What to Consider When Choosing a PBX System

Choosing a PBX system can become quite complex and confusing. Which solution will work best for your business all depends on your call volume, any features you might need and your budget. One of the best ways to help determine which PBX will work best for you is to look at how your business currently uses phone services. Identify any inefficiencies or shortcomings as well as key features needed to create an outline of an overall solution.

When approaching a PBX vendor, you should have this information available so that they are clear on exactly what your needs are. Ask questions and make sure that the system you are considering can handle the call volume and has the capability to be easily upgraded should that volume increase. Many business owners don't consider future growth when purchasing a Phone system. This often leads to extra expense sooner than expected. This is particularly true in cases where call volume is expected to increase a great deal within a short amount of time. If you buy a system today and then find in two years you have to purchase a whole new system, you'll quickly see that the original system you purchased was not the most cost-effective solution. Having a system that can handle current volume as well as expected future volume is a wise way to make a decision on a particular system.

The virtual PBX is one that is housed and maintained by an outside company. This could be a cost-effective solution for smaller businesses. Larger businesses can take advantage of these cost savings provided they don't need complex routing and the available capacity is within range. The hosted PBX means that the vendor handles most of the more complex support tasks while giving the business access to make simple changes to stations and voicemail. An on premise PBX system is one where the business maintains the hardware and all communication. Although usually more expensive, this solution is best for large businesses with multiple locations and complex routing of phone calls.

Features are an important part of most phone systems. Whether it's call forwarding, music on hold, voice mail, or conferencing ability, you need to make sure the system you are considering has the features that your business needs to run on a daily basis. If you are running a call center environment, a predictive dialer or feature such as automatic call distribution will be needed. If the system you purchase does not include a predictive dialer, you'll need to purchase this equipment separately. It is essential that the Phone system you want to purchase will interface with any external hardware that you want to use. Additionally, having a telephone system that has already been tested with third-party equipment would be in your best interest. This way you know that other companies are using similar setups with no issue.

Another consideration would be integrating a new phone system into your existing environment. Sometimes you may want to take advantage of the equipment you already have while slowly migrating to newer technology. This can be done when the newer phone system can also run the older technology until it is replaced over time. As an example, you may have digital phone sets that are still in good working order that you would like to continue to use. However, you might want to replace these digital sets over time with newer technology. Having a phone system that will allow digital and IP phone sets to run concurrently helps to defer the cost to a later time rather than replacing all of the equipment all at once.

The issue of support needs to be addressed prior to purchase. If the business has its own internal IT support, the business may opt to keep support in-house. Many businesses today are taking the option to pay for support by an outside company. This allows the business to focus their efforts on sales and growth strategies as opposed to IT infrastructure. A caveat to this outside support is the speed of response offered by the support company should a system outage occur. It's safe to say that the support company has more than one customer and restoring service may not come as quickly as support provided by in-house personnel. This is where a service level agreement is needed to establish response times so that both parties know what to expect in the event of an outage. A business without the ability to communicate is a business that is losing money.

Whether purchasing a virtual PBX or on premise PBX system, a business should consider the day-to-day operations to determine the best solution. How your employees use their phones as well as the type of customer base will largely determine the phone system that is chosen. Finding a system that meets the needs of both the business and its customers is the best way to implement a business phone system.

I suggest you take the time to visit the website of Steve Mike levy at http://www.PBxPhoneSystemsFinder.com and learn more about the changing world of PBX Phone Systems.

If you're looking to purchase a Business PBX System you may also receive access to instant price quotes at: http://www.pbxPhoneSystemsFinder.com/all_about_vrtual_pbx_systems.php

By Steve Mike Levy

READ MORE - What to Consider When Choosing a PBX System

A PBX System for Call Center Environments

A PBX system for a call center environment is one that can handle large call volume as well as interface with other systems. In most cases, large call centers require more than just the PBX itself. Equipment such as a predictive dialer, VRU, and voicemail system must all easily integrate with a PBX system that is intended for call center use.

A predictive dialer is one of the most common types of equipment used to route calls to agents based on a campaign or job configuration. In most cases, a call center is set up to handle customer service or collection type calls. In the case of collections, account delinquency is often a large determining factor in which account holders are contacted. These accounts are entered into the campaign or job so that the dialer can automatically call these customers and deliver the call to the agents. Having a predictive dialer insures that calls are delivered evenly amongst available staff. This eliminates the possibility of one or more agents receiving the majority of the calls well other agents sit idle. This process makes the most of available staff and routes calls in a manner that increases productivity and efficiency. Analytical reports that the dialer provides helps management and executive staff determine when new staff might need to be hired or existing schedules adjusted.

