All businesses, big and small, are driven by communication. Your phone system is crucial to maintaining successful communications both inside and outside of your company. However, choosing an ideal business telephone system that works for your company can be challenging.
When purchasing office phone systems on the Gold Coast or Brisbane, there are several things to consider. For instance, you must have sufficient capacity to meet your current requirements whilst working on expansion plans. It is pivotal to be aware of the features offered by contemporary phone systems and to choose a business phone system that can accommodate all the functions your company needs.
This article is for company owners who seek advice on what to search for and what to consider when buying a phone system.
Virtual Phone Systems
Virtual phone systems join callers to individuals working from their homes or directly to their mobile phones when they dial a main corporate phone line.
When a consumer dials the main phone line, these systems function as a comprehensive call-forwarding solution, diverting calls to a worker’s home or mobile phone rather than a desk phone.
Numerous functions, including voicemail, call forwarding, call screening, toll-free lines, and online faxing are included in these systems. This type of business telephone system on the Gold Coast is best for sole proprietorships or small companies with remote employees.
Traditional Landline Systems
In this context, ‘landlines’ refer to conventional phone networks, which are frequently provided by a local or regional phone provider. Landlines, sometimes referred to as public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), are analog systems that utilise the conventional copper cable of the telephone company.
To operate a landline service, one requires on-premises PBX (private branch exchange) hardware. Creating many extensions and providing phone system capabilities such as call transferring and call directories are both made possible by this technology. Today, some landline systems are regarded as VoIP hybrids. Each phone is connected to the data network of the organisation through a conventional phone line.
VoIP Phone Systems
VoIP phone systems employ a company’s existing internet connection in place of the copper cables that landlines run on.
VoIP systems provide features like automated attendants, call queues, and computer integration, which enables voicemails to be delivered to email inboxes and PCs. This allows the PC’s or laptops to be used as softphones, which was previously only available to large businesses with expensive PBX hardware.
A VoIP system also enables distant employees to use their mobile devices to access the company’s phone system.
There are two types of VoIP systems:
- On-Premise VoIP Systems
With on-premises systems, all the hardware, including the PBX needed to maintain the phone system, is kept by your company. On-premise solutions demand a significant capital outlay because you have to buy the hardware upfront.
- Cloud-Based VoIP Systems
The only hardware that requires maintenance with cloud-based systems is phones. All the PBX technology is housed, updated, and maintained by the service provider for you. Growing enterprises may quickly access new capabilities and simply create new lines of service thanks to this cloud technology.
How to choose the best business phone system?
To find the solution that best suits your needs, there are a few questions you need to consider first.
- Would your company be able to suffice with a virtual phone service that depends on mobile devices rather than a full phone system with actual desk telephones?
- What type of service do you want if you do require desk phones? Do you feel comfortable using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system, which utilises the internet and is offered by various providers? Or would you rather make calls using a conventional landline service, which is offered by a local or regional phone provider?
- If you decide to utilise VoIP, do you want the system to be hosted in the cloud by your service provider or on-premises at your company?
At Express Voice and Data, we can provide the best solution whether you need a large or small business phone system setup. To learn more about our services, contact us today!