The printing press was the big innovation in communications until the telegraph was developed. The telegraph allowed instant communication over vast distances for the first time in human history. Telegraph usage faded as radio became easy to use and popularized; as radio was being developed, the telephone quickly became the fastest way to communicate person-to-person.
The early phone systems were mechanical devices that provided basic communications features serving a small number of phones and telephone lines, having very simple call handling capabilities. For example; to place a call on a specific line you pressed the corresponding button and dialled. If you received an incoming call on a specific line that specific line button would light up on your phone, your phone would ring, and you pressed that specific button to answer the call.
Introduced in the 1960s, the PBX systems, or Public Branch Exchange, were larger systems providing phone service to hundreds of telephones and telephone lines. PBXs were more sophisticated providing powerful features such as dialling plans that routed numbers to specific lines based on the numbers dialled, and grouping several telephone lines under one button on the telephones.
Over the years, advancement in technology for telephone systems went from relays and wire to computer chips and software. You still need wire today, just not as much! The advancements in technology increased the capacities, capabilities, and features of telephone systems in general. The Key Systems became more advanced and powerful, rivalling the features that were once only available on the more expensive and larger PBX systems. Now Key-Systems had dialling plans and could group several telephone lines under one button.
Today, office phone systems can be built using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) as well as PBX methodologies. A budget-friendly and feature-rich PBX system or VoIP system is the ideal solution for a growing small business that needs a system to grow with it. They offer all the features a business needs to manage their calls and time. They can also make a business appear bigger than it actually is and assist callers by creating multiple departments and extensions.
Here are some ideas on how to get the most out of your phone system:
Companies Receiving High Call Volumes
Phone systems can handle high volumes of calls efficiently without requiring additional staff to answer incoming calls. Callers to your business will not receive a busy signal and every phone call will be answered and transferred correctly.
Companies with Multiple Offices and/or Remote Employees
Phone systems are able to forward phone calls to employees in their home offices or in other parts of the country. Calls can also be forwarded to employees on the go via their mobile devices.
Companies with Call Volumes that Vary
Companies that have call volumes that vary will want to ensure that every caller gets through. Instead of having to hire and train additional temporary staff to manage the additional call volumes. During busy and unpredictable periods a system can very easily handle the varying call volumes.
Cost Saving Benefits
The cost of a phone system with an automated attendant is much less than the expense of employing someone to answer incoming calls. There’s no need to go through the recruiting and screening process, the training process or salary and benefits to pay. A phone system operates around the clock to ensure all calls are properly directed.
Different Types of PBX Phone Systems?
A PBX or VOIP phone system for a small business should not be considered a one-size-fits-all solution. This is why every system is customizable with a choice of features.
Below are a few different types of systems to select from:
Traditional PBX System
A traditional PBX system utilizes landlines to transfer callers to the different departments or extensions. As this system requires landlines, a business will be required to install various pieces of equipment and pay more expensive costs, including for long-distance calls.
IT services will be needed for these systems to maintain them and to make any changes. Including extra phone lines can be challenging and a business might be limited to the total number of lines they can install.
IP PBX System
Instead of utilizing landlines, an IP PBX System utilizes Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This means calls are made utilizing an internet connection which can reduce the expense of making long-distance calls.
A potential disadvantage of an IP PBX System is that it needs the installation of a network and to be maintained, which can be expensive. As long as a business has plenty of bandwidth it is easy to add additional phone lines.
Hosted or Cloud PBX System
There’s no need to install any equipment when it comes to a Hosted VoIP PBX system. These systems are operated by a service provider off-site, and all a business needs to do is request the PBX phone service needed and pay the monthly fee for it.
This type of system tends to be feature-rich and budget-friendly. It is one of the most popular choices with small to medium businesses as there’s no requirement for complicated equipment and no need for maintenance fees.
Contact us now to learn about the benefits and potential savings for your business. Please call 1-800-898-3336 or email sales@nutecelectrotel.com
Contributed by Erick Preza