Monitoring call-center queues is vital for optimal performance. In most cases, the dialer will have software available that will allow supervisors to monitor agent behavior and intervene when necessary. Monitoring software provides supervisors with away to determine if calls are waiting on hold, being serviced by an agent, or simply hanging up. This allows the supervisors to adjust agents staffed to accommodate the current call volume or demand on the system. Being able to make these changes at a moment's notice helps the business to keep call flow moving without bottlenecks. This feature combined with historical reports gives executive management a clear picture on call center performance as a whole.

CTI integration greatly improves productivity and the customer experience. This is where external systems use information received from the phone system to access customer information and populates it into a screen as the call is delivered to the agent. This way, the agent has immediate access to the customer information and does not need to question the customer on the account number or other pertinent information. Addressing the customer by name increases customer confidence and gives him or her a sense of appreciation. Many customers experience frustration when they are asked multiple times to provide an account number.

Having multiple systems that interface with each other eliminates this frustration on the part of the customer. Even when the call is transferred to another agent, the information is transferred with them. When CTI integration is utilized, the need for phone sitting on the desk is eliminated. Calls are handled through the computer with the use of a headset where agents can answer and make calls through the use of software. Most of the time, most of the time headsets are generally less expensive than a phone sitting on the desk.

A voice response unit is often leveraged to allow customers to self-serve to minimize the number of calls that are directed to agents. The VRU must be able to access other systems so that it can provide customers with the information they need. This can be their account information, mailing instructions or the location of the business. These types of calls are common and often take up a lot of time and resources. By using a VRU, the business now does not need to hire as many agents or have as many scheduled because the VRU can handle the calls without human intervention. In cases where the customer opts to speak to a customer service representative, the VRU can then transfer the call to the PBX system to be routed out to an agent.

Many large call centers use VRU technology to minimize workload on their agents. Additionally, VRU reporting can provide useful information when making business decisions. These reports can show a good overview of customer behavior and which options customers find useful versus which ones result in the call being transferred to an agent. This allows the business to further streamline the VRU options for increased efficiencies. The more a business can get a customer to access information themselves, the less number of calls will be delivered to agents.

Communications for call centers involve a lot more than just the PBX system. For large operations additional equipment will be needed to ensure that the call center is both productive and efficient. Although there may be cost for the initial purchase and installation, the long-term return on investment can be significant. When implementing call-center strategies, more must be considered than just the cost of the equipment itself. When factoring in the cost of hiring personnel to handle calls, much of the external equipment makes financial sense and provides the business with an efficient way to handle calls as well as provide long-term savings.

As a self proclaimed expert on all the newest technology with respect to telecommunications, I have posted many more articles at:

http://www.BusinessPhoneSystemsfinder.com

I have also found this to be a wonderful resource for those in the market for a new Business Phone System. To read more on this subject or to find a local company to assist you with your Business Systems needs, I suggest you check out another one of my articles at:

http://www.BusinessPhoneSystemsfinder.com/shopping_for_office_phone_systems.php

By Steve Mike Levy

READ MORE - A PBX System for Call Center Environments

Hosted or On-Premise PBX System?

When purchasing a PBX system, it's important to note that not all systems are created equal. Some are geared tour smaller businesses with a minimal number of features. For larger businesses, a PBX must have scalability and more advanced features available. Much like buying a stripped-down version of a car, the initial cost of the PBX system may not be the only expense involved.

For smaller businesses, a PBX with basic features such as call forwarding, voicemail, auto attendant, and call conferencing are usually all that's needed. There are now virtual solutions that eliminate the need for the business owner to administer the system or maintain the hardware. This solution could be ideal for those businesses with 20 or less users. These virtual systems offer scalability for growth, portability for expansion or business moves and significant cost savings. Since these types of systems are IP-based, the calls are routed over the same network as data. This allows the small business owner to leverage his existing data network without incurring additional cost for separate circuits designated for voice. Most virtual PBX solutions have these basic features included.

For larger businesses, a virtual PBX system might work, however in most cases where call routing is more complex, a more robust system is required to provide a true return on investment. Any PBX system should provide the business with improved productivity and cost efficiency. It's not enough to merely purchase a PBX system and install it for use. If not configured correctly, a PBX system might end up costing the business owner more money in the long run. When talking about high call volume, it's imperative that the PBX system be configured to route calls in a cost-efficient manner. Least cost routing is the most desired form of routing calls and should be implemented whenever possible.

The newest technology, voice over IP is the best way for the business owner to make the most of telecommunications expenses. This is because phone calls are routed over the data network and are not subject to the PTSN network costs. Calls routed using the PTSN are allocated cost depending on the carrier involved and where the call will end up. Since sending voice traffic over a data network is like sending an e-mail, these calls are not subject to the same charges. The cost for voice over IP calls are charged at the same rate as the rest of the data. In other words, the more bandwidth the business requires the greater the cost.

