Business Phone Systems For Beginners – How To Make the Right Choice

Starting a business doesn’t just involve perfecting the product (or service) you’re selling and taking your website and social media live. It also requires numerous logistical moves that many new business owners may not realize are necessary. One of these logistical necessities is choosing and investing in a business phone system so that clients have a way to contact you. 

Choosing a phone system for your business is not the same as buying a personal phone, and there are many more considerations that go into making this decision. If you’re wondering how to choose the right business phone system for your new startup, you’re in the right place – here’s what you need to know. 

Choose What Type of System You Want

As mentioned above, there are several business phone systems for you to choose from. That said, there are three main options you’ll need to consider – KSU, PBX, and VoIP. Here’s what you need to know about each of them:

• KSU: This is the most basic option and is only appropriate for businesses with under 40 employees working the phones. It’s easy to use and is similar to a home landline but isn’t portable or flexible enough for larger businesses.
• PBX: Slightly more advanced than the KSU system, the PBX system is heavily automated and has its own power supply, ensuring it will remain running during power issues. However, you’ll need to have a dedicated team to manage your system, making it a challenge for smaller companies to invest in.
• VoIP: This is a new innovation that allows you to easily communicate with clients worldwide. Unlike other systems, it requires both internet access and a computer, which may be a limiting factor. However, it’s easily scalable, and you can adapt it to meet the demands of both large and small businesses. That said, it is also the most expensive option of the three.

Of course, there are other phone systems you can use as well, including:

• Traditional landlines
• Virtual phone systems

Compare Systems

If you’ve never thought about what phone systems your business needs before, there’s a good chance you may be a bit confused about how to choose which is right for your needs. As the team behind www.compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/best-pbx-business-phone-system points out, one option is to compare systems against each other. Having a side-by-side comparison will allow you to determine all the pros and cons, and you can easily decide what’s important and what can be overlooked. 

Some factors you can take into consideration include the cost of the system, the number of employees you’ll need to run it, and how easily you’ll be able to understand the technicalities. That said, each choice is specific to a business’s needs, and there may be other factors unique to your company that you should consider as well – you know your needs best. 

Consider Your Future Needs

The fact is, not every business owner plans to turn a small company into a sprawling empire. There are several reasons to keep your company small, and this perspective can also affect your choice of phone systems. If you’re planning to expand, you should invest in a system that can grow with you, but if you’re not expecting any major changes to the size of your business anytime soon, you can look at other options as well. 

The possibility of future growth is one of the reasons why VoIP is so popular. Unlike other phone systems, VoIP is adaptable to businesses of all sizes, so companies that opt for this option are prepared for any eventuality. 

Mobile Support

Mobiles aren’t just an important consideration when thinking about clients – it also affects your employees. 

A large chunk of workers either work remotely or opt to work on the go at some point or another, so it’s essential to ensure that your phone system supports mobiles. This means that if your staff is working outside the office, they can still respond to phone calls and remain connected no matter what. 

If you’ve never had to consider the technicalities of phone systems before, getting your head around them can seem challenging. However, as long as you have a good handle on your business’s needs in the short term, and how you expect your target customer base to react to your offerings, you’ll find that making the choice is actually easier than you ever imagined. 

That said, if you still find things challenging, keep the points discussed above in mind – they’ll help you make the final call even when all the information you’re receiving seems overwhelming.