In any business model, big or small, an efficient telephone system is required which helps organizations manage their day to day needs. Business phone systems have capabilities that extend far beyond than a traditional telephone. Even though technological advancements have made traditional telephones obsolete, business models prefer using phones for communicating with their clients. They are necessary as they connect employees, help serve customers, let employees collaborate, provide effective communication in real time and come loaded with many features which make them essential to be deployed.

Following are the key features of a business telephone system:

• Auto Attendant - Auto attendant works like a receptionist for your company 24 hrs a day and directs the caller to the extension number of the recipient they wish to speak to.
• Conferencing - To have a conversation with a number of people, business phones allow you to connect to more than two participants.
• Call Forwarding – With this feature, calls can be easily forwarded or redirected to an alternative number or Voicemail in case an employee is not available on a particular number and this helps avoid missing out on important calls.
• Call Hold – As the name suggests this feature can be used to discuss important matters in between a call.
• Redial – It is the feature that enables to dial the previous number with a single button.
• Paging – Paging helps to make important announcements in an organization and locate someone.
• Speed Dial – For easy access to certain numbers, speed dial comes in handy where you can reach any number by dialing just one number.
• Music on Hold – To keep users entertained while they are on hold some music or advertisement can be played.
• Automated Directory – It helps to look up specific destination number of the person you are trying to call and routes calls to specific extension numbers.
• Voicemail - In order to check on calls that could not be attended due to some reasons, Voicemail is a feature that records your messages and lets you follow up on those calls.
• Call filtering - Phone systems display the number of the caller on the screen and let you identify who the caller is which in turn helps you save time by ignoring unwanted calls.

It is not necessary that all the features provided by a business phone system are seemingly relevant to every business environment. It depends on a company's needs and they can configure what features they need integrated to their phone systems to save costs and obtain high performance.

Businesses are always on the lookout for new processes and technologies which they can use to ramp up the efficiency and cost-effective of their day to day activities. Nowadays, most important business processes and activities rely strongly on the quality of technology at their disposal. Telephonic communication has always been a major part of business processes, and there has been a paradigm shift in the level of technology available in this area over the past years. Slowly but steadily, hard line telephones are making way for the more advanced and feature-laden hosted VoIP or Voice over IP solutions that have taken the business world by storm.

There are many benefits that hosted VoIP phone systems have over older business phone systems Austin. These are convincing enough for businesses to replace their older technology with this newer and better one. Here are some of those benefits -

• Ease of use - Hosted VoIP solutions take very little work to set up and can even be deployed with people who do not posses much technical skills. There is no need to install extensive cabling and very easy to add more components for later use. There is also no need to maintain pieces of hardware that are likely to deliver faults and complications over time. VoIP is entirely software dependent and not susceptible to these problems.
• More productive - Businesses can leverage the immense power of hosted VoIP to significantly boost their productivity. Since it is much less expensive than its earlier counterpart, businesses can use those surplus funds to enrich other important areas or processes. Latest VoIP technologies allow company personnel to not just make phone calls but also to send and receive important business documents and conduct business meetings through video conferencing.
• Flexible and mobile - VoIP integrates telephonic conversations with other important modes of business communication like email, electronic fax and video conferencing, thereby allowing people to multitask easily. When creatively used, its flexibility can really change the way business processes are conducted. Also, VoIP can be used from any location with an internet access, thereby making it possible for people to stay in touch even when they work from home or are on the move.
• Economical - Hosted VoIP as a communications solution is much cheaper than older technologies like the phone systems. Particularly in cases where a business needs to facilitate frequent long-distance communication, VoIP can be a great way to bring down costs while adding to the functionality on offer. It is a long-term investment which can be an inviting proposition financially.

We at Folkerson Communication, LTD provide affordable and efficient hosted VoIP services to small and medium sized businesses in Central Texas. For more details, call us at (512) 977-0055.

One of the primary considerations while travelling, is how to keep communications going while in transit and at your travel destination. A VoIP phone system makes for a ready solution, allowing travelers to make long-distance calls at reduced call rates. This makes it possible to keep in touch with your family, friends, and acquaintances back home, without having to worry about your phone bill breaking the bank.

