3 STEPS TO CHOOSING THE RIGHT OFFICE PHONE SYSTEM


Office phone systems have come a long way in the last few years. It is now possible to completely outsource your telecommunications hosting to a third party and connect easily with mobile devices, desk phones, laptops, and a variety of other options. Choosing the right system for your office will depend on your goals and the equipment you currently have at your disposal. Here are three things to do before you make your next big investment in office phones:

  • Set a Goal: As with any major investment on the part of your company, spending money without having a clear goal in sight will only lead to disappointment. Before you ever begin shopping, take a moment to decide what the end goal of your phone system will be. Are you aiming to have a full-service call center? Will you be expanding to a new location soon? How many employees do you want to support? Take the time to set out a defined goal for your investment so that you can be sure to see the return on investment once you reach the other side.
  • Figure Out What You Need: In addition to considering where your business is headed and how your office phone systems will serve that end, discuss what you actually need out of your phone system. Are you currently experiencing reliability problems with your phones? Do you need to add conferencing or voicemail capabilities for better customer service? What complaints are you hearing from staff members about your current setup, and how can those problems be addressed?
  • Consult With a Professional: A professional telecommunications company can be your greatest asset in choosing your new office phone systems. Often they can take your list of wants and needs and offer multiple solutions to choose from. You can compare and contrast these systems and learn about how each system will serve you differently.

Office phone systems are no longer the beastly investment they once were, but they do require a higher level of understanding about how and why you are communicating. In order to choose an effective office phone solution, it is important that you take the time to define where your business is headed long-term to avoid making repeat investments every time you hit a major milestone. In addition, reflecting on the problems you have faced with your current system and looking for solutions to that will point you in the direction of features and functions that you may not have needed when you made your last major phone system purchase.

Once you have defined your goals and made a list of needs, it is time to call on a professional phone system integrator to put together a selection of options you can choose from to meet your needs. Compare the technology, the price, and the features included in each plan so you can confidently determine which one is best suited to your operations.


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