New Business Telephone Systems Checklist

 

If you’re contemplating a change for your office telephone system, and are perhaps looking at an upgrade to the standard system you currently have, there are a few things you need to consider before doing so.

Firstly, you need to do a brief overview of your existing telephone system; write down how many phones you have, considered against how many phones you actually need. Look ahead at your business plan for the next three to four years; how many extra staff do you intend to employ over this term, and how many individuals are likely to be on the phone at the same time?

Another important factor is to recognise where, if at all, your existing telephone communication lines are letting you down where you, as the consumer, would like to see improvements in your investment. It may become apparent that you will need more phone lines installing, with internal extensions, and a better internal communications system to help staff increase productivity throughout their day.

Once you’ve established the types of changes you would prefer to make, take a look at the outbound calls your business makes on a day to day basis. Things to consider include the frequency of international calls, how many offices you have, and if those offices are connected with phone calls on a regular basis. The answers to these questions will help your chosen installer to recommend the best way to route all of your external calls and discuss with you the possibilities of upgrading your existing telecoms system to direct your office-to-office calls in a more cost effective way, using IP technology. If the use of IP telecommunications sounds attractive to you as a business owner, it will be worth looking at the capabilities of your IT system. Find out if the IT network and cables you already have can be used to your advantage when switching your telephone system, as this could save both time and money during the installation process.

The next thing you need to study is the telephone handsets themselves. Figure out which type of telephone will work to your advantage and observe how your staff utilise your current configuration. Look at how your employees move around the office space; are people away from their desks for long periods of time? Do some staff members need to work remotely or are they field based, and do you have a need to route calls from a reception switchboard to various recipients throughout the site, etc.?

Gaining a better understanding of how your current telephone system works for you will also give you an indicative idea of exactly what you need from your new telephone system. It may be reasonably accurate to suggest that implementing a good voicemail and redirection telephone system would be of a distinct advantage, or you may discover that your current handsets need to be hands free or cordless.

Thinking of the basics and the practicalities will give you a better understanding of what you should expect from your new telephone system and how a change could potentially impact your business in the future.

If you would like any assistance determining the best new phone system for your business, contact Midland Networks today on 0800 849 8585. We supply business telephone systems in Redditch, Birmingham and the entire West Midlands.