Phone System Help: Choosing the Right One
November 6, 2009
Replacing your dinosaur phone system has been a headache for some. I think I found some help that will ease the pain. The following helpful advice came from a column in Inc. Technology. This will get you phone system shoppers off to a great start!
“With such an assortment of phone systems on the market, business owners need help cutting through the clutter so that they can figure out the best phone system for their business:
#1. Get a head count of employees that need outside lines. Start by considering the number of employees that need to use the system. Then add up the number of extensions needed for fax machines, modems, credit card terminals, etc. If it’s a small office with a staff of fewer than 10 employees, consider off-the-shelf phones systems for considerable savings. But if your business has a staff of more than 40, it’s most likely that a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) system is called for. No longer is PBX synonymous for those huge telecom closets you see at large firms. They now come in the small business size and can fit on top of a desk.
#2. Forecast company needs down the road. When considering a system, examine where your company will be a few years from now. Will you increase staff? Will you open branch offices? Is an acquisition or merger likely? Experts suggest doubling the wiring if your company is likely to expand in the not-too-distant future.
#3. Consider VoIP. For phone service, check into Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems. VoIP technology allows businesses to place and receive calls using the Web, offering potential cost savings. Matt Godden, president of Seattle, Wash.-based Xoasis Networks, a provider of small-business VoIP phone systems, says, “If you’re a company with branch offices, you can transfer all calls without hangup and pickup and have one operator manage all four offices” with VoIP. There were more than 4.5 million VoIP users in the U.S. last year, and that number will double this year, according to International Data Corp.
#4. Buy second hand or rent. Try leasing or buying used phone equipment. Companies change phones for many reasons — not just that their phones are outdated — and your company might be able to benefit from some bargains in the market. Some firms specialize in selling refurbished equipment.
#5. Buy at the close of the quarter. For firms that aren’t keen on leasing, keep certain things in mind when buying a new phone system. Purchase at the end of the quarter when sales reps are trying to hit quotas. You may find some bargains. #6. Pick a reputable seller. Who will take your call if the system goes down? Better to deal with a company that will be responsive and help you out of a jam. Most dealers handle not only the sale but installation. It’s important to undertake due diligence when choosing a dealer. The first question should be how many installations the dealer has finished using your phone system. #7. Compatibility is key. Remember to consider the other equipment or services you already own or contract for that you’re not going to replace. Make sure any new phone system is compatible with headsets, conferencing tools, voicemail and call forwarding systems that you already have and use.”
I am personally happy with our Panasonic System. I wholeheartedly recommend it to any who ask. I really like the upgradeable programming capabilities. But, whatever system you go with, I hope you found this information as helpful as I did.
Budget Phone System Requiring No Rewiring
November 5, 2009
You know me, always trying to be helpful… here’s what I found today that caught my eye. There are a lot of business class telephone systems that are available out there that DO NOT require rewiring of your office. The best business phone system available within a budget in my opinion is good ol’ Panasonic…
The Panasonic KX TG6502B is priced around$269
This is a cordless phone with call waiting, caller ID and an answering system. The system supports four handsets, has conference call capability, intercom, hold, mute, flash and redial buttons. What’s really cool is there’s also a waiting caller ID, so you know who’s calling in next.
I personally tried the Uniden system but found that it did not receive incoming calls while using the direct link system feature and so I had to give up using the feature or I would miss calls. Not cool at all.
The VoIP and Telecommuting Connection
November 2, 2009
This article appeared on MSNBC.com and was really informative regarding telecommuting and the possibilities of using ones own VoIP network:
“Victor Cousins has a pretty good gig working for the human resources department at Sun Microsystems, but he doesn’t have an office, just a locker.
Don’t feel sorry for him. He’s not one of those types who measure his career success by the size of his office. In fact, he’s proud to be office-less, and he’s the quintessential telecommuter. He works anywhere he wants – his home in Oakland, the local coffee shop, and at any Sun location throughout the country. When his mother had knee surgery in May he was able to spend time with her, working out of a Sun office in St. Louis.
Welcome to the workplace of the future. Cousins is an example of the mobile worker that will become much more pervasive in the next 10 years.
