A stable and efficient communication system is the backbone of any business. As business grows, so does its needs. Depending upon the number of employees, areas of operation, nature of work and profile of clients, one must choose the most suitable phone system. Following are the various business phone system options, each with features, pros and cons, which will help you, match them to your needs and make the right choice:

Virtual Phone System

If your business has employees working remotely, a virtual phone system is apt for you. In this system a business phone line is connected to the cell phones of remote workers irrespective of the location they are in. When a client calls on the business phone number, the call is diverted to the worker’s cell phones. The phone system offers services like call forwarding, automated receptionist, online faxing, voice mail etc.

It is an affordable solution for small businesses that are in need of presenting a professional face to their clients and at the same time saving on costs of communicating with the employees.

Landlines

The most traditional form of phone systems, landline phones are time tested and fairly reliable method of communication. Suited for large organisations that have designated teams to manage the equipment may opt for such systems and support the complex business arrangements.

Landlines also offer features like call forwarding, transferring, conference calls, fax etc. However, they need maintenance and often prove to be costlier than other advanced phone systems.

VoIP Systems

Best suited for businesses that wish to use sophisticated communication systems that project themselves as smart professionals, VoIP systems offer a wide range of services. In this system, the internet connection is used to convert even the computers and laptops into virtual phones. The installation costs of this system are reasonable.

There are two kinds of VOIP systems available:

Self Hosted VoIP

In this, the business buys, owns and maintains the equipment, mainly the Private Branch Exchange or PBX hardware to run the phone lines. PBX system allows for circuit switching within the organisation’s phone system. If a business has an IT team in place, this system works best as everything is under self control and can be configured as willed. It does have an upfront high cost as the entire equipment needs to be bought but a business that foresees growth and needs better accessibility to all functioning may opt for this service.

Cloud-based VoIP system

In this case the phone system company will provide the hardware and software related services and there is no hassle to manage anything internally. A monthly or quarterly payment is made to the vendor. Hence, for businesses that do not have many employees, this system is the most suitable.

Keeping in mind the budget and future plans, a business has many options to choose from when it comes to a phone system. Make sure you have done the research well as there are many vendors providing these services. Pick the best plan and best equipment to build a competent phone system for your business.

We, at Folkerson Communications, Ltd., offer affordable business phone systems in Austin, TX. For more information, you can call us at (254) 698 – 0016.

Business phone systems have evolved rapidly over the past few years in terms of technology and features offered. Choosing the right phone system can not only yield tangible returns but also boost the productivity and efficiency of your employees. It is, therefore, important that business owners spend a considerable time deliberating over the potential options and arm themselves with the answers to some critical questions. By evaluating your requirements, you would be in a better position to choose the phone system that best fit the bill.

Will the phone system reduce your overall telecommunication costs?

Regardless of the type of phone system you choose, make sure that it will be able to lower your company’s phone bills. Evaluate all the expenses involved, right from equipment and installation to monthly charges and periodic maintenance costs. You should also factor-in the role of the phone system in improving your company’s standard of customer service.

Have you evaluated your company’s communication needs?

You should thoroughly identify your company’s telecommunication needs before choosing a phone system. For instance, if you have employees working from multiple locations, you would want a phone system that allows remote connectivity. The number of calls your employees make and receive per day is also an important consideration. Analyze the number of phone lines you require at present and in the near future to avoid incurring additional costs in the long run.

What features are important for your company’s operations?

Depending upon your business size and nature of operations, you should choose a phone system that comes with the required features. Different phone systems offer varied sets of features that can be easily customized according to your requirements. For example, in a call center, features such as auto attendant, call waiting, automatic call distribution (ACD), music on hold, call recording etc. are likely to be more important. Also, make sure that the features you choose are easy to be used by the employees and can be amalgamated in your company’s daily operations.

Is the phone system provider reliable?

In order to maximize the efficiency of your phone system, you need to find a provider that is reliable and experienced. The company should have a good track record of satisfied customers. Also, their technicians should be able to clear your queries about choosing the right type of phone system for your business.

