IP telephone systems
There are countless telephone systems on the communications market, and it is genuinely easy to lose your bearings looking for the one that suits your business best. The purpose of this short piece is to bring some order to that and describe the main types available. At one end sits the simple analogue system; at the other, a fully cloud-hosted IP platform.
IP systems offer businesses considerably more scope, because they integrate with the other communications already in the office — the internal network, staff extensions, and the intercom at the entrance to the building or the main office.
An IP system provides the familiar basics of any phone system — routing incoming and outgoing calls, voicemail, leaving a message for a particular extension and so on — but on top of that it interfaces efficiently with your internet connection, which saves the business a great deal of money on call charges, particularly where there is regular traffic between branches or abroad.
Beyond the internet connection, IP systems can also connect to the company's computer network, and in doing so help make the business run better: linking calls to CRM records and supporting proper call-centre operation. Today, before deciding to buy a new phone system, it is worth understanding what IP telephony can actually do for you.
What we provide
- An initial consultation to work out which type of system genuinely fits your business
- A cloud-hosted PBX with no comms cabinet to house or maintain
- IP handsets, headsets and softphones on computers and mobiles
- Interactive call routing, voice menus and time-based rules
- Recording, reporting and queue management
- Number porting and the connection to your chosen carrier
- Ongoing administration, so changes do not require an engineer's visit
Why businesses move to the cloud
A cloud system removes the hardware from your premises entirely. There is nothing to fail in a cupboard, extensions can be added or moved in minutes, staff working from home use the same extension they use at their desk, and the monthly cost is predictable. For most small and mid-sized businesses that combination is decisive.