Buying the Ideal Office Phone Systems

By Trent S Berger

If you are looking to set up a new office then you are probably already well aware of all the costs that could be involved in it, and will want to figure out a good way to set up a stylish looking office without necessarily having to spend loads of cash on it. The good news for you is that you do not even have to spend man thousands of dollars to buy the latest and highest upgraded telephone systems network to get something up and running that could work well and provide you with just what you needed. In fact, it could end up being a lot easier than you ever thought possible, because there are actually some really good phone systems for offices out there being sold at incredible prices, and all it takes is a little time looking around at online stores to find them.

Choosing the option to buy used telephone office systems

There is little doubt to anyone who has been charged with the responsibility to set up an office in the past before that it can take a whole lot of work. There is a lot of furniture that you need to install along with the necessary communications systems, all of which can work hard to drain the limited budget you might have for such a mission. Well, one thing you should know is that the majority of these tools and devices can actually be purchased second hand, and they would still work just as well as if they were bought brand new. That's right - all it takes is for you to go online and do some research on the topic of second hand office systems and you should be able to find a great deal of them available for sale. This could really present you with the opportunity to make some good money savings and stay within budget when setting up your office ' but you will still not want to rush into things just yet.

Finding the best

Just because a telephone office system has been used in the past does not mean that it is not going to be able to provide you with good service, but it still pays to make sure. First thing to do is find a company and have them test out the machines that you are going to be using, just to make sure that all of the second hand office systems are in tip top shape. If it seems that everything is working out according to your liking, then there is no reason why you should not go out of your way to buy that stuff. It could really help you to make some big money savings, and this is always important when you are a small business just getting set up, not having the capital to afford investing in new hardware. Just make sure that you work hard at what you are doing and all of the best telephone systems you could possibly want will eventually be found.

 

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office phones systems available at Fonex.com.au

Small Office Phone Systems - Top 3 Systems To Consider

By Joe Arthur           

Are you looking for more information on small office phone systems? If so, in this article, we will discuss three popular types of systems that help to streamline office operations. Anyone who works in a small office will know that they have to wear many hats and there is always more to do that time to do it. Therefore, a reliable telephone system with productivity enhancing features is always welcomed. At the same time, with advances in technology, all of these systems are have become very affordable for small business owners and start-up entrepreneurs that want to get the most bang for the buck.

The 3 top small office telephone systems to consider are:

Auto attendant answering system. An auto attendant system picks up a call immediately when someone calls and presents an automated service menu for the caller to choose the right party or person that he or she needs to reach. These systems are efficient because offices do not need to employ extra staff to answer and route calls. At the same time, callers do not need to wait for a receptionist to speak with them and transfer a call. In most small businesses, most people have a lot on their plate already, and the task of having to answer incoming phone calls only adds takes them away from other activities. This system can be used to filter and prioritize calls and even answer basic questions caller may have, saving everyone time.

Multi line system. The most popular multi line small office phone systems include 2 line systems and 4 line systems. These systems allow for multiple callers to speak with multiple staff members at the same time. If you run a busy office where time is money, it is not wise to have to waste time in waiting to use the phone. Additionally, callers may be turned off if they hear a busy signal all too often. Companies like Vtech or Panasonic offer lots of off the shelf 2 line systems that are very easy to set up either for a small business or a home office.

VoIP business phone system. Any discussion on the best small office phone systems is not complete without mentioning the VoIP business phone system. VoIP or voice over internet protocol is an internet phone system that allows calls to be made and received inexpensively. You do not even need a phone jack to be set up with a system, you only need a broadband internet connection. Early versions of VoIP systems were considered less reliable for business use, but today, the initial issues have been ironed out and many small offices are hopping on the VoIP bandwagon.

How does VoIP work? Analog voice data is transformed into digital data and routed over the internet. The calls bypass the traditional phone networks of the traditional telecommunications companies like ATT, and hence are services have been priced very reasonably from a totally different economics viewpoint. VoIP business telephone systems are offered by upstarts like Vonage, RingCentral and some business users also rely on Skype. Even traditional phone companies are now offering their versions of VoIP phone lines.

Which of these small office phone systems do you like best? Take a step back and reflect on your needs and how each of these systems could help you best. One article does not make anyone an expert, so you may also want to check out a few more follow-up articles.

 

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office phones systems available at Fonex.com.au

Shopping For Office Phone Systems - What To Look For

By Steve Mike Levy

Office phone systems differ a great deal from the standard phone seen in most homes. They often involve the installation of multiple phone lines that terminate in one location. These phone lines are then connected to the phone system for distribution to multiple extensions.

