Things to Consider For a Medium Business Phone System
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If you are setting up a business phone system for a Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) of 15- 250 users the below sections should be support by your business systems provider:
Remote Workers / Home Workers
If you are working away from the office or from home and you have access to your companies network you can connect an IP telephone (either software or a hardphone) to your companies telephone system and act exactly the same as if you were in the office. Also using a VPN set up it is possible to interact with all the data and files as if you were still in the office at your desk.
Line Rental & Call Costs
Long-term cost is always an important factor when setting up a small business phone system. Ideally you want a business phone provider that will keep your rental fee as cheap as possible whilst maintaining quality. The same goes for the usage of the line as the last thing you want to do is burden your business with expensive connectivity. Be sure to look out for what the business phone system providers line can handle and if that it covers all your current needs and any future telecoms development you might have planned.
Business Mobile Phones
Mobile communications play a vital role in today’s business world. So as a result they are an essential part of a business phone system. Ensure you go with a company that can offer a good range of mobile handsets and networks.
Business Broadband
Speed and download allowance are the two main factors to bear in mind when choosing an internet package for your business. Unless your company is barely using the internet an unlimited download package is nearly always the best option. The average internet speeds in the UK are 4MB so any package that can offer a speed on the positive side of 4MB is a good choice.
Mobility (FMC – Fixed Mobile Convergence)
FMC allows the user to make calls from a mobile handset over your Companies Wi-Fi network or over the GSM network when leaving the office or other Wi-Fi Networks (home or major Public areas).
You are also able to dial into the office FOC and dial out from one of your companies standard telephone lines at Landline rates rather than mobile phone contact rates. Savings from dual mode (Smart Devices such as PDA’s) handsets are very clear for all companies paying for more than a few mobiles.
Multisite Locations
If you are a company that operates from more than one office there are many benefits to networking you telephone system so that it operates as one system.
The main benefits would be:
- FOC inter-site telephone calls
- Shared or Centralised Operators
- Provides staff at different locations with centralised and shared functionality, such as extension status, transferring of calls, call divert and call back all of which work perfectly even if in different locations
- The set up of hunt groups in different locations
- DECT cordless roaming between sites
Voice over IP (VOIP)
This is a technology that converts traditional speech into data packets so you are able to send the call over your LAN if in the office or over any form of IP connections such as a companies WAN or ADSL.
When the IP call arrives at its destination the call in converted back into traditional speech.
The main benefits of VOIP are:
- Running voice and data over one Network and one CAT5 socket in the office saving on additional resources being required running a data network and a voice network.
- Connecting telephone system together using IP connections such as a company WAN or IP/VPN.
- Allows a home worker to remain in full contact with the office whilst working from another location using a standard ADSL connection.
- Allows connection or your mobile phone to the telephone system via Wi-Fi IP Connection.
Voice Recording
The ability to record telephone conversations for later playback and analysis can be great for training, problem resolution, and customer services. This encompasses the recording of ends of a telephone call for incoming, outgoing and conference calls.
Conversations are recorded to a storage medium, often a hard disc on a local PC, or network device. Key features would include a fast search facility to track down recordings for playback. Call recording delivers peace of mind for users. The information recorded is valuable and may be used for training purposes as well as in dispute resolution of false claims. Not all users need full blown and sophisticated call recording systems. There is a case for more cost effective systems that archive calls for a set period of time.
If you are accessing your messages via a standard telephone your are able to listen to your voice-mail the normal, listen to your e-mails via text to speech and forward faxes onto any fax machine that you are near. The way in which it works is we supply a Server and software that is connected onto your LAN and fully integrates with your Exchange server. The messages are still stored on the voice-mail server and played on request.
