A quick summary:
- A business phone system is a great way to help you manage your existing call volume, prepare for business growth, and make complex tasks feel simple.
- Business phone systems usually fall into one of three types or categories: cloud-based, private branch exchange (PBX) or session initiation protocol (SIP) trunk.
- Implementing a business phone system in Perth can help you reduce physical hardware costs, build a scalable communications solution, facilitate flexibility and remote call access, as well as give you access to detailed data and insights.
- Depending on your needs and the size of your business, you might need some help from an external partner, like Xenex Systems, to get things up and running the way you’d like.
As Perth businesses look to start scaling, it becomes increasingly important to make sure the systems and infrastructure is ready to scale with it. This includes the hardware, systems and processes surrounding internal and external communication too, which makes business phone systems a crucial part of the setup.
Whether you’re communicating with customers, clients, partners, suppliers or others, it’s pretty unsustainable to operate on single-line telephones or relying solely on your personal mobile. One of the most efficient solutions is a business phone system.
What is a Business Phone System?
At face value, it’s pretty simple. A business phone system is what it says it is; a phone system built for businesses. It’s also much more.
When we talk about a business phone system, we’re talking about a network of software, numbers and services that are designed specifically to help businesses manage their calls in a structured, professional way that works with how the business itself operates. Depending on the type of business phone system, you can simplify complex tasks, like:
- Handling multiple lines;
- Convert voicemails to emails; and
- Setting up call routing, queues and interactive or automated voice responses.
Single-line phones and mobile devices are a direct line between you and the people you speak to, but a business phone system sits in the middle (between your business phone number and your staff), so that everything can be managed efficiently. This is especially important to consider for service-based businesses, for example, who may have multiple calls in a short space of time and multiple staff on hand to manage them.
What are the Different Types of Business Phone Systems?
There are a few different types of business phone systems available for Perth businesses. The right one comes down to knowing exactly what you need, how you plan to grow and expand, and having a clear understanding of how your customer service or call operations work.
Cloud-Based Phone Systems
Cloud-based phone systems are types of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) systems that allow calls to be made digitally over an internet connection. This process is usually managed end-to-end by a third-party provider. This type of setup needs no hardware, apart from headsets and devices that support the software or apps, and there’s usually some great features available, like call recording.
Private Branch Exchange (PBX) Phone Systems
PBX phone systems are more of your traditional phone systems that are physically installed and maintained within your office environment. This type of setup gives you control over the configuration of the business phone system and the data it gives you, but tends to need an internal or external IT team to handle maintenance. 3CX phone systems are one of the most well-known types of PBX phone systems.
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Trunk Phone Systems
SIP trunking solutions bring together a hybrid approach of internet-based and physical phone systems. They connect your existing PBX phone system to the internet, which means an older system can take advantage of a digital environment without your business having to fork out for an entirely new set of hardware.
What Are the Benefits of a Business Phone System?
Having a dedicated business phone system can benefit your outcomes and operations in a few different ways.
Reduces Physical Hardware Costs
If you opt for a PBX or SIP trunk phone system, you can reduce costs by essentially reducing the need for new physical hardware, and even replacing the need for physical hardware entirely with internet-based software and digital licensing.
Scalable Communications Solution
Set your business up to scale successfully when it comes to communications. An effective business phone system solution provides you with the infrastructure, flexibility and level of automation that you need to be able to handle increases in call volume without increasing your overheads or your need for more staff.
Flexibility and Remote Call Access
Whether you’ve got staff working remotely, or as part of a hybrid working model, modern business phone systems (especially cloud-based), help to break down the barriers between your physical office and other locations that your team might be working from. It keeps everything in a central place or hub, over the internet.
Reporting and Analytics
Another benefit is the reporting capability of business phone systems, that give you access to detailed data and analytics. Perth businesses are able to use a business phone system to automatically collect, process and even visualise data to help uncover actionable business insights.
Why An IT Partner Should Install a Business Phone System
Maybe you’ve spoken to a few potential IT partners already, or maybe you’re just doing your research. No matter the situation, it’s important to know what your internal team is capable of, and what you might need an external team to assist with.
Depending on the size of your business, it might be important to engage an external IT partner to install your business phone system. This is a consideration that could mean the difference between a good setup, and a great setup.
A managed IT service provider, like Xenex Systems, can install a modern business phone system that not only works well, but helps you achieve your growth objectives, connects as many parts of the business as you want it to, and assists you in delivering an exceptional experience for your customers or clients.
Call us on (08) 6245 2800 or contact us online and tell us a bit more about what you’re planning to build. From there, we’ll work out a plan to build a business phone system that supports your Perth business.
Frequently Asked Questions About Business Phone Systems
Our team gets a lot of questions about business phone systems from Perth businesses, so take a look at some of these (along with our answers) below.
How do I choose the right business phone system?
This is not something you need to work out on your own, but choosing the right business phone system can be largely dependent on business size and the number of employees. Perth businesses with more than 32 employees might need a larger-scale corporate solution, but small, medium and large-sized businesses with less employees will need something different.
What are some of the features of a business phone system?
There are a range of features available across the different types of business phone systems. Some that aren’t mentioned above include: auto-attendants, after-hours handling and integration capability with CRM platforms or other business software,
Are there any downsides to cloud-based phone systems?
Cloud-based phone systems are completely reliant on a stable, fast internet connection. While this can be a downside if your connection isn’t up to scratch, we can work with you to make sure that whatever business phone system you choose is compatible with your business. If that means a faster and more stable business internet connection, we can assist with that too.