Office phone systems aren’t just a neat feature to have for your company. Professional communications help you guide and manage your operations for greater revenue.
For example, you’re able to collaborate with associates and employees more effectively, no matter where they are. This feature is becoming all the more important, with one report finding that nearly 80% of companies are implementing hybrid work.
What should your office phone system look like in 2024 and beyond? Review our quick guide to find out.
Key Takeaways:
- In 2024, office phone systems must operate using Voice over Internet Protocol instead of legacy landlines.
- Essential features of an office phone system include omnichannel connections, business app integrations, and mobile freedom.
- Look for a communications provider that offers excellent support and service reliability.
How Modern Office Phone Systems Work
Landlines are yesterday’s news. Modern office phone systems no longer rely on wired analog connections.
The least costly, most feature-rich, and highest-quality phone connections occur over the internet. Voice over Internet Protocol makes these connections possible.
Additionally, online connectivity means office phone systems do so much more than make voice calls. Messaging, email, video conferencing, and webchat are a few of the other channels. Plus, you get a host of other advanced features that enhance your organization.
Essential Features of Modern Office Phone Systems
When you sign up for office phone systems with Intermedia, you’re getting the best that modern communications have to offer.
Omnichannel Connections
Not only do you have multiple channels with unified communications, but those channels also integrate together seamlessly. That means you can save details from different conversations on distinct channels with a person conveniently in the same place.
As a result, your employees can get the information they need quickly and collaborate better. Interactions with customers also improve, boosting your retention rates.
Simple Pricing
Office phone systems from Intermedia don’t have hidden fees and prices. Unite Pro starts at $27.99 a month per line, or upgrade to Enterprise for just $5 more.
Effortlessly add or remove other features from your administrative dashboard, including:
- Archiving
- Contact center
- Fax lines
- Resource lines
You stay in control of scaling your plan as necessary.
Advanced Features
Other great components help you boost connectivity and productivity.
Auto Attendant
With an automated attendant, your callers reach a phone menu that lets them connect with the appropriate party using voice or dial pad input. The interactive voice response is easy to set up and adjust for unique schedules, such as holidays.
Conferencing
Your calls aren’t just for one-on-one interactions. Intermedia’s office phone systems let you hold meetings or sales calls with up to 200 participants.
Beyond crystal-clear communications, you can share screens, make unlimited recordings, and input annotations. Transcriptions and meeting insights provide a helpful record after the event.
Contact Center Integration
If customer call volume starts to skyrocket, you can integrate an omnichannel contact center that operates right alongside your internal unified communications. You don’t need to go to another vendor for help, and all of your systems have award-winning 24/7 support.
Call Transfer and Forwarding
Transferring calls to another one of your devices is a breeze if you’re on the move or have a utility outage. You can also automatically forward calls to an appropriate person depending on the caller’s location or your business hours.
Caller ID and Recording
With modern office phone systems, you can know who is calling with caller ID and let call recipients know who you are for strong branding and professionalism. Plus, secure automatic call recording for training and compliance purposes is a standard feature.
Local and Toll-Free Numbers
Toll-free numbers are another way to show your professionalism by saving callers with landlines from fees. Local numbers help you have a more personal presence in multiple locations.
User-Friendly Apps
Since your team is connecting to your office phone systems with apps, everything should be straightforward. Count on mobile and desktop apps that are efficient and easy to learn.
Business Software Integrations
Popular business applications sync smoothly with Intermedia’s Unite platform. Still, no matter which programs you use, the Extend API platform lets your developers create custom solutions for ticketing systems, enterprise resource planning, and customer relationship management software.
Professional Equipment
You can ensure everyone has solid hardware for communications with high-quality desk phones. Simply plug them into an online network for immediate connectivity.
How To Choose an Office Phone Systems Provider
Work with the right provider of office phone systems to have a worry-free experience.
Features You Need
Make sure your prospective provider has all of the features above, such as an auto attendant and software integrations. Look for other features that help you boost productivity, including:
- Artificial intelligence with natural language processing
- Secure backup and file management
- Email encryption and protection
A provider should also be capable of SIP trunking, which allows it to connect an existing traditional phone system to the internet for advanced capabilities.
Ability To Scale
Online office phone systems allow you to scale the number of lines quickly so you can meet a sharp increase in demand. Make sure your admin portal offers you the freedom to adjust your service.
Cloud and Hybrid Capabilities
More businesses are embracing hybrid or even full-on remote work. Your workers can easily connect to each other through the same secure online office phone systems, while your company still owns and manages all communications.
World-Class Reliability and Support
The only acceptable number for guaranteed uptime for contemporary office phone systems is 99.999%. That equals less than 30 seconds a month of downtime for your business.
Also, your provider should be ready to guide you through the onboarding or migration process. After that, customer support must be reliable, with round-the-clock availability. Intermedia’s award-winning service meets that mark and then some.
Strong Track Record
Digital solutions make it easy for inexperienced newcomers to start offering office phone systems. Your provider needs to have an outstanding reputation for success. Intermedia’s thousands of customers can testify that our service is top-notch.
Learn More About Intermedia’s Office Phone Systems
If you’re looking for the best office phone systems, talk to our team at Intermedia. We’ll help you determine which Unite platform plan suits your organization.
Melinda Curtis
Melinda Curtis is a Director of Product Marketing at Intermedia, where she focuses on helping businesses improve employee productivity and enhance their customer experiences using Intermedia's award-winning cloud communications solutions. Melinda brings over 20 years of experience in telecommunications, having worked in B2C and B2B marketing, product management, and vendor management roles. In her free time, she loves to travel with her family.
November 6, 2023
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