Using An Internet-based Phone System And Voip In A Small Business
For a business that is objective starting out and has a limited budget, an Internet-based phone system will save money, provide maximum flexibility and make a grand first impression on customers. In the past, businesses that have wanted a sophisticated phone system have had to spend thousands of dollars to purchase and install hardware, only to be locked into equipment that fast becomes obsolete. By using an Internet-based phone system (sometimes called a virtual pbx) the business owner can be up and running within minutes for very little upfront cost, and will always have the most up-to-date technology at his or her disposal.
There are many companies that offer Internet-hosted phone systems. In choosing one, you will want to contemplate the features offered, any set-up charges (which are typically less than $100), the monthly account charge, and any charges for calls made and received. If you already have a phone number, you will want to check if it can be ‘ported’, or transferred to the current provider. Most companies offer both toll-free numbers and local phone, so if you are getting a new number, you’ll need to choose. You may also want to check if you will own the number, which will allow you to transfer to a different provider in the future.
The central feature of a hosted phone system is the auto attendant. When callers dial your number, the auto attendant will answer the call and display a list of extensions and other options. In addition to listing available extensions, many auto attendants include dial-by-name capability. Once the caller chooses an extension, the auto attendant will either send the caller directly to content mail or else ring one or more physical numbers for a set amount of time before sending unanswered calls to voice mail. It is up to you to program the attendant to follow the sequence of actions you wish, and this can vary by extension, time of day, and day of the week. The proper phone can be located anywhere – in your office, across town, or in another county.
Although a hosted phone system can be position up using standard phone lines, the most flexibility and cost savings are achieved when you use the system with VoIP phone lines (calls are transmitted via the Internet), and IP phones designed to plug directly into your local area network. While this will increase your initial cost, it is well worth the investment.
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Filed under Small Business Pbx by on Mar 6th, 2011. 