If you’re thinking of launching your own small business, you’ll soon realize that there are some important decisions that you need to make. One of these decisions will be to purchase your business phone system.
In this short article that’s exactly what we’re going to show you today. We’re going to show you what to looking for in a business phone system. We’ll cover everything from various features to recommendations and much more.
Typical Business Phone System Features
Your small business phone system is your primary vehicle to communicate with customers and vendors. Features that you should consider to optimize your system include some of the following:
Auto Attendant
This feature replaces your human receptionist and greets a caller with a listing of choices to direct their call. This feature is commonly called a “phone tree.”
The auto attendant gives a caller the ability to reach a particular employee at their desk. It also allows the caller to speak with a department representative.
Automatic Redial
The automatic redial function allows you to dial the most recent business phone number you previously called. You can do this just by pressing one or two of the numbers in that recent phone number you just dialed.
Call Forwarding and Holding
Call forwarding allows you to send incoming calls meant for you to another co-worker’s extension inside your office or to your voicemail. The call holding function lets you put callers on hold to wait while you participate in another conversation.
Conference Call Features
Conference call features can connect two or more extensions together to participate on the same line. Sometimes a conference feature system only allows internal callers to connect.
Hold Messaging/Music
Hold messaging/music plays a pre-recorded announcement or music while a caller waits on hold. Pre-recorded messages can include advertising. They can also include directions on how the other caller should prepare for the upcoming discussion.
Paging
A paging feature lets a speaker talk over the office’s public communication system. You can use this feature to summon another employee in the building or deliver an announcement that all your employees will hear.
Speed Dial
A speed dial feature can save those commonly used phone numbers you use constantly in your system. You can access speed dial numbers when you press a pre-determined key along with a one or two key digit that you assign to the phone number.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) features allow you to make a phone call on the internet. This new communication system transmits an audio signal over the internet rather than the regular phone
Voice Mail
Voicemail collects any incoming messages left for employees who are unavailable or busy on another line and can’t take the incoming call.
Some systems will allow you to forward a voicemail message to another employee’s voicemail inbox.
What Are Your Next Steps?
Having the best business phone system in place can help keep your small business stay productive and engaged with your customers. If you’re in the market for a new system, feel free to connect with us to learn how we can help you choose the right business phone system.