The internet revolution has drastically changed how we communicate. It has afforded businesses great efficiency, power, and flexibility…and created tons of confusion for consumers! With all of the options for business telephone systems, it can be challenging to discern which one is best for you and your clients.
Here are the top six things to consider when evaluating your next business phone system:
- Support—One of the top consumer disgruntlements about various national business phone providers is the lack of IT support. When your phone—your lifeline to your clients—goes down, you need a provider that offers on-site support.
- Supported Phones—Make sure that the business phone provider you select supports the phones you already have before signing a contract.
- Contract Obligations—If you ever need or want to opt out of your contract, it’s important to know beforehand how the provider handles cancellations. Is there a hefty fee? Are there a lot of cumbersome loops to jump through? Find out before signing.
- Price per Phone Extension—Costs of individual extensions can add up fast. Take the time to read the fine print and deduce how much each extension costs.
- On-Premise or Hosted System—Does your business only need a simple business phone system or something more complex? Find out what prospective providers offer in terms of hosted systems (which can store data off-site, i.e. the cloud) and on-premise systems (which gives you more managerial control over features and functions).
- Custom Solutions—Some providers only offer bundled plans and refuse to accommodate to your company’s unique needs. If you choose a provider that does this, you may end up paying extra for services you don’t need.
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