We, at Folkerson Communications, Ltd., offer feature-rich phone systems for the businesses in Austin, TX. We provide quality equipment from leading brand names, including NEC and ESI. To know more about the phone systems offered, you can call at (254) 698 – 0016 or visit our office at 701 Sun Meadows Dr., Harker Heights, TX 76548.

Every business, whether small or large, aims at reducing overheads. One of the most commonly overlooked elements in this regard is the phone bill. Communication is an essential component of a successful business and taking certain steps to reduce the phone bills can significantly contribute to the overall profits.

Here are some strategies to lower business phone bills:

• Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP): Switching from your traditional phone system to VoIP can help to cut down on telecommunication costs. VoIP offers affordable international calling, less hardware and equipment as well as various other features. A VoIP system improves connectivity among employees and assists in better customer service. It offers voicemail, conferencing, and music while hold, call forwarding, auto-transfer, call waiting etc. These features enhance the communication and professional outlook of the company.
• Choose wisely: While selecting the phone system provider, it is essential to ensure that you make an informed decision. You should ask for discounts, more features and reduced rates. You must conduct a proper research and select a company that offers the most profitable deal. You can also compare the rates according to the features provided by the phone company.
• Reduce Equipment: When lowering phone costs, it is essential to consider reducing the phone equipment installed in the company. Excess hardware, wires and equipment are expensive and require costly repair as well as maintenance. A hosted phone system requires minimum wiring or bulky equipment.
• Phone plan: You must determine the usage of the phone system and choose a plan accordingly. Assess your business activities and choose the phone system features. You must consider your requirements and stick to the features essential to your business. Paying for anything that is not required will only increases the business costs.
• Update package: With changing times, the company may offer new features, discounted rates or a membership discount. You must always look out for any special deals to ensure that your business has the most profitable phone system installed.

Reducing business phone bills can assists in improving the overall profitability and efficiency of your organization. It is essential to research and select the most suitable phone system for your company.

We, at Folkerson Communications, Ltd. offer a wide range of business phone systems in Austin, TX. For more information, you can call us at (512) 977 – 0055.

Businesses, whether small or large, are constantly on the lookout for ways to increase their efficiency and reduce overheads. One of such ways is to use hosted phone systems for their telecommunication needs. Unlike the traditional phones, a hosted system utilizes an outsource service provider install and sustain the company’s communications. As most of these phone systems work on the VoIP technology, they unfetter the companies from getting into the hassles of maintaining or repairing large equipment. Thus, businesses can focus on expanding their arena with the help of advanced features as well as lowered phone bills. 

Here are some of the benefits you can have by installing hosted phone systems at your office: 

Does Not Require Large Infrastructure: The main benefit of choosing a hosted phone over a traditional system is that the former one does not require you to install large infrastructure within the office premises. You just require a phone and a working Internet connection to operate the system. All other equipment is put up in a separate location. Your employees simply need to learn the basic working of the system such as making and receiving calls, retrieve messages, record conversations and other such operations.  

Easy To Maintain: Being off-premise these phone systems are quite easy to install and maintain. You do not need to hire specialized IT staff to operate the hosted VoIP system. Each employee can easily learn to handle the phone system, add or remove features, as per their requirements. Your service provider will also offer regular maintenance programs to keep the equipment up and running as well as boost your employees’ efficiency. 

Offer Flexibility: Hosted VoIP phone systems offer a considerable level of flexibility to the users. You can easily expand or cut down functionality, enable remote communications and even open up or relocate to another office branch without disrupting the present communication system at your office. 

Advanced Features: Hosted phones typically offer certain key features that are not present in the convectional systems. These may include call waiting, call recording, voicemail, video calling, call conferencing, automated attendant, voicemail to email transcription etc.  

We, at Folkerson Communications, Ltd, offer affordable hosted phone systems for business houses in Austin, TX. We offer high quality phone systems from some of the leading brand names in the industry, such as NEC and ESI. The phone plans and equipment can be easily customized according to your company’s telecommunications requirements. For more information, you can call us at (512) 977 – 0055.