As a small business owner, you have a mountain of decisions to make. Central to your operations is regular, reliable communication with clients, employees, and vendors.
While solopreneurs might be able to function with a single mobile line, that isn’t enough for businesses with growing teams. Connecting through personal cell phones looks unprofessional, leaves gaps in communications, and compromises your security.
Instead, you should look for office phone systems for your small business. Many companies find turning to unified communications systems improves productivity, reduces costs, and increases revenue.
Find out how a professional phone service benefits your growing enterprise.
Key Takeaways:
- Office phone systems connect your team seamlessly and securely.
- Cloud-based phone systems are superior to traditional analog phone services.
- An office phone system for your small business is inexpensive and offers many advanced features that improve your operations.
- Look for a phone system that is part of a unified communications solution.
- Internet phones can ensure your team has excellent devices for high-quality connections.
What Are Office Phone Systems for Small Business Operations?
Office phone systems for small business operations are multiline communications services for professional teams. These systems offer advanced features for collaboration and customer service.
Are Office Phone Systems Expensive?
Modern business phone systems are inexpensive and easy to install. Top-rated systems, such as the highly rated Unite Pro, start at under $30 a month.
The subscription provides your company access to unlimited calling, free phones, and advanced call analytics. You have the option to add other popular features, but only as much as you need.
What Are the Different Types of Office Phone Systems?
You have different options for office phone systems for your small business. Understand the primary features between them to select the right one for you.
Analog On-Premises Systems
Analog phone systems use traditional landlines that physically connect a team’s phones. The system gives your business maximum control, but installation, maintenance, upgrades, and security are expensive. Such a service also restricts your team to a single location.
Cloud-Based VoIP Systems
Cloud-based phone systems keep your company’s public branch exchange in the cloud. Your provider hosts, maintains, and protects your communications hardware at secure data centers.
Cloud-based systems are less expensive than traditional PBX and permit remote connectivity. Therefore, your company can easily connect employees who work from home.
In addition, managing your system with an administrative dashboard is straightforward and efficient. You don’t have to rely on complicated and expensive installations to modify, upgrade, or move your system to a new location.
What Features Are Available for Small Business Office Phone Systems?
Office phone systems for small business establishments offer features that meet your company’s needs and improve productivity. Look for the following advanced features.
Automated Attendant
An auto attendant saves you from hiring a human operator. The system accepts calls and routes them to the appropriate individual, depending on the caller’s input.
Video Conferencing
Video conferencing can improve team collaboration. Instead of using just any free or cheap software, top business systems keep these connections securely in your account and offer advanced productivity features for working together.
Call Recording, Monitoring, and Reporting
Your office system can automatically record, monitor, and analyze calls so you can track your team’s usage and performance.
Software Integrations
You can drive customer retention and increase revenue by integrating your business software with your phone system. For example, your team will spend less time inputting and searching for data in your customer relationship management programs.
What Are Unified Communications Solutions?
Office phone systems for small business operations need to do more than offer voice calls. Customers expect to be able to reach your business through text, video calls, email, and online chat.
However, you need to ensure that all communications stay under one system for security, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance. Unified communications and collaboration solutions meet this need for omnichannel conversations.
You don’t have to look to multiple vendors to enable each channel. With unified communications as a service software, all features work together.
Also, you make things easier for your employees because they can handle all conversations in one system instead of toggling between apps. You can even allow them to download the app to their personal devices for greater flexibility and mobility.
Mariel Santos
Mariel Santos is the Director of Marketing Communications at Intermedia
June 27, 2023
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