When shopping for office phone systems, the number of extensions and call volume play a large role in the size and type of system that is needed. For small offices, many large phone system manufacturers have small systems that are designed for offices for 20 or less users. For large businesses, an enterprise wide solution involves connecting one or more office locations into one phone system. This type of office phone installation can be quite complex and requires multiple phone lines in the form of T-1's or specialized circuits. These types of circuits are designed for high call volume and are more cost-effective when dealing with large businesses such as call centers.

In smaller offices with 20 or less users, typically only basic functionality is needed. Voice mail, transferability, conferencing ability, and direct inward dialing are usually all that's required. Additionally, some businesses prefer to have an auto attendant route calls when they first come into the phone system. This negates the need to have an operator or other person transfer calls. Music on hold is another benefit that many businesses like to utilize while the customer is waiting to speak to an employee. Not limited to music, the business can play promotional messages or other items of interest while customers are waiting.

 

In large scale operations, there are many more features that could be utilized by the business. These features are generally preferred by executives or call centers where additional functionality is needed. In addition to the basic features for small businesses, the large business will often need a more robust system were call volume is high. The system purchased for this purpose should be able to meet the demands of this high call volume and route calls quickly and efficiently Most office phone systems intended for large businesses have standard features such as call forwarding, call parking,, call monitoring and levels of security to limit which extensions can call which area codes. However, depending on the nature of the business, there are additional features that will be required.

An attendant console is needed when a business employs an operator. The attendant console has the number of buttons needed and the capability to receive and route a large number of calls. The specialized functionality of the attendant console is specific to operator functions. Not all phone systems have the ability to add an attendant console.

Call center environments are where the phone system becomes the most critical. Features like automatic call distribution are then a necessity to efficiently route calls based on the nature of the call and the abilities of the person taking the call. Known as split/skills, these groups are set up with agent extensions based on the skills of the agents and the nature of the call. The phone system then routes calls to these groups based on caller selection and the number dialed. In a call center environment, the office phone installation will include the addition of a predictive dialer that can interface with the phone system. The dialer automatically makes and receives calls based on pre-entered criteria. This is commonly seen in call centers where customer service or account collection activity occurs. This allows the business to make the necessary calls without relying on human intervention. The calls made or received by the dialer are automatically routed to agents. Some phone systems come with integrated dialers, however most call centers operating on a large scale have a dialer that is outside the phone system so that they can adequately handle higher call volume.

For a small office phone installation, setup and configuration usually requires minimal effort. Once the wiring is in place and the phone company has terminated the phone lines, the office phone system can be installed and configured with the required number of extensions. Most of these systems can be configured in under two hours and then the business can begin making and receiving calls. For large installations, greater planning is needed and multiple locations are usually integrated using a phased approach. Because of the complexity of these systems, it's preferred to validate one location is working on the new system prior to bringing on the next. In the case of a completely new system, the phased approach is less critical and all sites can be brought online at the same time.

Choosing from one of the many office phone systems will be much easier when the needs of the business are considered prior to purchase. This will help to determine which features are vital to the day to day operation and which features will improve efficiency and performance overall.

 

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office phones systems available at Fonex.com.au

Advantages of an Office Phone System

By Jalpa Sharma           

An office phone system has various advantages over traditional telephony. They are very intelligent in terms of call routing and user administration. The IP telephony system or PBX system makes the call routing quite efficient and handles the incoming and outgoing calls as you may desire. It allows free internal calling and advanced features like call hold, voicemail, call forwarding, conferencing presence, IVR and many more.

It makes sense to use a PBX System when you require to maintain more number of users and be able to administer the various features that could change constantly. Use of VoIP phone systems rather than traditional telephone systems results in lower costs to and businesses and increase in productivity.

Any organization, even a small one that migrates to VoIP or IP telephony will need an IP PBX system. Traditional telephony PBX systems tie you in with a single manufacturer. With PBX phone systems, you have more choice and flexibility, giving you a robust and feature rich phone system.

There are various IP PBX systems in the market and most of them provide a feature rich system. Any IP PBX should be able to provide the following features:

-IVR
An Interactive Voice Response System allows your customers to input DTMF digits and get routed to the most appropriate team to resolve their queries

-Automated attendant
A good phone system can allow you to create multiple auto attendant menus and nested menus giving you flexibility to effectively manage your calls

-Voicemail
Voicemail is the most basic and important feature that allows you to receive, send voicemail and also has facilities like voicemail to email conversion

-Call Transfer, Call Hold, Call Park, Call Routing
These features are quite handy and useful for the day-to-day work. The phone system administrator can add extensions and configure these features for individual users

-Conferencing
With the concept of Branch offices and distributed offices these days, it is quite common to have meetings over a conference system. The conferencing features allows multi-party conference calls, operator assistance recording of the call, also few high-end systems provide data conferencing along with the audio.