Here is a look at how this cost-effective and reliable communication option can help you to make cheap international calls while abroad:

• A key benefit that VoIP telephone systems offer is increased flexibility and portability, which enables users to carry their communication system wherever they go.
• VoIP is particularly useful for business owners across Austin, as it helps you to keep a single phone number and maintain active communication with your clients and customers even while travelling.
• All that you need to make cheap calls from your VoIP phone numbers is a reliable internet connection. You can easily make calls from a Wi-Fi hotspot, or using any other available internet network.
• The call forwarding feature in VoIP phones is also highly beneficial for travelers, as they can forward incoming calls on their regular number to a local phone number, or to an additional number back home.
• Another useful feature that VoIP offers to travelers is IP faxing, using which business travelers can send or receive important documents on the go. Since the faxes are sent over an IP network, the cost incurred is much lower than that of a regular fax or a fax sent over international phone lines.
• Travelers can also use VoIP for having a video chat with their loved ones back home. The only requirement for carrying out such a video chat is that the VoIP user as well as the person they are talking to should have a high-speed internet connection.
• VoIP services are specially useful for travelers since VoIP providers allow online management of calling plans, which allows you to tweak your preferences on the go. You can change your plan before setting off on vacation, and can keep making changes as required once you arrive at your destination.

The list of benefits that VoIP offers to businesses is practically endless, which explains the worldwide popularity of this communication system. The major ones include cutting down on communication costs, boosted efficiency, and increased productivity. Apart from its financial benefits, another major benefit of VoIP, that is often ignored, is that of its voicemail feature, which can go a long way in improving your business. Here is a look at how your Austin business can benefit from VoIP:

• VoIP voicemail enables a more relaxed working environment, as employees can leave their desks as they please, without having to worry about missing a call or two. With the voicemail feature, it is possible to get back to the customers and clients within minutes of missing their call.
• This voicemail stands out from that in traditional phone systems, with features like visual voicemail, which allows employees to access their voicemail on a visual interface by simply logging in to their account, irrespective of where they are at the time.
• Staff can also customize greetings on VoIP voicemail. This enables them to program a busy message for the specific period when they will be unavailable. These professionally recorded greetings can also help to give a big-business feel, ensuring an optimal experience for customers while their call is being routed.
• Another popular feature being used by businesses is the voicemail-to-email feature. This feature alerts the employees via email, each time they receive a voicemail. This enables them to respond to the messages with the necessary action immediately, without having to wait until they get back to the office. This feature helps to boost business productivity by managing the workflow of individual employees.
• Employees can also benefit from receiving the actual voicemail message as an email attachment on their mobile devices or personal computers, which can be saved to review later.
• Some businesses also opt for the VoIP voicemail feature that sends a complete text transcription of the voicemail message, which can still be accessed even if they fail to hear the message.

If you would like to avail the benefits of voicemail in a VoIP phone system for your business, Folkerson Communications, LTD can help you make the most of this feature. With over thirty years of experience in providing reliable, cost-effective communication solutions, we can help you to choose the best set of VoIP features for your Austin business.

VoIP is the next big thing in the world of communication, with nearly every business making the switch from traditional PBX phone systems to VoIP. A large number of small and medium businesses across Austin are benefitting from the unified communication (UC) that VoIP offers, with a recent Microsoft study showing that more than 60% businesses are opting for a UC environment at the workplace. The following guide provides an insight into what business-grade VoIP offers, highlighting some important considerations that need to be made before opting for a wireless VoIP phone system in Austin TX:

A major factor to consider before switching to VoIP is the reliability of your internet connection. You need to realize that each time your internet connection goes down, so shall your voice service.

• Another major consideration is security. With business voice traffic being transmitted over the internet, phishing, and other security concerns are a highly realistic possibility. You want to ensure that you have a dedicated internet connection with a secure firewall before switching to VoIP.
• You also need to decide whether you shall opt for a hosted VoIP service or a self-hosted service. A hosted service makes things pretty simple, by handling all the heavy lifting offsite, and requiring no additional hardware. A self-hosted system on the other hand, requires a bit more work, requiring you to invest in some basic hardware.
• The initial cost that you shall incur upon opting for VoIP depends on the size of your company and the existing infrastructure. Some basic things that you shall need are a broadband connection, routers and switches with configurable quality of service settings, and an internet service provider with a sufficient bandwidth cap.
• You also need to ensure that your phones can communicate over VoIP. For this, you need to have SIP-enabled phones. If you wish to keep using your traditional analog touch-tone phones, you shall need to plug them into an ATA.

Folkerson Communications, LTD provides comprehensive business communication solutions across multiple Central Texas locations. We can provide you with professional guidance regarding the best-suited VoIP phone system to meet the requirements and budget of your business. We also provide ancillary services including structured cabling and data networking. To learn more about our VoIP services in Austin, contact us at (512) 977-0055.

Folkerson Communications Ltd is a VoIP phone service provider serving multiple locations across Central Texas. In addition to hosting VoIP business phone systems, we also provide related services including structured cabling and data networks. If you are considering switching to VoIP for your business, we can help you do so within a budget, and guide you on the best feature-set to meet the needs of your business. We have an experience of more than thirty years in meeting the telecommunication needs of single office, multi-location office, call centers, etc.

