In this increasingly competitive world, it is becoming increasingly clear that companies that invest in the right technologies stand a greater chance of beating the competition. And it can all start with the right phone system for your small-to-medium business. From more streamlined efficiency to greater simplicity to enhanced flexibility, research has shown that the right business phone system can significantly help a small-to-medium business stand its ground against a strong competitor or larger company.
In the past, access to comprehensive phone systems were very expensive and therefore reserved only for the largest of companies. But times have changed, and now small-to-medium businesses can gain access to these systems at a much reduced rate. As a business owner, it is vital you choose the right phone system to suit your specific needs. Communication is key. In this fast-paced, information-at-the-click-of-a-button age, maintaining contact with your customers, employees, vendors, and suppliers has never been more important.
CLEAR COMMUNICATION
This is the first and often the most complicated part of the process for any business. Understanding the new technology available necessitates comprehensive research and knowing what your business needs are and what your staff want to use will take time to determine. Talk to your employees and learn what they want their phone system to do, what features they find most useful, and what features are of lesser importance or can be disregarded altogether. Use this knowledge to investigate each potential phone system for your business.
EASE OF USE
Phone systems range from simple to difficult to use and maintain. You want to find a happy medium between ease of use and feature sets that will help you increase your communication capabilities while remaining straightforward to operate. If your employees don’t understand the system, they won’t use it. Furthermore, you will want to look closely at the number of users the phone system can handle. Also, consider those maintaining your system, such as your IT personnel. You don’t want a more expensive system than you actually need, or a more complex one that will eat up man-hours trying to fix or maintain.
COMPANY CAPABILITIES
All phone systems, whether it’s a PBX or a VoIP system, are a significant investment of money. Do your research and invest in a quality phone system. People are busy, and your customers want to get through to the right person within a timely manner. Call transferring capabilities, automated attendants, hold music, and customisable voicemail messages are all necessary components of your business phone system. Many systems also provide more advanced capabilities, including unified messaging, computer integration and instant messaging tools. Conference-calling capability is also available on most systems, and for most businesses this is a necessity rather than a luxury. In addition, you may want to consider looking for a business phone plan that integrates with your cellular devices, so that you can forward important calls while you’re out of the office.
COST CONSIDERATIONS
Ensure to look closely at and compare all business phone system prices. These costs include equipment and service fees for setup. In addition, you need to consider any ongoing costs your business will incur with the system, such as operational and maintenance costs. Be sure you know exactly how much you are spending before you hand over your hard-earned cash.
Never worry about lost messages and missed calls again. With the right phone system, you can keep your lines of communication open for anyone connecting to or within your business.
And let us tell you something else that will make your life easier, and that’s contacting Tops Office for all of your business solutions. In operation for over 30 years and serving the entire British Columbia Interior, we are a one-stop technology solution centre for small to large businesses. From telephone systems to printers/copiers and network services, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today via phone or email.