-Presence Services
Some of the phone systems offer presence services. The presence is similar to the public chat system but it is internal for an organization. You can list all the employees of an organization, look at their status whether available, away, busy etc., also it gives you their status messages and tells you whether they are on call internally or with a customer. It also supports Instant Messaging services. Having this functionality in a PBX is extremely useful since it eliminates the need for buying any external communicator system.

-CRM functionality
This feature provides integration with your existing CRM and gives you features like click-to-dial

-Hotel Management
Hotel module offers hotel specific functions such as Check-IN, Check-Out & Wake up calls, also PMS Integration.
 

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office phones systems available at Fonex.com.au

3 Ways to Increase Profits Using Your Office Phone System

By Morgan J Johnson

You may not give a lot of thought to your work phone. It sits on your desk, it provides you with a device to make and take phone calls and receive messages, and that's about it - right? Actually, phone systems have evolved a great deal over time, with Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones leading the way to help your business stay organized, project a professional image, and improve processes and efficiency - thus saving you money. However, did you know that certain business phone systems can not only help you save, but can also aid in increasing profits? There are numerous features to maximize money-making by leveraging the power of your phone system. Let's examine just a few of the many ways you can use a business phone system to increase your bottom line.

First, make your phone system appear "local." Most business phone systems will give you a phone number local to your physical location - but virtual phone systems can also provide you with specific local numbers to make it appear as though you have offices in a particular location. It's no secret that appearing local to potential customers or clients can help seal the deal; people love to buy from someone they know and recent trends show that buying local is an important sentiment right now.

 

But how does it work? Imagine that you have a call center based in Ohio, but want to appeal to businesses or clients based in Philadelphia. You can actually create a local Philadelphia number to ring in Ohio, providing a local business feel and personal touch that many out-of-area businesses can't provide. You can then add phone numbers to your system easily and determine who receives the calls to those "local" numbers.

Next, increase your presence and revenue with virtual offices. We've established that you can get a local number even if you are not located in that area - but what if you would actually like to expand beyond your headquarters or flagship location? Doing so can be costly and risky. However, utilizing phone system features like virtual offices allow you to expand your business without reaching too deeply into your pockets. By hiring remote workers or contract sales people, you can test whether opening a new location is viable, or can have representatives of your business available in certain areas at all times. Your business phone system can then be extended to your new hires, freelancers, or telecommuters; you can furnish these employees with a Softphone so they may make and receive calls from their own laptop, or you can even provide them with their own extension to project the appearance that they work in-office and are a part of your in-house team. See here for more information about soft phones and their capabilities.

Further, business calls can be forwarded to employee cell or home phones if they won't be present in an office location at all - this helps to maintain a unified professional image, even if your remote workers are making and taking sales calls from their living room or the local coffee shop. This is especially useful with the rise of coworking and office shares, particularly for start-ups and small businesses. If all of your employees are not in one central location, you can still make it appear as though they are.

And finally, never miss important calls or sales. We all know that missing crucial calls can cost your business in the form of lost revenue, but it can also negatively impact you by leaving clients or customers disappointed and frustrated that they can't get in touch. In the 21st century, it's assumed and expected that everyone is constantly available, whether it's by email, office phone, or cell.

Thanks to advancements like "Mobile Twinning," you and your employees can receive office calls anywhere, anytime. This means that when your phone rings in the office, you can simultaneously receive that call on your cell phone, ensuring that important calls are taken immediately and not directed to voicemail. Additionally, many business phone system providers also have apps for smartphones that make receiving messages and calls from work easier than ever.

Of course, you can always give out your cell phone number to clients or customers to remain in constant contact. However, some employers and employees prefer not to give out personal cell phone numbers for various reasons - one of which is that salespeople who are departing your company may be able to take customers or clients with them if they have a way of remaining in touch. Though your ex-employees may have taken advantage of Mobile Twinning features in the past, business calls meant for them will not ring on their cells once they are no longer employed; they will only ring in-office. That way, you can direct those calls appropriately to a different team member and customers won't accidentally contact ex-employees. This helps you save face and ensures your contacts are safely where they belong - with you.

The beauty of the above strategies is that they are not one-time deals; these are features that you can continually use to your business' advantage, every day. How else have you used your phone system to increase your bottom line? Do you have any more tips?

 

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office phones systems available at Fonex.com.au