Determining the appropriate PBX system is largely going to depend on how a company conducts business and the expected call volume. Having phone system hardware that can handle the expected demand is essential for any successful communication solution. Future growth should also be considered when purchasing a PBX system. If the call volume is expected to increase very quickly, it would be wise to allow for this additional volume in the initial purchase. Most of the time PBX vendors will offer the best prices during initial purchase and installation. This is where the business owner would want to take advantage of these lower prices and add any additional hardware that might be needed in the near future.

Whether a hosted solution or an on-premise PBX, the issue of support should be addressed during the purchasing phase. Maintaining a system that is functioning efficiently and consistently is key to maintaining high levels of productivity. If your phone system is not working correctly, it can create frustration on the part of customers and employees alike. The question of who will resolve the issue or make changes to the system must be answered ahead of time to minimize potential downtime.

In many cases, PBX vendors will offer support as part of a purchase and installation package. If the business owner does not have personnel that are knowledgeable in the maintenance and troubleshooting of the PBX system, then it makes sense to purchase support provided by the PBX vendor. However, it is essential that a service level agreement be signed so that both the business and the vendor know what to expect and to establish an understanding of expected response time. Having a service level agreement ensures that the business owner can expect resolution to any outages within a reasonable amount of time.

As part of the installation of purchase process, the type of communication attached to the phone system should be discussed. In a virtual or hosted PBX system, this issue is resolved by the use of IP-based trunking and should be included in the quoted price. For an on-premise PBX, communication to the PBX can be set up in numerous ways. Consulting with a knowledgeable vendor will help to answer these questions. Since communications for an on-premise PBX are not included in the purchase and installation price, it's imperative that the business owner become aware of the cost of any solution that the PBX vendor might recommend.

Finding an appropriate PBX system for your business becomes much easier when the needs of the business are considered. Take the time to assess how your business handles calls and how many calls are made and received each day. This information will help a qualified PBX vendor to work with you to find the best solution possible.

As a self proclaimed expert on all the newest technology with respect to telecommunications, I have posted many more articles at:

http://www.BusinessPhoneSystemsfinder.com

I have also found this to be a wonderful resource for those in the market for a new Business Phone System. To read more on this subject or to find a local company to assist you with your Business Systems needs, I suggest you check out another one of my articles at:

http://www.BusinessPhoneSystemsfinder.com/shopping_for_office_phone_systems.php

By Steve Mike Levy

READ MORE - Hosted or On-Premise PBX System?

What Is A Complete PBX System Solution?

Most PBX systems manufactured today have some sort of additional software or hardware that they interact with to perform specific functions. This can involve the use of software to administer the system, receive calls, or interact with other systems where information is stored.

In the case of administration, administrator functions were performed via a telnet session through telnet software. This consisted of command lines where the administrator could make changes to the system, perform upgrades and monitor system performance. Now that most PBX systems are now IP-based, most administrative functions are performed via a web interface. This interface is accessed by entering IP address in the browser address window. This web interface is inaccessible to the outside world and can only be reached from the company's internal intranet. Having a web-based administrative tool eliminates the need to maintain software on an administrator's computer. This way, any time there is an upgrade, the administrator's computer can remain untouched.

A call center environment is a complex integration of both computer and telephony technologies. Call center agents use software to interact with customers and maintain customer information. This is achieved by the agent logging into an application that interfaces with multiple systems. When a call comes into the agent, the incoming phone number is recorded and compared against entries in a database. When a match is found, the screen is then populated with all of the pertinent information for that particular customer. This allows the agent to address the customer by their name as well as have immediate access to the customer's phone number, address, account number and account information. This improves productivity as well as the customer experience. The customer doesn't need to be asked for personal information or their account number. The speed with which the call is handled is greatly increased and allows the call to be handled in the quickest and most efficient way possible.

A predictive dialer interfaces with the phone system to automatically dial where the agents are delivered calls based on account selection criteria. The dialer queues up the call and automatically connects the call to an available agent. This requires no interaction on the part of the agent and works for both inbound and outbound calls. Campaigns or jobs can be set up based on the objective of the calls. One job might focus on a particular delinquency of accounts, where another might focus on customer service type calls. A predictive dialer provides consistency in the number of calls made and allows management to closely monitor the call volume to agent ratio. If this task to be performed manually, you would see large inconsistencies in the number of calls made per agent each day. This is because some agents would naturally be more inclined to make more calls than others. A predictive dialer evens the workload amongst available agents. Additionally, the analytical reporting that a dialer provides allows management to more accurately ascertain staffing needs and schedule or higher accordingly.

A VRU, or voice response unit, routes calls based on caller selection. A VRU will often interact with other systems that contain information relevant to that particular customer. Based on the entry of an account number, either spoken or entered on the phone keypad, the VRU can then query the outside system and provide the customer with the information they are requesting. If after receiving their account information the customer would like to speak to an agent, the VRU then passes the call to the phone system. This allows customers to have access to information without interacting with an agent. This helps to reduce cost as it reduces the number of staff needed due to reduced call volume directed to agents.

