along with many more, to ensure a proper office phone system purchase.

Calling into a business is normally a client's first communication with the company; are they politely greeted by a person or are they placed into a computerized step system to reach a certain employee? The interaction with the calling client is imperative for a good first impression. No one likes to be lost in a computerized phone system without a way to speak to a human being. Some callers may become irritated and will move onto another company if they feel snubbed or mistreated in any way.

One of the first considerations for an office phone system is choosing between wired and wireless capabilities. Many business locations have preexisting wiring throughout the office space; a company will simply need to plug into the wiring with the phone system and they are up and running. However, a business location without proper wiring will require extensive installation expenses. As a result, wireless systems may be the better option; no wiring is necessary throughout the building.

If you choose a wireless office phone system, try the phone components out at the business location before signing any contracts. For example, walk throughout the business space to ensure that there are no dropped calls or interference that can become a nuisance for both personnel and clients. Wireless features often use radio or Wi-Fi communication processes for daily conversations. Phone calls should be clear and understandable within a reasonable distance from the base station.

Features are an important consideration for an office phone system as well. Modern systems should have the minimum features of call waiting, caller ID, and voice mail for each user. Voice mail access should have a password for each user so that client discussions are confidential. However, system administrators should have access as well through a blanket password to ensure that workers are taking care of the clientele.

Speakerphones are extremely useful, especially for meetings. Specialized phones can be installed that are meant for conference use; the speaker's design should allow everyone in the room to hear the conversation clearly. Depending on the company's size, each conference room should have matching speakers so each meeting can offer the same professionalism.

Do not choose the most complicated phone system if you have a small or medium size business. Complex systems usually require a dedicated phone administrator on site to troubleshoot and refine the lines during the work day. In addition, it may be necessary to train personnel on how to use the phone system which costs the company precious work time. Small or medium size businesses cannot extend that kind of manpower; choosing a simple system will prevent technical headaches over time and require less training to use the system as a whole.

A current choice in the phone system industry is choosing a basic telephone company carrier or using an Internet voice connection, called VoIP. Many businesses with international relations tend to choose the Internet phone system so that long distance charges do not accrue. VoIP can also be less expensive on a monthly basis for basic services compared to the local telephone company; Internet carriers do not need to maintain physical telephone wires throughout a region. However, small businesses may prefer local service since their needs may not include long distance.

Choosing a telephone support company is extremely important over the life of the system; even after the final purchase is completed, the business may need periodic updates to hardware or software. Ask other business contacts about their experience with phone companies; a happy client will let you know about their particular experiences. The supporting phone company should respond in a timely manner to requests for updates or repairs. A good quality support company will try to send the same technician out so that he or she is the most experienced with that particularly installed system.

One of the best pieces of advice for purchasing an office phone system is to shop around. Compare and contrast different phone vendor estimates before settling on a provider. Your business will depend greatly on the installed system.