Our services are not limited to the installation of these phone systems, but also extend to consultation, design, sales, implementation, and service of phone system, peripherals, and specialty applications. Contact us at (512) 977-0055 to learn more about the different VoIP phone services that we offer, and for a consultation on the best one to meet your needs. Our portfolio includes small and medium business enterprises across Central Texas, as well as some large business houses. We can provide you with the necessary guidance needed for the successful implementation of a VoIP phone system, which includes product knowledge, manufacturer resources and support, network configurations, and call center applications.

Our offices are located in Austin, Killeen, Temple, and Waco, making us accessible to business owners in all these locations, as well as surrounding cities. We are committed to ensuring the best VoIP phone service for each of our clients, both in terms of cost effectiveness, as well as a rich, yet useful feature set. With Folkerson Communications as your hosted VoIP service provider, you do not need to worry about ending up with a redundant set of features, since we take into account the applicability of each feature from your business’ point of view, before incorporating it into your phone system.

Our collaboration with the leading phone system providers, including NEC, Mitel, and ESI, ensures that we provide you with the best quality in all respects. The result is a coming-of-age communication system that helps you gain a competitive edge, while also saving on communication costs. The advantages of our VoIP phone systems for your business include lower cost, minimal set-up cost, ease of use, high scalability, remote troubleshooting, and boosted efficiency.

Contact us today to learn how you can make this switch, and achieve optimal communication for your business. Our associates shall evaluate your current usage and telecommunication costs, to suggest you with the most cost-effective solution for your business.

VoIP is definitely the next big thing when it comes to business phone systems, which is evident from the large number of Austin-based businesses deciding to switch from their conventional telephone systems to VoIP. If you are looking for a hosted VoIP provider in Austin, Folkerson Communications Ltd can provide you with a cost-effective solution for your business. We have an experience of more than thirty years in providing businesses across Central Texas with the best telecommunication services to meet their needs. This vast experience is what makes us one of the most trusted providers in the region, giving you the assurance that we shall provide you with the right service to meet your needs.

Over the years, we have helped a large number of businesses to effectively switch to VoIP, and significantly cut down on their monthly communication costs, without compromising on the quality of service. We firmly believe in customer education before all else, and ensure that you are involved at each stage of designing a phone system for your business. Our highly knowledgeable and friendly staff shall provide you with all the information you need regarding product knowledge, manufacturer resources, network configurations, and phone system applications, ensuring that you make a well-informed decision.

In addition to that, the associates at Folkerson Communications Ltd shall also carry out a detailed analysis of your current communication costs, so as to be able to give you a clear idea of what you can expect in terms of cost-cutting, once you switch to VoIP. Our experience of providing VoIP phone services ranges from small, single-location businesses, to large businesses with multiple branches. No matter how small or big your communication needs, we have the right solution for you. We provide you with a large set of features to choose from, which can go a long way in improving the efficiency of communication for your business, leading to increased customer satisfaction, as well as employee productivity.

The phone system brands that we deal in include Mitel, ESI, and NEC, all of which are leading business phone systems, which ensure an unprecedented quality of communication for your business. In addition to this, we also cater to any ancillary services that you might need, which includes data networking, structured cabling, consultation, design, implementation, and service of your phone system as well as peripherals. Contact us at (512) 977-0055 for an initial consultation on a VoIP phone system for your business, and for an estimate of the communication costs.

VoIP phone systems are of two types- premises-based solutions, and hosted PBX solutions. In the former, the hardware appliance for the phone system is kept on-site, while in the latter hosted solutions, your internet connection helps to connect to your provider, which maintains the equipment off-site in a cloud data center. A large number of businesses have made the switch to hosted VoIP, owing to the numerous benefits that such a system has to offer.

Here is a look at the major benefits offered by hosted telephone systems, and how Austin-based SMEs can benefit from them:

• The most obvious benefit that such a system offers is the decreased cost of ownership. You can start saving right from the moment you install such a phone system, since all that you need are VoIP-compatible handsets and a data connection. With a hosted phone system, you do not need to invest in any expensive hardware.
• The IT support required to run a hosted VoIP phone system is minimal, which is a sharp contrast to complex traditional phone systems. You can easily operate the system and customize it as per your needs, with little or no training.
• With a hosted VoIP solution, you do not need to worry about capital expenditures that will depreciate over time. Instead, all that you have is an affordable monthly service, which will significantly boost the productivity of your business.
• A hosted VoIP solution makes it possible for you to enjoy seamless communication at the workplace, even in the event of natural calamities, fires, and other crises. This is because you do not have any physical equipment on the premises, and hence there is no question of damage or interruption to services.
• Hosted VoIP offers a great degree of flexibility. You can scale up, scale down, provide remote communications, and even open a new office branch, all without causing any disruption to the ongoing communication at your office.
• The advanced features and functionality offered by hosted VoIP business phone systems can have a significant impact on your Austin business, helping to increase productivity and customer satisfaction.
• With a hosted VoIP phone system, you do not have to worry about keeping a tab on the latest upgrades and constantly carrying out updates on your phone system. Your hosted provider shall offer automatic upgrades for the phone system, ensuring that you keep up with the changing technology.