Although some PBX systems have a voicemail system built-in, many do not. In these cases, a separate voicemail system is required and must interface with the PBX so that calls can be routed to voicemail in the event they are not answered. Although this does require more administration, in many cases a separate voicemail system is more robust and offers more features. Features such as a broadcast mailbox, e-mail forwarding, and fax capability to name a few, can provide a business with extra benefit.

Call accounting is an often overlooked and yet important way to monitor communication costs and allocate expenses to various departments. This is done through an external system that is connected directly to the PBX. As calls come in, important data is collected. Information such as duration, whether it was an inbound or outbound call, the extension that the call came to or from and how much the call actually cost, are all recorded and entered into a database. This information is later used for accounting purposes.

A PBX system can be a significant investment. However, the PBX system that a business owner might choose must have the capacity and the ability to deliver the technology that a particular business might need. Ensuring that a PBX system can easily interface with external systems when needed means that a business owner can achieve the results he or she is looking for when implementing a complete telecommunications solution.

As a self proclaimed expert on all the newest technology with respect to telecommunications, I have posted many more articles at:

http://www.BusinessPhoneSystemsfinder.com

I have also found this to be a wonderful resource for those in the market for a new Business Phone System. To read more on this subject or to find a local company to assist you with your Business Systems needs, I suggest you check out another one of my articles at:

http://www.BusinessPhoneSystemsfinder.com/shopping_for_office_phone_systems.php

By Steve Mike Levy

READ MORE - What Is A Complete PBX System Solution?

A Wireless PBX System Extends Communication Reach

A wireless PBX system is a convenient solution for those businesses that have employees that don't remain stationary throughout the day. Being able to reach an associate who could be anywhere at the location can be a challenge. Typically handled by two-way radios in the past, many businesses are now opting for a wireless PBX system.

This type of system works in the same way that a standard PBX operates. However, instead of routing calls to a desk phone calls are routed to wireless phones through a Wi-Fi signal. This allows the business to reach these employees by simply dialing their extension where the call rings to their wireless phone. Extensions and voicemail are set up in the same way they would be on a conventional PBX system. Like a conventional phone system, users of the wireless phones can make use of the same features and benefits that those who sit at a desk would use. Features such as call forwarding, holding a call, and speed dialing are available on the wireless phones as well.

At business locations such as construction sites, one would expect to have to leave a message for an employee. With the wireless PBX system, employees can be reached at any time of day regardless of where they are at on-site. This is not only useful for friends or family to reach an employee in an emergency situation, it is also helpful for the employer himself to reach personnel when needed. This eliminates the need to search the grounds for an individual. Obviously, this makes communication in a situation such as this more efficient. Additionally, this gives the construction workers the option for voicemail where previously they might not have had it available. Having an extension on a company phone system allows office personnel to reach those out on the construction site without taking up an outside phone line.

Another common scenario in the use of a wireless PBX system, many schools are now implementing this technology to keep track of teachers, counselors and other personnel during the school day. When teachers are in the halls directing students they can still receive phone calls through the use of a wireless telephone. In most schools, getting in contact with a teacher often required a student with a note to be dispatched.

The wireless PBX system is really nothing more than an IP-based phone system that uses a Wi-Fi network to route voice over IP traffic to wireless phones. The wireless phones access the network in the same way that a wireless laptop would gain Internet access. This is achieved through the installation of wireless access points throughout a location. These access points are then connected to the main phone system via the local area network. When installing the wireless access points, the desired coverage area must be carefully analyzed to determine how many are needed and the signal strength that can be expected. In some cases, too many wireless access points can actually cause loss of connectivity on the part of the wireless phones. This is because as the wireless phone moves from area to area, it's trying to maintain its connection to the network. With too many access points, it will often switch between access points too rapidly where the connection drops as it's switching over. This problem can be minimized with proper testing and analysis.

Additionally, these access and points can be leveraged for access to the network for laptops and other portable devices that use Internet. In this way, the access points can serve a dual purpose where the return on investment is increased.

Extending communications to remote areas of a business location increases productivity and efficiency. Less time is spent trying to find someone and issues or emergencies are resolved more quickly. This also eliminates the need for the caller to be placed on hold while the intended party is located. Callers trying to reach a particular individual can now call them directly and reach them anywhere on the campus. Administrative assistants are now free to perform their normal duties rather than spend time searching for an individual or taking messages. This is particularly helpful in cases where some personnel might never come to the front office or they might go there infrequently. This prevents undelivered messages where important information might not get to the right party. In some cases, undelivered information can result in inefficient business operations or loss of productivity.

Although an IP-based phone system can route calls to a cellular phone, having wireless phones designed specifically for this purpose is a more economical way to route calls at one location. There are no additional costs to the business since the existing data network is leveraged to route the calls.

If your business involves warehouse personnel, yard personnel, or any employee that does not work at a desk, a wireless PBX system can provide the perfect solution to solving communication challenges when conducting daily business. Relatively inexpensive to implement, this new technology serves to streamline communication and increase productivity.