Finally, telecommuting will become a mainstay in Corporate America but that doesn’t mean everyone will be working at home all the time, a prediction made by many workforce observers just a decade ago. The U.S. worker will be a mélange of office inhabitant and work-anywhere warrior.
Take Cousins. Even though he doesn’t have an office, he reserves office space at Sun’s San Francisco location when he needs to be in house and interact with coworkers and managers. Right now, he splits his time 50-50 between home and in the office, but envisions spending more time away from the mother ship in the months ahead.
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“I like having the balance,” he says about the flexibility and freedom to work from anywhere. He has a desktop computer; a laptop and a high speed Internet VoIP connection at his home. Sun paid more than $3,000 toward the equipment he needed to go mobile.
Today, upwards of 12 million employees telework more than 8 hours per week, up from about 6 million in 2000, according to Gartner Dataquest. The number will hit nearly 14 million by 2009. Caroline Jones, an analyst for Gartner who expects the number to continue to grow, says the rate of increase has been steady for a number of years even though telecommuting hasn’t been getting a lot of publicity in recent years.”
With the growth in VoIP networks and reliability the potential for telecommuting has become more practical and accessible than ever.
New Flexibility for Your Business Phone System
September 25, 2009
Communications Assistant IP Softphone – New Flexibility in Your Business Phone System
The Panasonic Communication Assistant IP Softphone module allows road warriors, sales and support staff, or any other power user to use their computer as an IP Phone for anytime, anywhere access to unified communications; meaning their communication will be “through” the home office phone system for extremely efficient, unified communication. The user simply needs to connect to the corporate IP network over a secure managed broadband connection to enable the IP Softphone. Transferring calls, accessing extensions and utilizing voice mail all become as simple as working from a “land” desk. Your business phone system just went mobile office! On the road employees have all the home office communication support they need.
With Your Wi-Fi Mobile Device
Panasonic IP Softphone for Windows Mobile devices enables mobile workers to have anytime anywhere access to comprehensive and powerful business telephony on their Windows Mobile devices. Panasonic IP Softphone for Windows Mobile is an IP business phone system software for WiFi-enabled Windows Mobile based devices. It provides transparent access to real time voice communications and productivity-enhancing Panasonic Business Telephone System features such as call set up, transfer and multiparty conference – all in the convenience of a handheld device. The software helps you manage call appearances and provides access to speed dial numbers and other personal calling features.
Integration with Microsoft Outlook
Communication Assistant seamlessly integrates with Microsoft® Outlook® allowing users to easily dial contact phone numbers and receive incoming call pop-up alerts. A small dockable toolbar appears within Outlook, allowing users easy access to advanced telephony applications.
Just What is a Virtual Private Network?
September 18, 2009
- The Way it Works
“The world has changed a lot in the last couple of decades. Instead of simply dealing with local or regional concerns, many businesses now have to think about global markets and logistics. Many companies have facilities spread out across the country or around the world, and there is one thing that all of them need: A way to maintain fast, secure and reliable communications wherever their offices are.
As the popularity of the Internet grew, businesses turned to it as a means of extending their own networks. First came intranets, which are password-protected sites designed for use only by company employees. Now, many companies are creating their own VPN (virtual private network) to accommodate their communications needs of remote employees and distant offices.
Basically, a VPN is a private network that uses a public network – usually a VoIP system to connect remote sites or users together. Instead of using a dedicated, real-world connection such as leased lines, a VPN uses “virtual” connection routed through the VoIP from the company’s private network to the remote site or employee.”
Taken from HowStuffWorks.com
Expanding Your Phone System
September 4, 2009
a great phone system
When selecting a business phone system a very necessary component has become the business voice mail system. Whether you purchase one at the same time as your phone system or will wait until later here are some things to consider.
Voice mail systems have emerged as essential and beneficial communication tools which help all businesses to increase their productivity through improved communications. Even the basic voice mails and conferencing phones can be very expensive. Therefore, before making an investment, organizations should do some research and select the equipment which will prove to be most useful for their business.
