Choosing a business phone system that suits your company’s specific needs can be overwhelming and time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. This list of the top five features you need to look for when picking out an office phone system will help you narrow down your options and find one best suited to your company, saving you time and money in the long run.
1. Direct Routing
Direct routing helps connect Microsoft office 365 to a phone system by dialing extension numbers without the need for an operator. Direct routing enhances business connectivity by routing incoming calls directly to extensions with the touch of one button and can send voicemail messages directly to their inbox instead of transferring them first. Voicemail delivery is instantaneous and not delayed by busy signals or other factors that might impede connections.
Less phone traffic means better customer service as incoming callers quickly connect to staff members on the line who can handle their needs immediately. You can also invite conference participants over the phone in seconds by just pressing one button and assigning them to a specific extension number. When they answer, they’ll automatically be connected to your conference call, saving you time and hassle.
2. Mobile Convergence
A reliable business phone system should offer mobile convergence, allowing you to use one phone number for both your office and your mobile phone. That can save you time and money, as you won’t have to give multiple phone numbers to clients and customers. Fixed-mobile convergence will enable you to seamlessly switch between your home or office’s fixed line and the mobile network without ever dropping the call. You’ll also be able to transfer calls from landline to mobile or vice versa.
3. Hosted VoIP Telephony
A hosted VoIP phone system is an excellent option for businesses that want to save money and maintain the quality of their telephony. Cloud hosting provides more reliability, flexibility, and scalability than traditional on-premises solutions. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for expensive hardware maintenance while providing easy access from any device with an internet connection.
A hosted VoIP solution also comes with a variety of other benefits, such as improved communication (with multiple channels), increased productivity (with collaboration tools), and enhanced customer service (through call recording). Lastly, cloud-hosted solutions often have lower upfront costs than traditional on-premises solutions.
4. Unified Communications
A reliable business phone system should offer unified communications, a platform that integrates different communication methods, including voice, video, VoIP, and instant messaging. Unified communications integrate multiple platforms to communicate with employees, clients, suppliers, and partners in various ways.
For example, your call center might use unified communications to offer agents the ability to receive incoming calls via traditional phone lines or VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services such as Skype. Other features might include mobile device management and desktop sharing services such as GoToMeetingTM or WebExTM.
Another feature worth mentioning is WebRTC, an open-source technology that enables web browsers to act as endpoints for real-time audio and video communications. WebRTC supports interactive conference calling, conferencing, chat, data collaboration (e.g., screen sharing), and application streaming media between participating web browsers – without the need for plugins like Flash or Java applets!
5. Voicemail Transcription and Call Recording
Voicemail transcription is a must-have for any business phone system. The feature allows you to transcribe voicemails into text automatically, so you can read them later for reference or even have them forwarded to your email. You no longer have to worry about missing important voicemails because they’re too long with voicemail transcription.
The feature saves you time and can be invaluable if English isn’t your first language. Call recording allows you to record calls and listen later or share them with others. Call recording is essential, especially if you need to review calls for quality control or training purposes. The feature lets you record incoming and outgoing calls on your business phone line. That is a handy feature for businesses that conduct frequent sales calls, customer service chats, or negotiations.
Conclusion
A reliable business phone system is an essential tool for any company. It can help you stay connected with customers, employees, and partners. However, it’s crucial to identify a reliable phone system telecoms company that offers all the features that your company needs and has the capabilities to customize critical elements to fit your specific requirements.