As a self proclaimed expert on all the newest technology with respect to telecommunications, I have posted many more articles at:

http://www.PBXphoneSystemsfinder.com

I have also found this to be a wonderful resource for those in the market for a new Business Phone System. To read more on this subject or to find a local company to assist you with your Business Systems needs, I suggest you check out another one of my articles at:

http://www.PBXphoneSystemsfinder.com/choosing_pbx_systems.php

By Steve Mike Levy

READ MORE - A Wireless PBX System Extends Communication Reach

The IP Based PBX System And SIP Integration

Traditional hardware based PBX systems are becoming a thing of the past. With the introduction of SIP technology, IP based phone systems are fast becoming the preferred method of providing communications to a business. This new technology is giving many businesses flexibility as well as cost savings when implementing a communications solution.

SIP, or session initiation protocol, is taking real-time communications such as voice and video to the next level when used with an IP based PBX system. SIP is responsible for the initiation and breakdown of a session on an IP network. Communication is done in one of many ways. Instant messaging, email, cell phones, video conferencing and standard phone use are all ways in which businesses send communications back and forth amongst its employees. SIP allows for the integration of these technologies, which provides a media rich way for employees to communicate and collaborate. You no longer have to be in the office to be in the office. Mobility is a key benefit of an IP based PBX system and the addition of SIP only serves to enhance the user experience through flexibility and faster communication.

SIP provides a direct connection between two SIP enabled devices. Most commonly, this is done between two phones, but can also be done between a phone and a web application, a phone and video conferencing sessions and so on. This provides convergence between many diverse technologies thereby allowing messaging to move across various platforms when needed. As an example, if an IT organization needs to gather the necessary personnel to resolve a system outage, each of them can be notified through a different medium depending on where they're at. It could start with the first person being notified via an email that there is a problem. This person then with the click of a mouse could then send out notification to everyone else on the team. One person might get a text message on their smart phone, while another might get an IM and the last person might get a phone call. The people necessary to resolve the issue have now been assembled within minutes, which means the outage is resolved more quickly.

SIP trunking makes the cost of making a long distance call considerably less than before. In older technology, calls are sent through the Public Switched Telephone Network where costs are based on which carrier charges what and where the call terminates. Using a SIP to SIP connection often costs pennies on the dollar in terms of communications costs when compared to the standard way calls are routed in the older PTSN routing. Even if you're calling a number that is still on the PTSN, the cost savings are significant enough for SIP to be considered as a viable cost savings measure.

With SIP, the phone call is sent over the same line as the data so the need for separate trunks for voice communication as well as data is eliminated and now they can both use the same trunk for transport. This provides considerable cost savings since the same number of trunks is no longer needed. An important consideration is one of capacity and bandwidth requirements are evaluated to determine the amount of trunking needed to adequately support the amount of expected traffic.

The portability of an IP based PBX system is one of its biggest benefits. With the addition of SIP, business can be conducted from virtually anywhere with greater efficiency. Being able to conduct business in multiple locations with minimal start-up costs gives smaller businesses a way to compete with large competitors. Large companies spend millions of dollars opening and maintaining locations throughout the world. With the mobility that an IP based PBX system offers, the smaller business now has this same advantage because individuals can now operate in a home based office in the same way they would if limited to working in an office building. This allows for relatively inexpensive expansion and also gives the business a wider reach when hiring new employees. A small business can have only 20 employees with 15 of them working in remote locations thereby expanding the business's reach.

SIP technology is breaking down the barriers and limitations of conducting business in multiple locations. With the addition of this technology, communications costs are dropping significantly and allowing businesses to consider new options and potential markets. Most new PBX systems include this capability and it's likely that business owners will begin to take advantage of the flexibility and cost savings this technology provides.

This obviously opens up the possibilities for out of the box thinking in relation to the way that a company does business on a daily basis. With a mobile workforce, a SIP enabled PBX system becomes more than a useful way to communicate and is now a powerful conduit to communications across the board

As a self proclaimed expert on all the newest technology with respect to telecommunications, I have posted many more articles at:

http://www.PBXphoneSystemsfinder.com

I have also found this to be a wonderful resource for those in the market for a new Business Phone System. To read more on this subject or to find a local company to assist you with your Business Systems needs, I suggest you check out another one of my articles at:

http://www.PBXphoneSystemsfinder.com/choosing_pbx_systems.php

By Steve Mike Levy

READ MORE - The IP Based PBX System And SIP Integration

How Does a PBX System Connect With The Outside World?

PBX systems are at the heart of any successful business. Communication is the most important aspect of building client relationships and conducting day-to-day business. Without an efficiently operating phone system, a business could lose revenue as well as client confidence.