The first and foremost area that an organization may want to consider before buying a phone voice recorders, a voice mail system or a conferencing phone for the business is, the ability or need to expand in the near future. Ignoring the near future plans of expanding may cost the business lot of extra expenditure in upgrading and restructuring the equipment in the next few years. Although it might cost more, it is always better to make a onetime investment, than making expenditures on upgrading the equipment every few years.
Given below is a checklist which will help you to choose and buy the best equipment for your business:
- Make estimation about how much your business will grow in the next few years. Calculate the number of lines and extensions that your business currently requires and the numbers that it is likely to require in the near future.
- Before interviewing sales reps for conferencing phone systems and other equipment, ensure that you have calculated and planned a budget. You should select equipment which will prove highly beneficial for your business, but is within your budget.
- Do your own research and check out the different models of equipment that will integrate with your business telephone system.
- You should go for the systems with the features that are beneficial for your business. There is no use in investing in a system with too many features as it will be expensive, and may be of no use to your business.
- After finding the most suitable voice mail system for your organization, compare its prices as offered by different vendors. This will ensure that you are buying the best equipment at the best price.
- While selecting a vendor to make your purchase, don’t get carried away by the low prices offered by them. Ensure that the equipment that you are buying are of high quality and that the company you are working with can install, program, and maintain and upgrade your equipment. If you have selected a system that can grow with you, you will need a service company to support you in that.
How to Shop for a New Business Telephone System
August 28, 2009
- 1. Step
A new phone system could be a great solution depending on your company’s business requirements. We all know that we can’t afford to lose any customers and this is a very important aspect you need to consider. If you have a system that is breaking down and you need to put money into repairing it, or even more important, you have reached its capacity and you are unable to handle your customers, you should really consider buying a new one. It will save you so much more in the long run along with assisting you in demonstrating professionalism and customer care to your clients.
- 2. Step
This is a great time to purchase big cost items for your business, because you know you’ll get a great deal. Talk with a telecommunications company that has been in the business for a while and ask about a customized offer on a business phone system that you can grow into. Do some research and find out about unified communications for example. This can unite different forms of communications SMS, IM, fax, phone and email. Today’s technology can really make a difference for your business.
- 3. Step
There are some telecommunications companies that are willing to take in your old business phone system and give you a trade-in value to apply it toward a new phone system in addition to very competitive pricing.
Upgrading with Ease
August 13, 2009
More and more people are beginning to view landlines as a relic of a previous age. After all, cell phones are incredibly inexpensive and many cell service plans provide consumers with more minutes and extras than they could ever hope to use. But sometimes making a total switch to cellular service is a bit too drastic. What about businesses that need to maintain a physical phone network?
Thanks to a number of recent technological advances, it’s simple to upgrade from an analog phone system to a network featuring voice over Internet protocol. These systems are incredibly intuitive, and they cost significantly less to operate than a standard phone system. Since VoIP calls are made over the Internet, there is no financial distinction made between local and long-distance calls. In effect, this means that a VoIP provider charges a business a monthly flat rate.
Cutting the Phone Lines
August 7, 2009
Telephone companies have ruled the communications industry with an iron fist for more than 100 years. The Bell system held a monopoly on domestic telephone service until 1984, when a federal law finally busted the company into several competing companies including AT&T. Today, a few huge phone service providers continue to charge exorbitant fees for a basic service.
The advent of VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocal, represents a sea change in terms of the way we communicate. VoIP phone systems transfer analog audio into digital data that can be transmitted over the Internet. Free services such as Skype have harnessed this technology, allowing users to cut phone companies out of the loop entirely. The implications are enormous, and consumers are guaranteed to come out ahead.
Panasonic Phone Sytems – Top in VoIP
July 13, 2009
Panasonic has introduced their KX-NCP500 / 1000 VoIP phone systems. After the launch of their KX-TDE100 and KX-TDE200 in 2007 Panasonic has seen a swing towards Voip based PBX solutions in the small to medium business because they need the features of a full scale phone system with the flexibility for home offices, remote networking and telecommuting.
Fortunately, Premiere Communications has maintained the status as the only certified Panasonic Dealer in the Western Washington region. We were able to be trained and qualified on this innovative system at its launch in 2008.
