Choosing a Business Phone System
If you are considering a new phone system, or needing to make changes to your phone system, with the NBN, there are a few questions you need to answer first to get yourself on the right track.
- Do you need a full phone system that includes physical desk telephones, or could your business get by with a virtual phone service that, utilises your computer or mobile phone?
- NBN is replacing traditional copper based phone lines. You now need to consider if your existing internet service has additional capacity for the voice service, or whether a dedicated voice service is required.
- Do you want to house the system at your business (on-premises) or have your service provider host it (cloud-based)?
If you’re not sure yet, read on. We’ll fill you in on the pros and cons of these types of phone systems:
- Hosted PABX
- VoIP
- On-premises systems
Hosted PABX
- A phone system hosted in the cloud. These are now fully fledged phone systems that can be connected to traditional handsets, softphone (answer through your computer/laptop), and mobile phone.
- These systems include a variety of features, such as automated receptionists, voicemail, call forwarding, call screening, 1300/1800 number and online faxing.
Pros: VoIP systems provide a sophisticated phone system complete with all the bells and whistles. Minimal upfront fees to get established. Can scale up and down with your business needs. Works from multiple services, 4G/5G mobile data, NBN, ADSL. Very flexible call handling and delivery options.
Cons: Relies on your internet connection. If the internet is offline the handsets will be as well (note you can switch to mobile data).
VoIP
- A phone system hosted in the cloud. These are now fully fledged phone systems that can be connected to traditional handsets, softphone (answer through your computer/laptop), and mobile phone.
- These systems include a variety of features, such as automated receptionists, voicemail, call forwarding, call screening, 1300/1800 number and online faxing.
Pros: Minimal upfront fees to get established. Can scale up and down with your business needs. Works from multiple services, 4G/5G mobile data, NBN, ADSL. Very flexible call handling and delivery options.
Cons: Relies on your internet connection. If the internet is offline the handsets will be as well (note you can switch to mobile data).
Traditional PABX
- Typically supported by a local or regional communications provider. Traditionally utilised a copper “landline” service, delivered as a PSTN or ISDN service.
- Traditional PABX units run with hardware on-premises. This is the hardware that’s used to create multiple extensions and provide phone system features, such as call transferring and call directories.
- Some traditional PABX systems today are considered hybrids with VoIP systems. They can support the VOIP services, as well as the current copper services.
- Many landline systems are being phased out by phone system providers.
Pros: Landline systems are a reliable, time-tested solution that many companies are comfortable using.
Cons: Post NBN, traditional systems are being retrofit or upgraded to support VoIP, while new systems come with this capability. They don’t often have the features and flexibility of cloud-based systems.
Business Phone System FAQs
Still not sure if you even need a business phone system, or if VoIP is a fit for you? No problem. Here are some questions and answers that may help you come to a decision.
Q: Do I need a phone system?
A: The simple answer is yes. Because so much of a business’s success depends on how it presents itself, all businesses benefit from some sort of business phone system.
It is critical for businesses to always present themselves in a professional manner. Having customers and clients reach you on a business line that is often answered by an automated attendant is an excellent way to achieve that.
Q: Can’t my employees and I just use our mobile phones for business purposes?
A: Just using your mobile line, without a PABX, presents a few issues. First, it doesn’t allow your small business to convey a professional image to your customers. Second, mobile lines don’t provide the features and tools that you and your employees will find most valuable. This includes voicemail to email, call forwarding, call screening, music on hold and online faxing.
Q: I’ve always had a traditional landline system. Will I be at a disadvantage if I continue using this type of system in the future?
A: The problem with landline systems isn’t their functionality. They still operate at a high level. The biggest issue you will run into with traditional landline phone systems is that as NBN rolls out, these copper services are being turned off.
Q: How do I know which phone system and provider are right for my business?
A: The decision really comes down to available resources. Small business owners need to consider their budget, whether they have a growing business, whether they have an IT staff capable of running and maintaining an in-house phone system, and whether they have access to a high-speed internet connection.
When choosing a phone provider for your small business, it is important to find a service that not only has the features and tools you want in a phone system but also offers the level of customer support you expect from a vendor partner.
If you are considering a cloud-hosted system, one factor you want to give serious thought to is uptime. Uptime refers to how often the system is operational. When the system is down, you won’t have access to your telephone services. The best providers have numerous data centers around the world to minimize downtime with the service. When speaking with different providers, ask about their uptime stats and whether they have any guarantees that will provide you with money back should the service be down for longer than the guaranteed amount each month.
Q: With cloud systems, is there only a monthly fee, or are there other costs I should be aware of?
A: There are some upfront costs with cloud-hosted phone systems. You most likely will pay for IP phones, which range from $50 to $600 each. In addition, some providers charge setup and training fees.
Q: With a cloud-hosted system, am I sharing a server with other businesses, or is there a server just for my business?
A: All NewVo cloud hosted PABX clients are on their own dedicated server.
Q: Is the connection on a VoIP system as good as on a landline?
A: While some users might be concerned about the quality of a VoIP system and how it sounds, the technology has come so far that it’s virtually impossible to tell the difference between landline and internet-based calls.
To ensure call quality is clear and strong, your business has to be conscientious about how you set up your data network. You have to ensure you have enough bandwidth to handle your call volume and that your network is set up to prioritize voice calls over other types of internet traffic.
Q: What types of features are available in a VoIP phone system?
A: While feature-rich phone systems were previously used only by large corporations, today’s VoIP options give small businesses the same benefits. Here are some of the calling and collaboration features you may find most beneficial:
- Voicemail
- Voicemail to email
- Voicemail to text
- Voicemail transcription
- Call forwarding
- Call recording
- Call queues
- The option of both local and toll-free numbers
- Interactive voice response
- Interoffice instant messaging
- Conference calling
- Automated attendants
- Extension dialing
- Ring groups
- Directory assistance
- Call transferring
- Internet faxing
- Call reports
- Call monitoring
- Missed call notifications
- Video conferencing
- Online meetings
- Instant messaging
- Text messaging
- Integrations with popular programs, such as Microsoft Outlook, Salesforce and Google’s services
- International calls
Q: Can remote employees access a business phone system?
A: VoIP technology gives employees the freedom to take and make business calls from anywhere, without the need for a business-dedicated cell phone. Business VoIP systems offer smartphone applications and mobility features that give employees the full functionality of their desk phones anytime, anywhere.
Q: Why should I care if my employees can access the phone system when they’re out of the office?
A: In today’s age of remote workers and flexible work arrangements, ensuring employees can be reached at all times, regardless of where they are, is critical. Business owners don’t want their customers and clients to have to hunt down their employees when they need them or, worse, not be able to reach them at all.
Mobility ensures that your employees are always reachable. It also gives them the freedom of always being connected without sharing their personal phone numbers.
Q: I keep seeing references to unified communications systems. How are those different from a phone system?
A: Many of today’s phone systems are unified communications systems. These systems combine voice calling, messaging, and video or online meetings into one service. They also offer audio conferencing and online faxing. Many of today’s phone system providers offer these services in their platforms.
Solutions that aren’t unified communications systems are those that only offer voice calling and related features.
Q: If my business has multiple locations, does it matter if I have an on-premises or a cloud-based system?
A: While both on-premises and hosted systems can support organizations with multiple locations, a cloud-hosted solution can simplify things.
Cloud-hosted systems don’t require you to install complex PBX equipment inside each location. This not only allows for easier setup but can also save you money. These cloud-hosted systems can be managed from one online platform, which also makes using them an easy task.