Phone Cards | Calling Cards

It seems to be impossible to keep up with all the new trends in business today. It's hard to know which trends are just flash in the pan gimmicks and which are valuable tools that your business can actually benefit from. It's important to do your research. Find out what these tools can do for you and make sure it is right for your business. One of these recent trends is the hosted PBX service. These “virtual” phone systems can automatically answer, screen and route all incoming calls to your office, home and/or cell phone. Although they have been on the market for some time now, hosted PBXs have recently been getting the attention of more and more small and medium sized businesses. Is this technology right for your business?

What Can It Do For Me?
First you have to ask yourself, “How will my business benefit from a hosted PBX?” A hosted PBX service has many different aspects that a business owner can take advantage of. A good service will have numerous different features and packages that can help your business project a more professional image and boost productivity. Here are 4 basic features of most hosted PBX services. See if they can benefit your business.

1 - 800 - Toll Free Number
90% of Americans report using a toll free number and studies show that using a toll free number in your advertising can increase your response by 30%. So the first advantage to your business using an “800” number with your hosted PBX is that consumers will call you before they call the company with a local number. If your company only does business in your direct local market, and you want to keep it that way, then you may still benefit from a toll free number. People generally see a company with a toll free number as a larger and more established business. Simply by having a toll free number, you boost your professional image and instill confidence in your callers.

You Got Them To Call, Now Answer The Phone!
“Follow Me” call forwarding is the backbone of a hosted PBX service. If you have a toll free number you're inviting people to call you. With follow me call forwarding, you can route calls that come into your hosted PBX to any local phone number or numbers you wish. You can have calls transferred to your office phone, home phone, cell phone or any combination of these numbers until the service finds you. You can even program a hosted virtual PBX to call different phone numbers at different times of the day, or even days of the week. The system will announce itself to you so that you know it is a call coming from your toll free number. Most importantly you can be available to your callers wherever you go. You don't have to worry about missing a call from Mr. Next Big Client while you are out to lunch. Or better yet, you don't have to miss your lunch because you are waiting for Mrs. Big Client to return your call.

Connecting You and Your Team
Multiple voicemail boxes can play an important part in how your hosted PBX directs callers. If you have multiple employees, you can assign each one their own mailbox. Each mailbox acts as its own voice mail system. It comes with its own extension, outgoing voicemail message, call forwarding settings, and delivery of messages. The hosted PBX service automatically answers all incoming calls and directs the caller to press the extension of the person they would like to speak to or give them the option of listening to a list of extensions. It doesn't matter if all your employees work in the same office or in different offices in different locations. They can even work out of their own homes and the caller will never know they are being transferred anywhere outside of the office. If you are a one man band, but you want to project the image of a small orchestra, this can be achieved using your multiple voicemail extensions. For example you can create a mailbox for a Sales department, Technical Support department and Billing department. A hosted PBX system will automatically answer all your incoming calls and route callers to the appropriate department. Unbeknownst to the caller, all three extensions are transferred to you at your local number. With multiple mailboxes you can create an image of a single office as well as further project that professional image that you started by having a toll free number.

Your Voice System At Your Fingertips
One of the advantages of having a voip PBX is having your entire voice system at your fingertips. Web based access provides a window to your system giving you real time control of your communications. Features will vary depending on the company, but most web based applications allow you to control each mailbox on your system, view caller id captures, change system and mailbox settings such as call forwarding numbers and times as well as running reports to view call usage and trends. Another advantage of web based access is the ability to check voice and fax messages online or have them sent to any email address you wish. Of course, you can still check your messages by phone as well. Web based access isn't just a convenient and time saving tool, it is also a very productive one. For example you could run a report to see if the call volume increased after a specific ad campaign was released or see which day of the week is the busiest for customer service. The applications are endless.

When trying to decide if the latest tools are right for your business, make sure to ask the important questions. How will it benefit me and my business? Will it boost my productivity? Will it increase my professional image and boost customer confidence? Will it help me to be more successful? If the answer is “yes” to any of these questions then it is definitely a tool that you need to look into integrating into your business.

