Are you ready to shake your head in disbelief? A phone system is only a fractional bit of business phone solutions and isn’t even the most important part. To start, it’s the relationship between you and the provider, the support they provide, both pre and post-installation. A dedicated phone number as part of the business phone solution is crucial for optimizing communication and customer interactions. It focuses on proactive communication coupled with ongoing monitoring and business analytics. Those analytics can provide advanced insights and help monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and quality of service (QoS) reports, enhancing communication efficiency. The question you need to answer is, when you look beyond the features, does the complete offering work for you?
Don’t worry; I completely understand your reluctance to agree, but by the end of this article, you’ll turn from a skeptic to a believer. Are you ready to learn how a reliable business phone system can transform your business?
What to Look for in a Business Phone System
A business phone system should have everything you need for smooth communication. It should let you make unlimited calls, send business texts, record calls, manage voicemails, including voicemail-to-email, and manage calls. Managing incoming and outbound calls is crucial; real-time insights can significantly enhance communication management. Plus, it should have administration features like simple call management and interaction analytics. This will help you, your customers, and your employees interact with each other more efficiently and save money, and you can’t forget to be secure and reliable.
Evaluating how many people will use the system, how many calls you’ll make, and what features you need is necessary for a successful launch. The best part is you don’t have to do this alone. We’re the experts in phone systems and business communication, so take advantage and let us help you customize a system that fulfills your needs.
Types of Business Phones
When it comes to business phone systems, there are different options to consider, each offering unique benefits:
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Phones: These phones use the internet to make and receive calls, making them a cost-effective and flexible option. VoIP phones are ideal for businesses looking to reduce phone bills and enjoy advanced features.
IP Phones: Similar to VoIP phones, IP phones use internet protocol for communication. They are often used with VoIP systems and provide high-quality voice calls.
Desk Phones: These are the traditional landline phones that are commonly used in office settings. They are reliable and familiar, making them a staple in many business environments.
Mobile Apps: Many modern business phone systems offer mobile apps that allow users to make and receive calls on their smartphones or tablets. This feature is handy for remote workers and those who need to stay connected on the go.
Key Features to Consider
Now that time has been spent seemingly discussing how features aren’t important, which they absolutely are, let’s run down the specs of what you should be considering when looking into business phone solutions:
Standard services:
Call forwarding, call routing, and call recording capabilities
Unlimited domestic calling
Reports and analytics, including call logs and interaction data
Integration with business systems
Mobile apps for remote access and management
Complementary add-on services:
Built-in cloud redundancies, including 4G backup
Business texting and SMS marketing for effective customer communication and engagement through order confirmations and promotional offers
Strong and reliable business internet connection
Business e-fax is ready to go
Is this everything? Of course not, but it’s a solid foundation to start. Keep reading—there’s more to learn.
Benefits of Business Phone Solutions
Security and compliance
The threat of cyberattacks isn’t going anywhere. In fact, cybercriminals are going after businesses of any size to either hold them for ransom or outright steal data and money from them. A services-rich managed service provider (MSP) cannot only protect your phone system but can evaluate and monitor your network infrastructure to help defeat any malicious attacks. With the number of connected IoT (Internet of Things) devices, cameras, tablets, alarm systems, etc., all using the same internet, it’s crucial to keep everything secure.
You can’t forget about physical security, either. This is especially important with retail businesses or warehouses, so a security system that integrates with your phone system might be a solid option. Although nationally violent crime is down, burglaries ebb and flow based on more local conditions and must be strongly considered.
Related content: 5 Tips for Choosing A Business Security Camera System
Cost-effective solutions
One of the biggest advantages of moving to a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone system is the relatively nonexistent upfront investment and dramatically decreased ongoing costs. According to a recent study from G2, when switching to VoIP, you can save as much as 90 percent on your initial investment and up to 50 percent on ongoing costs. Instead of forking over your child’s college tuition to rip out your old PBX and buy an entirely new system out of pocket, you can now take advantage of a subscription-based service. I don’t know about you, but that’s real money you could save and a win/win for all involved.
