From internal communications between employees, to collaboration with remote branches, to incoming calls from clients or customers, the backbone of a business phone system is their PBX, or "Private Branch Exchange." From the rudimentary days of the old switchboard systems, to the modern computer controlled business phone systems of today - it's more than just a means of communication - the PBX is how things get done. Let's have a look at what it takes to integrate the power of one of these into your everyday workflow.
The first step you'll need to take is to enumerate the phone system needs of your business. With the sea of services in the market, you don't want to get blindsided by unforeseen necessities in the future, after your system is entrenched in your business. The market changes fast, you want a business phone system that will continue to match any future demands you may place on it.
Cabinet space and installation requirements are far too often overlooked. A business PBX can vary in size from tiny to huge. A dazzling array of features is no small comfort if you fail to account for the amount of space the unit will take up, especially if space is a consideration.
Not only that, but installation is a sobering topic. Many powerful PBX systems take special proprietary connections and wiring, extended networking, or wholly gutting your existing phone system to make way for the new. Some can use a standard phone system already in place, or even your basic computer network - though you may also end up sacrificing features for flexibility and convenience. Many times, the proprietary setups use their special connectors and wiring to deliver more data and extra features.
A unique option in the market is the "Hosted PBX." Rather than installing a machine to service your business, a hosted PBX is a run remotely, usually leased on a monthly or yearly basis. The advantage is largely that you can take a hands off approach to the system, and have little investment in equipment. Calls can easily be routed to other numbers as well, such as cells and home phones. The advantages do come at a price though, with much of your system being tied up remotely, which can become a nightmare should you later switch to a local system. Transferring everything from menus to voicemail to extensions to the new system can become difficult.
"Can you hear me now?" isn't something you want your customers or employees to have to utter. Making sure you're able to keep in touch around the office, and with the outside world is a very real and serious demand of modern business. Your selection of a business phone system will ensure that you're capable of seamless integration with other modern technology, such as email and text messaging. Hopefully some of the topics mentioned here have given you some food for thought, while determining what you really need.
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