3 misconceptions of business phone systems
The team at On Air recently attended the V.O. North Interactive Conference. When participating in a panel, someone asked us what are the biggest misconceptions about telephony? Telephony is the field of technology around telecommunication services – referring to how businesses manage inbound and internal communication via phone.
The development of business phone systems has advanced over the years. Innovative telecommunication technology has allowed us to improve the way we are managing voice communications internally and with customers.
Along with these advancements comes misconceptions. If you are feeling nervous about investing in new phone system technology for your business, we’ve come to debunk a few common misconceptions you may have heard.
Phone systems are expensive
There are a lot of variety in phone systems, and many factors play into the cost. The number of physical sites, users, any added services, system training, and on-going maintenance can help determine the price. If you’re a small business, you don’t need a large and complex phone system, so your cost will be less. You can pay as little as a few hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on your needs and budget.
If you’re a smaller business, working with a system provider that serves entrepreneurs and small businesses, that is a good place to start your research. If you are not interested in paying for all the hardware for a traditional phone system, consider choosing a VoIP or cloud-based virtual phone system. They are both less expensive and you can use your existing phones.
VoIP is the only service alternative to conventional phone systems
Voice over Internet Protocols (VoIP) was a game-changer for business phone systems. It allows you to communicate using the phone over the internet. Using the internet makes it less expensive and easier. All you need is a good internet connection with strong cables and a reliable router. When people think about the alternative to traditional phone systems, they think VoIP is the only option.
VoIP is great, but it isn’t the only alternative. Cloud-hosted PBX systems work on a wireless server and provide a complete virtual phone system. Cloud-based phone system service providers offer reliable service and support, and you’ll find these phone systems are the most affordable.
Less expensive, virtual phone systems are low quality
Many people still don’t trust a virtual phone system that relies on a wireless server and cloud-based technology instead of a hard telephone wire. The big misconception here is that the system won’t be a professional grade and unreliable with spotty service.
The truth is that virtual phone systems are high-quality and can provide professional options for businesses of any size. Technological advances have made them very dependable, plus they are versatile and easily customizable to suit your needs. They come with everything a traditional business phone system comes with, including voicemail, automated phone prompts with menu options, extensions, voicemail transcriptions, text messaging, call routing, and more.
If you have more questions, On Air would be happy to help with some recommendations. Connect with us.