{"id":32580,"date":"2022-06-08T08:00:48","date_gmt":"2022-06-07T22:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rcblogau.wpengine.com\/au\/en\/blog\/?p=32580"},"modified":"2022-06-07T05:24:33","modified_gmt":"2022-06-06T19:24:33","slug":"office-phone-system-features-structure-and-benefits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/au\/en\/blog\/office-phone-system-features-structure-and-benefits\/","title":{"rendered":"Office Phone System: Features, Structure, and Benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"

In an office environment, good communication is key. Good communication – on a very basic level – means getting your meaning across clearly and concisely. Your office phone system and overall telecommunications are especially important in today\u2019s hybrid working environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To help you choose the right phone system for your business needs, you need to learn more about the features and functionality of an office phone system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider an example of a marketing team. If this team were using their own devices for communications when planning a new campaign, the timeline of the campaign is at the mercy of phone signal, connectivity, and potentially mislaid devices. With a shared phone system, colleagues can easily collaborate on social media and email campaigns, as well as analysing campaign data and arranging future campaigns.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive into everything you need to know about business phone systems before you decide which one is right for your business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is a Business Phone System?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A business phone system is a way of communicating with other team members using a series of phones or devices specially installed for your team. For example, you might have seen this being used in an educational or medical setting. Each staff member or office will have a different extension number so that phone calls can be easily transferred to the right person within an organisation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Business owners usually work with external providers to install or manage a new phone system.<\/span><\/p>\n

Different Types of Business Phone System<\/strong><\/h2>\n

One of the key benefits of a business phone system is that there are different types to suit either large or small business needs. There are three major types of office telephone network systems that you might choose to work with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Multi-line Telephone System<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A multi-line telephone system is a system where all calls are controlled centrally by routing them through a core phone system. The core system receives all incoming calls and then transfers them to the right person or department.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll usually work with a local phone provider for this service and they will typically use a public switched telephone network (PSTN), otherwise known as a traditional landline. Using this system relies on quality phone lines.<\/span><\/p>\n

A key benefit of this type of system is that you can screen calls and track communications easily.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PBX Phone System<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A private branch exchange system (PBX system) is a landline-based phone system that connects every desk phone to another using a cable. You may also use IP PBX calling, which connects desk handsets to the internet using an ethernet cable<\/span><\/p>\n

A key benefit of this type of system is that you don\u2019t need to rely on an internet connection to make and receive calls.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

VoIP Telephone System<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) uses an internet connection to direct internal calls. It\u2019s a type of cloud-based phone system where your calling is hosted by your external provider on their servers. All calls are made over your internet connection and you\u2019ll require a minimal amount of hardware.<\/span><\/p>\n

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With a VoIP system, you simply install an app on your internet-enabled device and you\u2019re ready to start setting up and making calls.<\/span><\/p>\n

While formerly an expensive option, the market for VoIP systems is now accessible to <\/span>small businesses.<\/a><\/strong> Small business phones are great for streamlining business processes early on in a company\u2019s lifespan.<\/span><\/p>\n

A key benefit of this type of system is that you don\u2019t need to install expensive hardware – it can be completely cordless.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An example includes softphone technology – software that directs all of its calls through the internet on any compatible device.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Features of an Office Phone System<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Learning about the primary features of an office phone system can assist you in choosing the right one for your team. These systems are designed to make office communication more straightforward, so their features are focused on user-friendly integration.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Remote Office<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A phone system that can manage <\/span>hybrid working<\/a><\/strong> is essential in the current business environment. You may have colleagues working partially or entirely from home, or from another office.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A phone service that uses mobile phones or a broadband connection makes inter-office communication easy and quick.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You may have already used a system like this, for example, Microsoft Teams. Their video conferencing service allows teams across different locations to communicate in real-time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Laptop App<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Some phone system providers offer their own laptop application. This is a quicker way to access calls than setting it up through a search engine each time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This allows incoming calls to come to your device directly. Your business will have a personalised <\/span>business number<\/a><\/strong> to streamline calls. Inbound calls to your call centre can be recorded or directed to relevant team members.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Return Call and Voicemail<\/strong><\/h3>\n

An office phone system lets you have all of your work-related voicemails in one place where you can manage them and split them between team members. This is especially useful for remote or international office teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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For example, if your business has both a UK and an Australian office, you\u2019ll need a phone system that can easily manage return calls and voicemail because of the large time difference. Offices in Australia and the UK can track return calls outside of each other\u2019s working hours. This will cut down on time spent making repeat calls and retrieving lost information.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do Not Disturb<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There will be times when your team needs to focus on a task without being disrupted by incoming calls. A dedicated phone system for the office can avoid disturbance with a \u2018do not disturb\u2019 feature that silences all incoming calls.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Anonymous Call Block<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Business phone systems can block anonymous callers to prevent disruptive cold calls or calls from hackers. This will save your team time and potentially protect you from a data breach.<\/span><\/p>\n

You may also be able to use a caller ID feature to prevent unknown callers from entering a closed communication channel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Speed Dial<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Got a team or colleague that you call daily? Speed dial can save you time when calling repeated numbers. You can save common numbers in-app, or assign them a numerical shortcut on a desk phone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Smartphone App<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Hybrid working<\/a><\/strong> has made smartphones ever more important in the workplace. This is for the simple reason that most professionals own a smart device, whereas they may not own a desk phone or computer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can use a VoIP phone system on a desktop or mobile device using a mobile app. Colleagues can download an app within seconds and use their own device (or a company device) to make calls.<\/span><\/p>\n

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This means that team members can work flexibly and from anywhere.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Call Forwarding and Monitoring<\/span><\/h3>\n

Business phone systems allow you to forward calls to an appropriate team member. Call forwarding is an efficient way of routing calls because the caller and receiver can be instantly connected, no matter which team member initially picked up the call.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A lot of office phone systems come with a hunt group feature. This allows calls to a single number to be distributed between multiple receivers. This can help your team to clear calls more quickly and solve problems as they arise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Do You Need a Business Phone System?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

With the rise of powerful personal mobile devices like smartphones, many teams wonder why they should be using a business phone system. Let\u2019s look at some of the reasons why it\u2019s a valuable tool for your business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

More Professional<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Using a dedicated business phone for your team is simply more professional than asking colleagues to use their own devices. This is especially true if you communicate with customers using your phone system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These are some of the ways in which a business phone is more professional than personal devices:<\/span><\/p>\n