How to Choose the Best Phone System for Your Midsize Business
Conducting business through phone communication is a core capability for most organizations. And thanks to new developments in technology, businesses have multiple options available to them beyond traditional line connections.
Solutions like VoIP or universal communication providers are available to streamline how calls are conducted. The question, which is the right option for your midsize business?
Answering that question requires some initial preparation to gain an understanding of what you need from a phone system and the costs associated with it. It’s also important to ask yourself why. Is a new phone system being adopted to increase efficiency and assist callers? Or to decrease cost? Does it need to have immediate scalability to avoid new physical installments? Creating a goal for the phone system in question helps better categorize the right one for your company.
You also want to know who will host the connection. Will it be managed on premises, or through a provider (virtualization)? Do you need it to be a fully integrated phone service, or implemented through limited devices? After you’ve answered these questions, you can better specify what you ultimately require.
There are several advantages and downfalls to each solution. Weighing those to best fit your company will lead to the best possible result.
So, for example, a VoIP (voice over internet protocol) solution utilizes Internet connections instead of local landlines to manage calls. The pros are greater flexibility in choosing providers and an easier way to scale up services. If your company experiences a rapid increase in call volume, VoIP based communication solutions can add more virtual phone connections to respond.
However, VoIP phone systems are vulnerable to service interruptions if there’s an Internet service outage. Additionally, a business using this option has to handle its own infrastructure and data costs. This can either be greater in expense or less depending on the business set up, which is why understanding the pros and cons is important.
If VoIP or similar virtual options aren’t desirable, traditional land lines still have great benefits. For one, the service is operated by phone companies in the region, so they manage the call infrastructure. Also, some phone companies assist with installing new lines, which can be a costly investment when managed alone.
Of course, while great for midsized companies that need an all-in-one package to support their call network, traditional services usually incur greater costs for maintenance and monthly rates. They also require new physical infrastructure when installing more phone lines, adding to capital spent.
But they remain a stable and reliable choice, perfect for the midsized company that depends on phone-based communication more often than not (sales or customer service). On the other hand, a VoIP or Internet-based solution is better for smaller businesses that want to reduce phone costs and won’t need rigid phone use for an extended period.
Choosing the right phone service comes down to understanding your company’s needs, as utilizing the wrong service can incur unwanted costs and result in other problems. Hopefully this article helped you learn what to expect and how to choose your next communication solution.
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