Businesses – regardless of their sizes – are bound to incorporate a business virtual number to support them in their growth, locally or internationally. And adopting a proper system will not only provide growth to your enterprise but will also gain the trust of your clients.
A usual misperception about phone systems is that they are just “phones”. Ordinary people would think that they are only simple boxes hanging on the wall that control your phone, but the truth is, this is not the case.
Unlike the older days where we solely depend on “phone in a box”, there are various and flexible ways to connect with our loved ones and clients as well. You don’t even have to acquire multiple devices if you want separate numbers for personal and business use.
Different kinds of business telephone system
So, what are the various kinds of the so-called business telephone system? Let’s tackle them one by one.
- PBX Phone System – a Private Branch Exchange phone system, or more commonly called a PBX system, is widely used because of the presence of its value-added features. The users of a PBX phone system can communicate and get in touch within their company and with the world outside seamlessly.
The system will provide you the freedom to have more phones and free calls between its users. Medium and large enterprises often select PBX over others because it has more advanced features. Some of the remarkable characteristics of the PBX system are:
- Auto-attendantAuto-attendant
- Auto dialing
- Automated call rerouting
- Record calls
- Call monitoring
- Hold music for messages at a queue
- Personalized call menus
- Call parking
- And many more
However, if you choose to invest in a PBX system, you should be fully aware of the type of PBX system your company needs. Is it the on-premise or hosted PBX? Let’s explore the distinction between the two.
An on-premise PBX, which in addition is considered as the traditional type is composed of phone lines, handsets, and miscellaneous supporting equipment (hardware) set up and regularly maintained by the organization itself. As mentioned, personnel can make and receive calls, while clients can connect with the PBX and then be redirected to their choice of destination.
Although on-premise PBX has full potential, it requires some technical understanding for some of the staff to manage and troubleshoot if something happened with the line. In short, this variety of PBX needs an IT to monitor the system, and it would prove to be costly to maintain for small and medium enterprises, and of course, especially for those startups.
On the contrary, the PBX system can be managed by your service provider. They are the ones who take care of your communication process.
- VoIP Phone System – Voice over Internet Protocol or commonly known as VoIP is one of the latest innovations to date. Though it is closely related to PBX, there are a few differences in terms of technicalities.
To make it simple, VoIP utilizes the Internet to make voice calls, unlike the customary phone lines. It has modern features that you’ll find very useful in your day-to-day connection. A few of the striking features are:
- Conference call – using the feature is very simple and yet an essential part of any organization. Furthermore, it allows unlimited participants.
- Instant messaging – VoIP service providers such as Telnum support free instant messaging among users.
- Call recording – this is one way of enhancing your business by recording and storing phone calls that you can utilize for future reference or analysis.
- And many more.
VoIP phone service is an essential tool for every organization. However, it will still depend on your requirements and budget.
- KSU – KSU stands for Key System Unit. It is a multi-line phone that is utilized to redirect calls on a phone system. Unlike the traditional phone system, KSU has more state-of-the-art features and most ideal for startups and small businesses. Still, because of its limited number of phone lines that can be incorporated into it, KSU is not suitable for larger companies that have many employees.
These are the most common business telephone system that modern businesses are incorporating in their organization nowadays. But as mentioned above, it will still depend on your capability, budget-wise, and the assessment of your business.
Final Words
There are vital factors that you should examine as well when choosing the service provider. Check if they provide the systems above and if they can support you in the assessment of your business communication. Just like Telnum that provides various services such as SMS virtual numbers, Toll-free, and Virtual numbers. Its VoIP service offers a wide range of connectivity to more than 90 countries across the globe.