Benefits of and Information on Business Telephone Systems
For a typical small or medium sized business an integrated business telephone system provides a huge range of different benefits and advantages. The benefits come with being able to control, manage and access everything from one unified system as opposed to bits and pieces in many different small areas. It makes everything easier to run and will make the entire office more efficient as a result. Before you settle in with Avaya Phones or another new business telephone system it's important however to know more about what to expect and look for.
The truth is that the communications product or system is only the first piece of the puzzle. It's a huge piece of the puzzle, but it's not the whole picture. For the system itself you'll likely want to stick with a very recognized and reputable brand that has experience and a wide range of products that utilize cutting edge technology. Two of the leaders continue to be Nortel and Avaya, both of which provide products and solutions for businesses of all sizes.
Keep in mind that there are specific systems and setups designed for businesses with different needs. You might need to take advantage of a mobile and wireless setup, or you may be looking for call center functionality. Whether you are looking for an integrated system that can handle voice, email and fax in one place or a strict phone system that can house hundreds of mailboxes, you'll be able to find what you need.
As mentioned, the product and system is only the first component that you need though. The second main piece is the partner that you rely upon for all of the corresponding services that you'll need to make use of. Some of what you will want to be able to rely upon is seamless installation and integration, easy and helpful training, quick and reliable upgrading and maintenance and more.
The important thing to remember is that you can't just plug in one of these systems and then think that your organization is all set for the next decade. You need to be trained on how to best utilize them to make full use of everything you paid for. You then need to have everything properly maintained and managed over the years, keeping it all up to date and functioning at its best.
The worst case scenario is when you have a great new business telephone system and you can't even take advantage of it. Either you were never trained and therefore everybody doesn't know what's going in or a problem arises and it never gets fixed, limiting your capabilities. If you have an IT staff they still won't have the specialization that's really required to manage this, and they'll therefore just be eating up their time when they could be handling other issues.
When small and medium sized businesses turn to business telephone systems for the first time, they are always amazed at the level of efficiency and functionality that results. That is, at least when it's appropriately implemented and maintained. Therefore don't forget that this kind of integrated solution really has two pieces, the product itself that you will be basing everything on and relying upon and the trained partners who will always be there to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.
You may also be interested in this article The Nortel Business Phone Brand.
