IP PBX Systems For Your Small Business
Traditionally, a small business PBX (Private Branch Exchange) is simply a phone-switching device that manages outgoing and incoming calls for the internal users of a business. PBXs are attached to the public switched telephone network and automatically routes outgoing calls to certain extensions based on your call order. If a business has more than one location, each location gets a unique IP number. The PBX also contains a feature known as auto attendant, which allows you to program custom messages and information to be displayed on the answering machine or voice mail box. For added feature benefits, such as call transferring, additional extensions could be attached.
Nowadays, small business pbx systems can support video conferencing. Video conferencing is the process of two or more people communicating via a video display hooked up to a television set. With the help of video conferencing, people can see and speak to each other in real time through their TVs. Businesses that utilize small business pbx systems can conduct meetings, training, seminars, and even entertain guests with video conferencing.
One way to incorporate video conferencing with your existing small business phone systems is by using an internet protocol IP telephone. This type of IP telephone uses the internet protocol to communicate with a conventional small business system. You can easily integrate video conferencing into your existing IP PBX with a few simple steps. First, you must have a high speed internet connection, a computer with video output, and an IP phone that supports the internet protocol. Once you have these things, then you can connect the IP phone to the internet and initiate the connection.
IP telephones are more cost-efficient compared to conventional small business phone systems. Most businesses can now cut their phone bills by more than half due to the recent recession. IP pbx phone systems are also ideal for small businesses that have fewer phone lines and fewer computers. IP phones can be used to replace all your conventional pay phones. It provides seamless connectivity to customers and other offices in different locations.
Softphones are convenient for business organizations and companies. They are less expensive than pbx phone systems. Many softphone solutions also feature auto attendant, caller ID, call recording, transcription, and voice mail services. A softphone can be used as a virtual pbx system, providing the same features as the real thing, but at a lower price. Softphones are ideal for in-house communication and do not need any additional hardware or software installed.
If you own a small business or organization, you should consider investing in a good six business phone system. You need to make sure that your IP pbx system has all the latest features and upgrades so that your customers can get reliable and smooth call quality. Call quality depends on the amount of data that can be transmitted through your wireless network. The quality of the signal is very crucial when you are talking over a wide distance.
Long-distance calls are much cheaper when you use an IP PBX system instead of conventional systems. There are two reasons for this. In a conventional system, you would need a long-distance handset, which would be very bulky and very heavy, and is also very difficult to maintain. This would require you to spend a lot of money on maintenance. With an IP PBX phone system, your employees can use any handset – corded or cordless – and never be asked for their proprietary phone numbers. In addition, IP telephones have better call quality, which translates to better customer experience.
Small businesses have many options to choose from when it comes to IP business phone systems. Investing in a good tax system is definitely a worthwhile investment. As you grow your business, you can easily convert your existing pbx systems into IP systems and start enjoying significant cost savings and more efficient communication.