The telephone is probably the most important and the most used method of communication today. All over the world, telephones are being used extensively, whether in homes or in offices. When it comes to office phone systems, the system is particularly designed so that any number of users can use and share the same telephone lines, rather than having to use individual phones. Telephone systems like these are specifically designed for use by several people in a single locatio…
The Look of Modern Business Telephones
Modern business telephones have come a long way from where they started, both technologically and esthetically speaking. Looking at some of the previous offerings from days gone by, I am reminded that the business world is one of form over function. In other words, business phones are engineered to simply to work reliably and for long periods of time, not to look pretty. Still, there is very little charm, even from a nostalgic point of view, in older business telephone systems. Thankfully, the phones have changed over the last several years.
The Market for Used Business Phone System Equipment
Business phone systems and the companies who sell them exist in a world all their own. The competition is stiff, with several different retailers and wholesalers carrying the same brands. The competition for used and refurbished business phones and business phone systems is even fiercer, as many companies are searching for equipment that can be used to expand their current system. Often, phone and phone system manufacturers engineer their products so that they aren’t universal and will not work with a variety of other products.
The Shelf Life of a Small Business Phone System
Nothing lasts forever, or so they say. This can be especially true when it comes to small business phone systems. Most experts will tell you that the average life of a business phone system is five to seven years, although this can vary greatly depending on the type of business and what sort of growth they have experienced within that time frame. A company that is rapidly expanding will likely out grow an existing phone system, provided they are unable to expand it sufficiently, within a short amount of time.
Things to Consider When purchasing Commercial Phone Systems
As a retailer for commercial phone systems, I am often asked what criteria should be considered when revamping or replacing a business phone system. While there are many individual considerations that are specific to each situation, most of these fall under the umbrella of knowing what you have and what you need, and finding the best price.
New Business Phone System Makes the Difference
My small business was growing in almost every way imaginable. Every way except the bottom line, that is. My company primarily does business over the phone, with over ninety percent of our sales coming across our telephone lines. When our call volume started to increase late last year, I hired several new employees to man our existing phone system. We updated our computer software, desktops and server to make order processing substantially smoother. We redesigned our website for easy navigation and ordering for internet customers.
A Line for Every Extension
I recently replaced the business phone systems in the company I own to accommodate the needs of my staff. I wish I could say that it was to accommodate the needs of our customers, but sadly, that isn’t the case. You see, our old phone system had many more extensions than we had lines for. It was built with the assumption that inter-office communications would be utilized more than incoming and outgoing calls. Since my company deals primarily with internet business and doesn’t do much in the way of transactions over the phone, the system I put in place in the late 90’s had served us well until very recently. As of late, I have had vendors who had traditionally reached me by phone sending me e-mails.
Basics of Multi Line Commercial Phone Systems
While most commercial phone systems offer standardized features such as voice mail, call forwarding, transferring and hold music, not all are created equal. With three different options for businesses, it’s important to understand that the phone system you choose should be reflection of your businesses size and where you expect to be several years down the road. If your company has a very small number of employees, a KSU-less system might be the right choice.
Business Phones Keep Up With Changes In Technology
The basic premise that defines a business phone has been simple and well stated for many years. Business phones, unlike home telephones, need to be able to handle a large call volume and provide functionality that is useful to the end user. This usually includes the ability to field several calls at the same time, put people on hold when necessary, and direct phone traffic to wherever it needs to go.
My Experience Buying a Business Phone System
As the office manager for a small insurance company, one of the many duties I perform is purchasing. This normally involves stopping off at the local office supply store for pens, paper clips, printer paper, ink and toner. In other words, I’m not exactly entrusted with making high level, crucial decisions when it comes to purchasing. In fact, we used to have one of the secretaries do it. Unfortunately, when she retired, the onus fell on me.
Phone Games of the 21st Century
I recently had reason to call my phone company in order to inquire about some charges that were showing up on my bill. I first reached an automated message that told me to press one for English, which I did, followed by a menu with several options. Of the available options, none involved speaking to an actual human being. This was the type of phone system where you could either press the number of the option you wanted or speak it into the receiver.
Phone Sales not Ready to Yeild to the Internet
There is no question that the internet has revolutionized business. Many people are not only paying their bills online, but also ordering products and services at an ever expanding rate as well. Businesses with a web presence have opened themselves up to new market where many consumers take advantage of the ease of shopping from pages visually no different from a catalog.