Which Phone System Should I Dial-Up for My Small Business?

Dave Thomas

May 04, 2012


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As a small business owner that is either in the process of starting out or considering upgrades to your current business phone systems, how do you know when you have made the right call?

For many small business owners, finding the right system can mean the difference between making a reasonable profit and just getting by. Even though the Internet has taken over a large swath of how people do business with customers these days through e-mails and online sales, the dependable phone is still important when it comes to sales and customer service.

For those running small businesses that are not fully dialed-in to which office phone systems are best for them, there are several points to keep in mind:

Phone systems for your business are available in a number of different configurations - If you are looking for more advanced systems, turn to a network such VoIP in order to connect with employees, devices and information options. Look to a phone system that is entirely open, allowing you to work with the equipment you already possess or plan to acquire down the road. If you do otherwise, you’ll be locked into acquiring that vendor’s particular equipment only;
Determine what will best suit your users – A host of resources can be set up in your office to include automated attendants, videoconferencing and intercom and paging. If you are planning on growing your small business, consider what your needs a year or so from now may be so that you can plan now for projected growth and not later when phone system costs may be higher;
What is the layout of your office and do some employees work from home and/or travel? – This is another item to keep in mind given that you may be swung towards wireless IP phones in the event some employees need to retrieve data from different locations within or outside the office for sales or other purposes. Also consider looking at connecting phone and data networks together like voice mail to e-mail notifications for instance;
Work off of several quotes – It is also important that your small business obtain a number of quotes from with which to choose from. Do not limit yourself to either your current provider when looking to make some changes or just one provider when first installing a system. Variety is the spice of life, so get several quotes and shop around in order to find the best deal and service;
Know what services you get in return – Customer service from your office phone system provider is extremely important, so don’t scale back on service just to save a few dollars. For business owners with the traditional PBX or legacy system, the expenses can be high for upgrades, maintenance and assistance. See ahead of time if any changes you want, for example to a user’s extension, can be done in-house with your team or if the vendor must get involved. Be sure to determine that your chosen vendor offers unlimited phone and e-mail assistance at no extra charge.

When you size up your office phone systems, make sure equal attention is paid to expense and customer service.

If you are dialed-in to the right combination of the two, you stand a much better chance of your business not being disconnected.