Business Phone Services: A Guide For Choosing The Right One

Good communication is important in every business. Nowadays, there are a lot of communication apps that aim to make your business operation smooth and productive, but not all can be cost-efficient as phone systems. Business phone systems are suitable for both small and large businesses. The different phone systems are known to be the foundation of communication platforms nowadays.

If you have a business, it’s important that your clients have a convenient means to reach you, and vice versa.  That being said, it’s important to invest in a phone service that can help you grow your business. To assist you in finding the best and right one for your organization, check out the detailed guide below.

1. Know The Different Types Of Phone Systems

For you to know which one fits your business, you need to be aware of the features of the different types of phone systems. You must determine which kinds of phone services your business needs.

There are three main types of business phone systems—traditional phone systems, virtual phone systems, and VOIP solutions—and each has a unique way of operation.

The traditional phone system is also known as the landline phone service. It has copper wiring to make and receive calls. Landline phones today have advanced features, such as call transferring, conference calling, and call metering

The virtual phone system is a cloud-based system wherein users can make or receive calls through their mobile devices or computers. 

The last phone service is the VOIP, or voice over Internet protocol, solution. It’s a cloud-based phone system that makes it possible for the user to make voice calls via broadband Internet connection. To assist you in choosing the best phone service for your business, there are websites such as openphone.co that can help transform your phones for professional use.

2. Consider Your Budget

Before investing in a communication system, it’s important to conduct thorough research about the best service provider, as well as the best kind of phone service for the business you have and the size of your communication team.

Since investing in business phone services can be quite costly, it’s important to set your budget. The budget you’d need to allot must depend on how many employees will need them, the initial setup costs, hardware costs, installation costs, Internet connection chargers, and the subscription fees.

The three phone systems—traditional phone systems, virtual phone systems, and VOIP solutions—have varying costs. The traditional phone system requires a higher initial setup cost due to the hardware, licensing, and installation charges. The VOIP solution is for receiving a high volume of calls that require high bandwidth, so aside from the installation fee, prepare to spend for the Internet connectivity costs. The last one, which is the virtual phone system, has no initial costs and doesn’t require maintenance. However, you may be obliged to spend for a subscription fee.

3. Have A Goal

Aside from your budget, another effective way for you to easily determine the kind of business phone system to choose is having a clearly defined goal about what your business needs. If you’re not sure about what you need, then there’s a possibility that you’ll not be satisfied no matter what phone service you choose. In defining your goal, think about how the business will grow depending on your phone system choice. 

With a lot of phone service options in the market, it can be confusing to choose the one that’s most suitable for your business. But, when you choose the right technology, it can help in making your business look more professional. 

4. Ensure Functionality

The functions your business requires would determine the features of the phone services you need. Whether you run a small or big business, it’s important to ensure ease of use. If the communication system is complicated to operate, your employees may have difficulty navigating through it, which may affect their productivity. Meanwhile, some companies base their decision upon the age bracket of their employees. 

Older employees may not be comfortable using advanced technologies, as what virtual phone systems or VOIP offer. That’s why landline phones are, still, the best option. However, if your business demands more when it comes to communicating with the clients or within your organization, and if your employees are proficient in using computers and other gadgets, then other business phone services other than the traditional phone system can be utilized.

5. Check The Supplier Performance

When you’re trying to determine the type of business phone service to avail, it’s important to look for a supplier that’s committed to providing you with the services that you actually need. In case the availed phone service comes with the actual unit or device, make sure that the supplier has excellent customer service. So, if you have issues with it, you can easily ask for help.

It’s quite a challenge to ascertain if a supplier is reliable during your first transaction, that’s why it would help to check out the feedback from their previous clients. You may also rely on the referrals of your family and friends.

You may have the right phone service, but your overall experience in using the service may be affected if you transact with an unreliable provider. Aside from checking their reputation, it’d also be ideal to choose a provider that’s geographically close to your business address. With this, the delivery of their products and services can be timely, and they can promptly assist you with the installation and overall usage of the phone system.

Final Thoughts

Your decision in choosing a phone service for your business should boil down to the resources you have. In selecting a business phone service, it’s not only important to check for its features and what it can offer, but it’s also essential to consider how your employees will adapt to it. To get a hold of the right one, make sure to familiarize yourself with the different phone services so you’ll know how each one functions. By taking into account the phone services’ functionalities and your budget, you can determine which one is most suitable for your business’s needs.