Phone systems are designed to handle call volume that exceeds what one would normally see in a home. Since multiple calls are coming in at the same time, a phone system is essential to route these calls to the appropriate party where the customer doesn't hear a busy signal. This is done through the use of circuits or multiple phone lines that are connected to the phone system. Based on call volume, these "phone lines" can either be an ISDN line, or could be a series of single lines. The choice of circuit is largely dependent on the expected call volume and budget of the business owner.

In cases of smaller businesses, using multiple single lines might make more sense. However, some may be surprised to find that the cost of one ISDN circuit might be less expensive than continually adding phone lines to keep up with demand. This is where projected growth should be considered when ordering circuits or phone lines. This is particularly true in cases where rapid growth is expected.

Referred to as a circuit, an ISDN is a type of "phone line" that has 24 channels with one channel being reserved for data such as caller ID. The remaining 23 channels can carry one call each simultaneously. This solution would work better than 23 individual phone lines to accommodate incoming and outgoing phone calls. These circuits can be set up in a PBX system to allow incoming or outgoing calls or a combination of both. Additionally, depending on the phone company used, they can be specified for either local or long distance. In most cases, they will be set up for least cost routing. You might be able to send both local and long distance calls over the same circuit, but it might not be cost-effective to do so.

ISDN T1's, or circuits, are appropriate for larger businesses with a high expected call volume. These circuits are commonly seen in call center environments which have additional technology to route calls to agents. For companies having extremely high call volume, a DS3 is often used which is comprised of 28 T1's or individual circuits. This allows for an even greater amount of call volume and might be a more cost-effective solution than ordering 28 individual T1's. The cost of a DS3 will depend on the distance from the business location to the end of the carrier network. This is why it's a good idea to shop around when considering purchasing a DS3 for communications. This way you can choose a carrier that has the shortest distance to minimize cost.

Another solution that is fast growing in popularity because of its versatility as well as cost savings is VoIP. Unlike the communications described above, VoIP technology transmits the conversation using IP technology in much the same way that a computer transmits data. Since both voice and data can reside on the same circuit, the need for the number of circuits can be minimized. Since VoIP converts the conversation to data packets, it's important that the voice data not conflict with the normal transmission of data as seen when transferring files or sending email. This is because voice data must be received in the order in which it is sent. If the end of the conversation gets to the destination before the beginning, the conversation won't be understandable. In the case of data transmission, if there's a bottleneck, the network will simply begin sending the data again once the bottleneck clears.

Since conversations are real time, this won't work for voice traffic. This is why it's imperative to have the proper configuration in place to insure that the voice conversation always has priority. The number of calls that could run concurrently would largely depend on the size of the network, the data circuits and how much other data would be transmitted over the same circuit. Additionally, the network configuration plays a large role in the quality of the audio during a phone call. VoIP is appropriate for large and small businesses because of its scalability. Depending on the needs of the business, bandwidth can be moved up or down and allows the business to leverage the data network to route phone calls.

There are many solutions when it comes to connecting a PBX system to the outside world. Varying in cost and capacity, each solution has its benefits and drawbacks depending on customer need. Also a deciding factor is the PBX itself. Knowing what the PBX is compatible with as well as the expected call volume will go a long way in making the appropriate telecom choices to meet business needs.

As a self proclaimed expert on all the newest technology with respect to telecommunications, I have posted many more articles at:

http://www.PBXphoneSystemsfinder.com

I have also found this to be a wonderful resource for those in the market for a new Business Phone System. To read more on this subject or to find a local company to assist you with your Business Systems needs, I suggest you check out another one of my articles at:

http://www.PBXphoneSystemsfinder.com/choosing_pbx_systems.php

By Steve Mike Levy

READ MORE - How Does a PBX System Connect With The Outside World?

Phone Service Pay Out Programs

Your phone service is certainly one of the crucial elements for generating it in your company society at this time. Without having a mobile phone support that you as well as your consumers as well as consumers can count on, you face the risk of losing power in terms of conversation and industry presence. Because of this, it can be always risky for the business owner to keep off on locating the suitable kind of telephony program for his requirements.

Needless to say, among the first issues that get in the way of finding right phone system for an organization is funds. Most people will agree that their telephone service has to be reliable, but they also recognize the difficulty of sustaining a service in the long period, especially if your transaction program does not mesh with their companies' needs and capacity to pay. This is the reason why it's very crucial that you carefully contemplate the types of pay plan phone service providers are giving your business, prior to you make your decision. This way, you are able to much more pleasantly coordinate along with your service provider.

There are three fundamental techniques telephone service companies may charge you for service:

Per Message

If you like getting long and extensive telephone message or calls with clients, co-workers and customers, the per-message choice will be the best suited telephone service pay strategy to suit your needs. This choice often will require shelling out a particular fee for each and every call you accomplish, no matter how long the talk is, provided that it is local. In some circumstances, you can only make a specified number of telephone calls every single month for a flat rate per month and need to pay money for the rest on a per-call basis.