VoIP, short for Voice Over Internet Protocol has changed the face of long-distance communication, helping millions of business owners the world over to save on communication costs. Folkerson Communications, LTD provides hosted VoIP services to business owners across Texas, making it simple to switch from conventional PBX phone systems to VoIP. Our services are available across multiple locations, including Austin, Waco, Harker Heights, and Killeen TX. With all talk about the multiple benefits that VoIP has to offer to business owners, a commonly asked question is how exactly does it work?

The basic mechanism of VoIP calling is that the analog audio signals, which are transmitted when we talk, are converted into digital signals, and then sent to the receiver via the internet. Thus, by using VoIP software to make calls over the internet, it is possible to completely bypass the phone company, and hence save considerably on monthly communication costs. This revolutionary technology is being viewed as having the potential of completely changing the business communication within the organizations, as well as with clients and customers.

VoIP phone calls can be transmitted by three ways. The first and the most common is by the use of an ATA (Analog Telephone Adaptor), which makes it possible to connect a regular phone to the computer for use with VoIP. The second method is by the use of IP phones, which are specialized for handling IP call. With such a phone, you can make VoIP phone calls from any Wi-Fi hotspot. Finally, you can make VoIP phone calls from computer to computer, which is a good option for conferencing during the phone call.

By opting for our hosted VoIP phone systems, you do not have to worry about making a hefty initial investment, since we shall provide you with all the equipment that you need to get started. This means that we shall handle all the heavy lifting offsite, without you requiring any additional on-site hardware. In addition, it also ensures that the system remains scalable and remote troubleshooting is enabled. We shall also handle all your network and cabling needs, right from upgrading your LAN, to tweaking your cable infrastructure as per your requirements. If you shall like to switch to a feature-rich VoIP phone system for your Austin business, contact Folkerson Communications, LTD at (512) 977-0055 for information on how to get started.

The basic factors to consider when buying a phone system for your business are the size of your business, your budget, and your requirements from such a system. Having the right business phone system can go a long way in establishing a positive line of communication with your customers, important business contacts, suppliers, etc. In addition to this, it can also boost efficiency at your workplace, by facilitating streamlined communication between employees. The following list describes some of the key features that you should look for in a business phone system:

• Auto attendant: This feature serves the purpose of a receptionist, helping to route incoming calls to the right station. It gives a big-business feel to the business, while also saving time and increasing customer satisfaction.
• Conferencing: Almost all business phone systems in Waco TX are incorporating this feature, owing to its immense relevance in the present-day scenario of long-distance communication and data sharing. Conferencing helps to save on the expense incurred in making long-distance calls, along with helping multiple parties to participate in virtual meetings.
• Voice mail to email integration: While voice mail has been around for decades, its integration with email comes as a new and welcome feature in modern telephone systems. You can view transcripts of all your voicemail through your home computer, hand-held device, or even shared computer, on your email.
• Backup power: The last thing you want is a power outage causing an important conversation with a client to get disrupted. Ensuring that your phone system comes with sufficient power back-up is a simple step to avoid such glitches.
• Remote location: This is an exciting new feature that Waco TX businesses with a remote workforce can employ to keep their employees connected. All that you need to do to reach a remote or offsite employee, is dial an internet extension that will directly connect to him.
• Find me/ Follow me: This is becoming a ubiquitous feature in business phone systems, for its application in making employees reachable despite their location. Just because an employee is not at his office desk does not mean that a customer must keep waiting or leave a voicemail. This feature will automatically locate the employee through their last login, and forward the call to the next available number.
• Computer Telephone Integration: Despite being costly, this option is great for businesses that rely on computer data for customer service. The number displayed on the caller ID is automatically transmitted to the computer screen, causing all the data related to the caller to display on the screen.

We, at Folkerson Communications, LTD can walk you through your choices and make sure that you get reliable and cost effective business phone system in Austin, TX. We also assist you with any features that you do not understand and that you might require. Contact us at 512-977-0055 to avail our first class services.