Additionally, when you work with a provider that offers more than one service, you can bundle and save even more!
Ensure high uptime and reliability
Business phone solutions are a modern-day gold rush. A recent report from Research and Markets estimates that the managed services industry will be worth US $280.96 billion in 2024. The fear is whether you are hitching your business to a snake-oil salesman or a trusted partner. The answer to that question will directly correlate to the stability of the system you’re signing up for. For example, Rhode Island Telephone has been in business for 37 years, supporting businesses in southern New England. We’ve dedicated our services and support to better the businesses in our community. You’ll receive 24/7 local support with 99.99% uptime, included with every service we offer.
This isn’t a hard sell, either. The purpose is to show you that you can find quality, reliable service in your backyard without sacrificing price or features.
Scalable solutions for growing businesses
The ability to scale your business communications now in a given moment is easy compared to the antiquated phone systems of the recent past. You can manage multiple phone numbers, including local and toll-free numbers, to enhance communication capabilities as your business grows. If the pandemic and the uptick in natural disasters have taught us anything, we need to be ready to adjust. For instance, you have a seasonal retail business on the shore that is extremely busy during the summer. Instead of paying for extensions you don’t need for three quarters of the year, you can add what you need for the time you need it in the web portal of the system; then, when it’s time to deactivate those extensions, go ahead and get them turned off.
Business Phone System Integration and APIs
Integration capabilities are a significant advantage of modern business phone systems. Many systems seamlessly integrate with other business tools and applications, such as CRM, helpdesk, and marketing automation platforms. This integration helps streamline business processes, improve productivity, and enhance customer service. Additionally, many providers offer APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that allow developers to build custom integrations and applications. This flexibility ensures that your business phone system can adapt to your specific needs and workflows, providing a tailored communication solution.
By understanding and leveraging these features, small businesses can enhance their communication strategies, improve efficiency, and drive growth.
Customer Support and Reliability
Importance of customer support
Customer support is a cornerstone of reliability and efficiency with business phone systems. A dependable and responsive customer support team can make all the difference in troubleshooting issues, answering questions, and ensuring your phone system remains operational. Look for providers that offer 24/7 customer support, accessible through multiple phone, email, and chat channels. A comprehensive knowledge base or FAQ section can also be invaluable for quick self-service solutions.
Reliability is equally important. Opt for providers who guarantee a strong internet connection, redundant servers, and automatic failover mechanisms to keep your phone system online even during outages. Providers who offer business analytics and call logs can help you monitor and optimize your system’s performance, ensuring you get the most out of your investment.
When evaluating customer support and reliability, consider the following factors:
Availability of Customer Support: Ensure support is available 24/7 and through multiple channels.
Responsiveness: Assess how quickly the provider responds to support requests and their effectiveness in resolving issues.
Reputation: Research the provider’s reputation for reliability and uptime and how they handle outages and issues.
Business Analytics and Call Logs: Check if the provider offers tools to help you monitor and optimize your phone system’s performance.
By thoroughly evaluating these aspects, you can choose a business phone system provider who offers the level of customer support and reliability your small business needs to thrive.
Embrace the Best Business Phone Solution for Your Small Business From Rhode Island Telephone
There’s never a wrong time to evaluate your business technology, especially when you can save money and better secure your business. By enhancing your business communications, you invite a better customer experience, which will only benefit you in the long run. Consider your great customer experiences with other companies as a consumer: text reminders for appointments, never having to repeat yourself because proper notes are made on your account, and knowing that when you contact them, they’re there for you.
Even though you may chalk it up to good business practice, the expansive technology underlines the experience. That business you’re thinking of could and should be how yours operates, and it starts with a business phone solution.
If you’re ready to discover what Rhode Island Telephone can do for you and your business, it’s time to schedule a FREE demo.
