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Business phone systems are communication tools designed specifically for companies to manage their incoming and outgoing phone calls. These systems typically offer a range of features and functionalities that go beyond those found in traditional landline phones.
Types of business phone systems
There are several types of business phone systems, each with its own unique features and benefits. Here are some of the most common types:
Traditional Landline Phone System: This is the classic phone system that uses copper wires to transmit voice data. It is reliable but lacks many of the advanced features that other systems offer.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): This phone system uses the internet to transmit voice data. It is more flexible and cost-effective than traditional landlines and offers advanced features like call forwarding, voicemail, and video conferencing.
Private Branch Exchange (PBX): This system is designed for larger businesses and can handle a higher volume of calls. It typically has more advanced features, such as call routing, call recording, and interactive voice response (IVR).
Cloud-Based Phone System: This is a type of VoIP phone system that is hosted in the cloud. It offers the same benefits as traditional VoIP but with added flexibility and scalability.
Virtual Phone System: This system is designed for small businesses and entrepreneurs who want a professional phone system without the need for physical hardware. It uses cloud-based software to handle calls and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.
Hybrid Phone System: This system combines features of traditional landlines, VoIP, and cloud-based systems. It offers the flexibility of VoIP with the reliability of traditional landlines, making it ideal for businesses that need to balance cost and performance.
In this article, we shall focus on general features and benefits of business phone systems.
Some common brands include
Advantages of having a Business Phone System
• It delivers great customer service – The one main reason why businesses of any size use a business phone system is because it is capable of increasing the standard of service that customers receive. The implication of this trend is that these platforms are capable of providing businesses with a competitive advantage brought by strategies that are inherently consumer-centered. Phone systems offer the ability to answer calls and contact people wherever the user is. Small businesses benefit from this considering what needs to be done to create connections with sponsors and investors – an activity that often includes travel.
• It grows with your customers – Another reason why small businesses will benefit from a business phone system is because of its scalability. The direct effect of customer service, combined with proper business strategies and other successful factors, is that your company will grow. Calls, inquiries, and messages will come in more often. While you can task an entire department to handle these aspects of business operations, a more viable answer would be to employ a scalable enterprise solution.
• It decreases pressure on you and your employees – Business phone systems decrease pressure on you and your employees by handling call routing and providing the ability to answer calls anytime, anywhere. Other business aspects should also be noted. For one, a business phone system, either on-premise or cloud version, comes with the help and support of a vendor. For you and your employees, this means not having to train your people beyond basic troubleshooting and not having to worry about where to get a trusted IT technician.
• It streamlines workflow – The fourth reason why you need a business phone system is that it streamlines the workflow in terms of adding new contact information, a new user of the platform, and a new branch for collaboration. It removes the unnecessary hassle associated with implementing changes, which can cause stress and pressure on you and your employees. These adverse effects are detriments to the success of your business. Business phone systems provide an opportunity to streamline workflows and simplify communications to make space for more strategies that are meant to grow your business.
• It reduces costs – The last, and perhaps the most important reason you need a business phone system is because it reduces costs in various business aspects. First, VoIP business phone systems require no on-premises installations unless you choose to have your own server to handle the data that you input. Second, business phone systems are particularly useful in eliminating the need to acquire new hardware for each new employee. One of the benefits of cloud-based business phone systems is that all the data that they are allowed to access. Finally, business phone systems can save you the cost associated with the loss of leads due to missed communication opportunities.
Today, businesses have the access to advanced technologies, are able to communicate faster than ever, increased customer satisfaction, bring the business and customers closer and enhanced productivity and efficiency. Modern phone systems come with the latest features that further enhance the communication experience. Undoubtedly, IP based solutions are the most relevant and convenient solution that provide multiple benefits to the businesses. Evolving trends in Kenya open excellent growth opportunities to businesses. In order to maintain steady growth, what the enterprises require is advanced telephone systems.
Features of Business Phone Systems
- VoIP or IP Based Functionality
The truth is if you are using a legacy analog phone system, you’re going to want to upgrade to a VoIP phone system since VoIP is usually 40-80% less expensive than traditional phone service.
- Auto Attendants
An auto attendant has all kinds of benefits for phone systems for small business; a professional greeting, call routing to cell phones (or twinned desk phone) and voicemail to email to name a few. While most companies prefer to have some live interaction with customers, an auto attendant can be used in a perfectly complimentary role as well. The bottom line is that using an auto attendant for phone systems for small business will save money, allow for sophisticated call routing and put customers at ease 24/7.
- Mobile Twinning
Mobile twinning allows you to reduce the costs and administrative burdens usually associated with remote workers. This sophisticated feature allows you to use your mobile devices as an extension of your business telephone. In other words, it’s like you’ve never left the office. Without missing a beat, you can transfer, answer or make calls from your cell phone all while using your business infrastructure and configuration.
- Voicemail to eMail or Text
The average person checks their email about 15 times per day. The folks who limited their email checking also felt that they were more adept to complete their most important work. Having your voicemail sent directly to your email address can help increase efficiency.
- Conference Bridges
The advancement of technology continues to bring forth a huge change in the nature of the evolution of business. For instance, a conference bridge is a highly innovative service by which a business or company can organize a virtual conference with a group. If you have something very important or urgent to discuss with your delegates or your team collaborating by means of a conference bridge saves time and most importantly saves money. You can host a video conference or a voice call conference with the help of the conference bridge.
- Tailored Music & On-Hold Messages
Let’s face it, you don’t ever want your callers to be on-hold with nothing but silence wondering if they have been disconnected. It’s been proven callers will hang up with no audible cues well before they reach 40 seconds. Avoid losing callers while projecting a professional image via a tailored greeting or custom music on hold. If you are waiting for agents to become available you can use the on-hold time to sell your products and services.
- Call Accounting & Recording
Small businesses are always in search of ways to better understand and meet customer needs while remaining on budget and adhering to the core principles of the company. By dissecting the minute details and nuances of customer conversations, companies can attain that elusive level of understanding. This is where call recording really shines. The bottom line is that call recording and accounting functionality is going to improve the overall experience for customers and empower your employees to be better at their jobs.
- Remote Support & Warranties
Chances are if you’re a small company you are not in the position to hire a dedicated IT staff for your company. In this scenario remote technical support is going to be the best fit for your company. Even if there are simple administrative changes to the phones, it’s best to leave those changes up to the engineer who programmed the systems to begin with.
- Multi-Linked Sites / Remote Workers
As long as there is a connection to the cloud you can mobilize your workforce in a way that was never possible before. Most noteworthy is that your employees have access to all the services and features your company needs to stay productive regardless of location. A new global, mobilized workforce is now free from the restraints of traditional hardware, instead empowered by the flexibility of the cloud.
- BONUS #1: Disaster Recovery
The Vive cloud solution, yields significant cost savings and affords phone systems for small business to failover to a backup in our data center.