Buying a new business phone system is one of the most important purchases any business will ever make. The selection of a phone system can either bring a business closer to its customers and clients or, cause confusion and chaos amongst all that use or interact with it.

It is therefore essential that you choose the right phone system for your business needs. The telephone is quite often the fastest and easiest way to reach customers and clients. It should also be the fastest and easiest way for them to reach you. It should be flexible enough to be able to cover all of your company’s needs and handle all calls appropriately. The last thing any business wants is for its important business callers and customers to be routed incorrectly, disconnected, or faced with a long list of confusing automated options.

There are lots of factors that need to be taken into consideration when choosing a new business telephone system. Below are a few of the main ones:

1. You need enough capacity to fulfil your current business needs.

2. Assess your potential future growth and select a compatible phone system accordingly.

3. Ensure compatibility with any equipment you already own (headsets, handsets, conferencing equipment, cabling etc).

4. What features does your business phone system need to incorporate?

Fulfilling all the factors above and any more you can think of can be an expensive challenge for any business. The aim of this guide is to help you understand what decisions you need to make in order to choose the right phone system for your business.

Types of business phone system

There are three major types of phone system available: KSU-Less phones, Key systems and Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems. Which type of phone system you choose will depend on the amount of extensions you require and the features your telephone system needs to have installed.

KSU-Less systems

KSU-Less systems are usually more suited to companies that typically have less than ten employees, or require less than ten extensions. That isn’t to say that all companies requiring less than ten phone extensions can make do with a KSU-Less system. It may be that you require more features which are only available through either a PBX or Key phone system.

Requiring a far lower initial investment than the other types of business phone systems, KSU-Less phones are specifically designed to include many of the features usually only available through the implementation of a full small business phone system.

KSU-Less systems can be easily unplugged and relocated, because they are not permanently wired into your office. This portability allows you to treat a KSU-Less phone system, much the same as any business machine, rather than a lost permanent investment.

You will need to ensure that any KSU-Less system you choose is compatible not only with the type of wiring you have in your office, but also with any accessories you may already have, such as: headsets, answering & fax machines and modems. Because KSU-Less phone systems are relatively inexpensive, they are not usually sold, installed, or maintained by telecoms vendors.

All of this means, you have to go out there and do not only the shopping yourself but, also the installation and support. This is one of the two major drawbacks of KSU-Less systems. The last thing any business needs is to be concerned with the reliability and maintenance of its phone system. Another drawback of KSU-Less systems is that they are more prone to something known as “crosstalk”. This is where separate conversations may blend into each other. With PBX, Key systems and Hybrid systems falling in price, it sometimes makes more sense to invest in a full business phone system, rather than become susceptible to the risks of a KSU-Less system.

Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems

If your business typically requires more than forty extensions, or your needs dictate you need advanced functions from your business phone system, then PBX systems are often the solution. PBX systems used to be extremely expensive and only affordable by huge corporations with hundreds of extensions. Though this is still the case for larger installations, the development of the technology required has progressed to the point where a powerful, fully functional PBX office phone system for a small business is able to fit on the top of a desk.

Nearly all these compact PBX phone systems come with all the features you might want as standard. You pay a premium for the programmability and flexibility that a PBX offers, but in most cases the price difference is not as much as you may imagine between that of a less flexible phone system.

Key Systems

Key phone systems are more typical in businesses that require five to forty extensions. This type of phone system uses a central control unit called the Key System Unit (KSU) to provide features and functions that are not available using ordinary phones. An example of this is: key systems using a KSU allow one extension to call another in house extension, and prevents any other users from picking up a line that is already in use. Key systems usually come as standard with most features any business would expect, but in some cases they are often less flexible than a PBX phone system.

PBX & Key Systems (hybrids)

Though Key and PBX systems have some different technical features, these differences have become somewhat blurred over the past couple of years. Many Key systems now offer features that were once only available to those who chose to install a full PBX phone system. Some systems also operate internally as either a PBX or Key system depending on the software installed. Sometime these systems are often referred to as “Hybrid” phone systems.

