Communication within and between companies is key for a successful day’s work. You need a well-connected workforce, who connect efficiently with clients, and with each other, from desk to desk and department to department. Buying a new phone system will need careful consideration. You’ll assess your business, its requirements, and future plans. There is no point buying a phone system only to need to upgrade it in 6 months’ time.
Even with the ever-growing trend of contacting each other via email, text, Whatsapp and a host of other messaging platforms, your customers must still be able to pick up the phone and call you. Millennials are paving the way for contact via SMS, with a staggering 75% of them preferring texting to talking (survey carried out by OpenMarket, April 2016). Nonetheless, there are still generations of others who want to talk to a helpful human being on the other end of a phone.
When selecting the best phone system for you consider these essential points:
1. Solid foundations support the system
Setting up your phone system on a reliable platform will allow a successful network to operate. Years ago, a PBX, or private branch exchange would consist of a large switchboard with cables connecting circuits. Today, the circuit boards are compact and incredibly efficient.
At Opus, we offer three options for hosting your phone system; on-premises, a virtualised PBX or a hosted PBX. They all have their pros and cons as well as their differences and similarities. On-premises allows you to have control over the users, although initial set up costs can be higher, whereas virtualised and hosted PBX use an external platform.
Exploring your connection capabilities is vital. If you are in an area with poor or unreliable internet, the systems using virtualised and hosted PBX may suffer. Using the internet to run the phone systems is an excellent approach to keep monthly costs down, although the strength and signal speed can have a detrimental effect on phone signal, thus creating potential problems with staying in contact with your customers.
2. Features
Your new phone system could have many capabilities and fancy features making it the bees’ knees of the range. But is it all necessary for you and your business? Understanding your requirements will ensure that your investment is worthwhile. How much mobility and flexibility do your staff need? Being able to continue working wherever business may take you can ensure effective day-to-day running without impairing interaction with clients.
If you are a larger company, you may need to be able to conduct conference calls without any hassle. With the press of a button, you’ll require a quick and easy connection, clear lines, and a strong connection, giving you the ability to conduct meetings at any given convenience with people in another part of the country.
3. What about the future?
Any good business owner will have a plan for the company for the next 6 months, year, 5 years and most probably more. When you are making these plans, you must consider every part of the business, from the sales, the number of staff needed, your premises, and your phone system. Being able to cope with the demand of not only more calls from customers coming into the office, but also the increased extension lines, number of devices, and guaranteeing constant connection with clients is essential.
Creating a relationship with your customer is only half the battle. Maintaining and developing this is crucial for a business to prosper, and Opus are here to support your communication needs and guide you to selecting the best phone system for you.