Per Measure

For those who do not assume to have numerous telephone calls and don't wish to spend a lot on a monthly basis, per measure payment programs might be a good put for you to begin with. Essentially, this takes in mind the length of the call too as the distance in between the two phone callers. Supplied that the business mostly deals with incoming calls, this option is very likely to price the least. Mainly because of this, modern day businesses are advised to be cautious when considering this.

Flat Rate

If you want a no- fuss, no- muss transaction strategy for telephone services and in case you anticipate to generate and take a whole lot of calls for your business, this is the choice for you. Out of every one of the other options, this can be likely the least difficult to deal with because you simply have to pay a single fee every month for your telephone service for indefinite phoning features. Although it is generally a lot more expensive in comparison to the other two options, it's usually the perfect alternative for enterprises seeking to develop in and take control of their respected companies.

Very last Note: The above-mentioned choices affect organizations trying to get to work on a nearby level, though the flat rate choice is commonly typical in VoIP toll free phone products. If you wish to acquire extended distance phoning features as component of your business telephone service, locate companies that supply transaction programs that best tackle your extended distance calling needs.

Find out more about phone service articles and other valuable facts on our website. Our line of phone services offers many conversation reasons why you are your business. It's always best to know them and compare which phone system supplier that operates better to suit your company needs.

By Christine Tsukino White

READ MORE - Phone Service Pay Out Programs

How Can Telecommunications Expense Management Help Your Business?

If someone was to ask you exactly how much money your business is spending on telecommunications devices, maybe you'd be able to ballpark it and come up with a reasonable answer. Think about it this way instead: how much money could you be saving on your telecommunications expenses? This question might provoke some interesting thought, or it should anyway, because this is where things get complicated. The right telecom expense management provider can help you parse through the web of fees and services to help you see how much money you're spending frivolously.

In business, the bottom line matters. Consider these major telecommunications offenders that directly impact your business's bottom line:

• Unused minutes

• Discounts available for business plans that go unredeemed

• Usage fees associated with messaging

• Outdated plans that skyrocket because of long distance and roaming charges

• Unnecessary purchases such as software or ringtones

There's more, but that should give you a good idea of money that isn't well spent. A telecommunications expense management provider (or TEM provider) can step in and provide instant results that save you money. Think of TEM solutions as moving as quickly as the mobile world itself.

As you likely know with your own mobile device, your phone service provider (now a proxy term encompassing smart phone capabilities i.e. Internet, messaging, etc.) isn't going to be the first to raise its hand to let you know you could be paying less. In fact, the industry changes so much and so often that keeping up with trends is a job unto itself. The right TEM tool can monitor your charges and assess where money can be saved across all devices. Think of it like an ongoing audit. Your telecommunications service provider will be consistently monitored and you'll be notified when you're not getting the utmost value from your provider.

Whether you're operating from a mobile platform, a fixed platform, or both, TEM providers can help your business reign in its spending from a unified, cloud-based platform. Smartphones have made many aspects of communication and information gathering much easier. However, the various speeds and feeds of the networks they operate from have created a more complex billing system. If you haven't thought about how you can save money on these expenses, there's a very strong chance you're throwing money right out the window.

For more information on how telecommunications expense management providers can help you, try the various free self-serve mobile cost management tools for an immediate eye-opener.

Look into telecom expense management tools today to start saving money. Some telecommunications expense management providers offer free tools so prospective businesses can see immediately where they can start saving.

By Tim Xigo

READ MORE - How Can Telecommunications Expense Management Help Your Business?

How to Get an Online Telephone Number?

If you are an owner of an internet business, then it is essential for you to understand the power of communication. Especially in the 21st century, the world has become more globalized than ever. It is very easy for someone in China or Kenya to buy some product of a company in Denmark or Brazil or vice versa. In fact, it can be said that for any company to be successful, it is essential for it to have a large potential customer base in the world. Especially in the case of downloadable digital products, you can technically sell your product to anyone in the world. However, this can only be achieved successfully with the power of telecommunications. It is important that your company is reachable not only by email, but by fax as well as by telephone.

While the world has become closer than ever due to the internet, in retrospect, potential customers have become more suspicious than ever. Customers want to feel safe before doing a business transaction and thus they require some sort of a real touch with the company that they will purchase from. Hence, the main thing that needs to be done is to have a telephone number that your company can be contacted at. However, if your company is based in another country and if your customer base is in USA or Canada; then your phone number will need to be based in these countries, so that your customers can call you with ease. Many customers will hesitate to call an international number that is not in their country for variety of reasons. Hence, in order to make life easier for them, you should be able to provide an international phone number for your company.

Fortunately, getting an international phone number in a country of your choice has become easier than ever. In fact, you can get several telephone numbers in various different countries depending upon the location of your customer base. For example, in order to get your US number or to get your Canada number, you will first need to go online and search for companies which provide digital communications solutions. In the age of the internet, getting a phone number in any country has become easier than ever, as you can easily do an online application and have your telephone number activated in a matter of days.