Installation & maintenance of PBX and Key phone systems

Virtual PBX and Key phone systems require installation by fully trained and qualified telecoms engineers. All outside and inside lines must connect to the PBX or KSU cabinet. The installation and maintenance of one of these types of phone system can be just as expensive as the phone system itself. In many cases you may be able to use the existing phone lines available in your office, but unless the phones you have been using are relatively new, they may not be compatible with your new system, requiring you to purchase new handsets as well as the system itself.

The Right Size System

It is important that when buying a new business telephone system, that you know your requirements in advance. Knowing what features need to be included with your new telephone system will stand you in good stead when it comes to negotiating with potential suppliers. When considering buying a new telephone system for your business, there are two major factors that determine the size of the system you require:

Lines. These are sometimes called trunks. The number of lines a system has denotes the number of outside lines being used by a company.

Extensions. Most extensions will be made up of handsets. Though any equipment that requires a phone line is classed as an extension. This includes fax machines, modems, and credit card equipment etc.

It is important that you make a list of all the extensions and lines you may need for your new phone system. Not forgetting some users may need more than one line and multiple extensions.

With key systems, the size of a phone system is indicated as a combination of both lines and extensions. For example a system that has 10 lines and 30 extensions will be shown as a 10 x 30 system.

With PBX phone systems, size is defined as a combination of lines and extensions, called “Ports”. The number of “Ports” is the maximum number of connections that can be made to the phone system. These include outside lines and inside extensions, as well as any other telephone system accessories.

When planning for a new business phone system, you should take into account the future expansion of your company, by foreseeing any extra needs at an early stage. Even if your current telephone system is handling calls well for the time being, this may not be the case when any future expansion or improvements are fully implemented. A good business phone system should be able to handle expansion easily and in a cost effective manor. VoIP PBX phone systems allow you to expand their capabilities, by adding new expansion cards, thus increasing the number of ports available for use. A few key systems can be expanded by the addition of another cabinet that is identical to the first.

When planning your new system it is important that you enquire about the potential cost for the addition of more extensions or ports. It is important that when choosing a new business phone system, you ensure expansion will come not only easily but as affordable as possible for your company.

Telephone System Dealers and Installers

Finding a good reliable dealer is the most important part of buying a new business phone system. A good reputable dealer will not only be able to sell you the system you require, but will offer excellent, guaranteed installation and service as well as always be on hand to answer any questions you have when problems arise. To put it simply they will be there to hold your hand and guide you through the process, from the planning and selection of a suitable system, to the implementation of you new system and training of staff. Any potential supplier will be more than happy to talk to you about any aspect of a new business phone system, and offer testimonials as to the quality of their systems and installation service.

It is not uncommon for buyers to require a demonstration of potential new phone systems. Any reputable dealer will be more than happy to offer a full demonstration of any phone system they supply. It is better for the dealer to visit your site, that way they can get a proper view of your existing system and evaluate your future communication requirements and cabling needs.

Service Level Agreements (SLA’s) specify how quickly a dealer responds to a problem with your phone system. A good dealer will offer a range of SLA’s to cater for most business needs and budgets. Expect to pay more if your business requires 24/7 support or response times shorter than normal.

Below are some questions that you could ask a dealer when looking for a supplier of a business phone system:

1. Can I have a system demonstration?

2. Who will install the system and cabling?

3. What range of Service Level Agreements (SLA’s) do they offer?

4. Who will provide system training and what are the costs?

5. Can the dealer provide remote maintenance facilities?

6. What guarantees and warranties do they offer?

Check List

1. Decide which type of phone system best suits your businesses needs.

2. Plan the size of your new system by evaluating the amount of lines and extensions you require. Don’t forget to plan for any future expansion.

3. Decide what extra features you might require from you new business phone system (voicemail, door phones, etc).

4. Contact a few reputable dealers.

5. Arrange for a demonstration of suitable phone systems.

6. Work with your chosen dealer to select and purchase the correct system for your business.

7. Don’t forget to sort suitable training and an adequate service level agreement.

The integrated voice features, for example unified messaging and “click-to-dial”, became available with circuit-switched PBX systems. Complex coordination of voice and data networking environments are required. IP network level however, eliminates much of this complexity, attaining results which are lower costs from consolidating equipment and rapid integration with business applications. The requirements necessary for IP PBX systems to successfully integrate with a packet network are:

•Reliability to minimize the loss of voice packets and control network delay.

•Quality of Service (QoS) to ensure that voice packets are transmitted through each network element with the correct priority relative to other types of packets.

Real Time Protocol (RTP)

RTP uses a set of Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard protocols for reliably transporting voice, video, and data among participating parties across a packet network. Comments requests include:

•The RTP protocol (RFC 2550), carrying voice that has been encoded using ITU G.711 or an alternative codec system. The protocol includes time stamps and sequence numbers, “jitter management”.

•RTP for dual tone multi-frequency digits carries encoded tones used in interactive voice response (IVR) applications.

•RTP for redundant audio data specifies a mode of transporting same sequenced audio patterns to effectively reduce the number of packets transmitted.

H.323

H.323 is a set of related ITU recommendations that describe the architecture for multimedia communication over a packet-switched network. Key factors:

•H. 323, defining the multimedia infrastructure, including the role of devices, gateways and gate keepers.

•H. 245, specifying the call control processes for establishing and terminating a multimedia session, which includes the exchange of the capabilities supported by client devices.

•H. 450, specifying a set of supplementary devices, like call transfer, hold, message waiting etc. This protocol is useful communication between clients without the aid of a switch.

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)

SIP is an IETF standard protocol helpful for initiating an interactive user session that carries multimedia subjects. The SIP architecture comes with a method for delivering connections for users at any location where he/she is registered. In contrast to the H.323, SIP uses an extensible text-based format, similar to HTTP. SIP, being the basis for multi applicable programs including instant messaging and gaming. It can function as a standalone call control protocol or together with H. 323.

Business phone systems are a boon to modern businesses, especially small businesses. They reduce costs make it easier to handle calls, and are easy to install. With falling prices, business phone systems have come within reach of most small businesses. Investing in a good business phone system ensures greater productivity and efficiency, and helps manage customer relationships and relationships with vendors, as well as people working within the organization.

Depending on the features and technology used, business phone systems are of three kinds, KSU less, Key Systems and Private Branch Exchange (PBX). A fourth type is a Hybrid of two systems. This article focuses on the different types of business phone systems and their uses.

KSU less Business Phone System:

KSU Less Business Phone systems are meant for companies that employ less than 10 people. However, this supposition is based simply on the number of extensions – KSU less systems have less than 10 extensions. However, even if you have 10 employees, your business may need a business phone system with more advanced features that are available only in PBX systems.

KSU Less systems are less expensive than PBX or Key systems, which explain its popularity. However, you get basic features that are needed for a proper business phone system. Here are some advantages of using KSU Less systems.

1) Price: When it comes to cost effectiveness, KSU Less phones emerge clear winner over PBX and Key systems.

2) Installation: KSU fewer phones are easy to install.

3) Unplugging: If you need to move your business to another location, you can unplug KSU less systems very easily.

PBX Business Phone Systems:

PBX Systems have more than 40 extensions; and are generally used in organizations with 40 or less employees. In recent years, the prices of PBX systems have come down considerably, allowing modest sized or small businesses to acquire them. In addition, the systems have become more compact, and can be accommodated on a desk.

PBX systems have many features not available in KSU Less phones, which is why expanding businesses switch to this system.

Key System:

Key systems have anywhere between 5 and 40 extensions. A central control box helps monitor the system. They are not as flexible as PBX systems, but have certain useful features that make it useful for some businesses.

PBX and Key System Hybrids:

Many VoIP PBX systems now incorporate features of key systems, and vice versa. Many systems can function as either PBX or Key system once particular software is installed.

All four types of business phone systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. You need to have a very clear idea of your business needs before you invest in a particular system. If you need to know more about the latest business phone systems available in the market, and which one is the best for your business, you can consult a small business expert.