However, this phone number that is allocated to you will be a digital phone number. This means that you will need to also have a local landline or a local mobile number that you can forward your calls to. This way, when your customer calls you, actually the call will first go to your international phone number in a country of your choice. Then the service provider which has given you this international phone number will route the phone call through the internet to your local phone number. Technically, the call itself will go through some sort of a Digital Voice over IP system; but the person who is calling you will only be charged for the phone number that he or she may be dialing. During this process, you will be charged by your service provider for the duration of the call with the call rates of your country. So, while your customer may be paying for a local call, you will be paying for an international call. But because the call will be forwarded through the internet; the call rates for you will usually be in the range of few cents per minute.

Hence, using this system, you can get a phone number from any country in the world and you can have that phone number forwarded to your local number. With the advancements in technology, it has become possible to get an international number from your service provider for around ten to twenty dollars per month. Hence, you can also have your international phone number today with a simple online sign up process. Thus, for some businesses, this can be a great opportunity which can also give them a competitive edge against other companies, which may be selling similar products or services.

Dr. UGUR GUVEN is an Aerospace Engineer (PhD). He has worked as an academician as well as a technical director of various TV Channels. He is currently working as a Technical Consultant. For further information on the subject, you can consult http://www.guventechnology.com for getting an international phone number in the country of your choice as well as for web hosting solutions, video streaming, internet TV broadcasting and digital science journal publication solutions. You can also contact him at ugurguven@yahoo.com.

By Ugur Guven

READ MORE - How to Get an Online Telephone Number?

What Makes PBX The Top Choices Of Today's Hosted System

A business will have many advantages if it chooses to use the latest PBX systems. The conventional system services have existed many years ago. However, in this day and age, there is an option for business owners to use a hosted system that is intrinsically a lot more reliable and efficient. When you are looking for an efficient service provider such as this, it is advisable that you do not rush your decision as it requires a great amount of research as well as extensive understanding of the many different types of choices and features.

The main benefit of opting for a PBX hosted system is that there is no need for you to purchase and install the device. This is your chance to have the competence of an up to date telecommunication network minus the hassle of sustaining several different lines and hardware. Using a hosted system allows you to configure it to suit the nature of your business as well as demands.

A configuration such as making sure every call that comes through will be directed to the correct device should there be no one to answer the call or a delay. This is definitely beneficial for companies that tend to get busy at a certain time of the day. You can also add users, change the extensions and control the queues of all the calls.

Let's face the fact that customer service can either make or break a potential business. If you have clients left waiting on a call for a long period of time, or are frequently put through to the wrong subdivision, you can be sure you will receive a lot of complaints from the frustrated and annoyed clients. By using this efficient PBX hosted system, a significant amount of complaints can be brought down.

As amazing as it sounds, it is highly suggested that you take your time in choosing the right system for your company. It would be wise to compare as many different types as you possibly can to ensure you are very happy with your decision. It is best to be sure right now then to regret later on that you have made the wrong choice.

There is abundance of merchants who can provide these services to you and it is vital that you make an attempt to comprehend the many types of deals offered by the merchants. The prices as well as features may differ from one merchant to the other, so it is imperative that you weigh the differences.

Do not hesitate to speak to managers about their experiences with any merchant that provides the PBX hosted system services. By talking to them, there is a possibility that there will be a name of a merchant that will stand out above the rest.

Before committing to any contract, ensure you discuss with the service providers on what they have done to reduce any chance of problem that might develop in the future. The added advantage of using PBX system is that it can truly help your company to enhance its client's experience as well as making sure the productivity and efficiency of the company.

Finding where to get PBX Systems may not be that hard when you know where to look for them. If you are looking for deals and advices on PBX Systems, take a look at the information available to find out more.

By Jacob Richard

READ MORE - What Makes PBX The Top Choices Of Today's Hosted System

5 Things to Think About When Buying a New Small Business Phone System

Working with companies helping them with advice on their business phone plans, you soon get to see what is important to business decision makers. One of the toughest decisions to make is purchasing a small business phone system. You know you should get one but there are just so many choices out there. Coupled with this is probably the belief that your current one still works. Well, maybe it does, in that you can answer calls, but it may also be limiting business growth as there are new PBX systems with new features that could improve your business. This article contains 5 things that you need to think about when buying a new small business phone system.

Is the small business phone system future proof- The way that business phone lines are delivered to your premises is rapidly changing as technology improves. We've moved from PSTN technology to digital technology. Chances are that the way that your phone lines are delivered now is not the way they will be delivered in two years time. Do you really want to have to by a new system in 2 years time or would you like it to last a bit longer? Make sure you buy one that is easily upgraded and capable of dealing with multiple different technologies.

How are you going to pay for the phone system- Do you have a large amount of cash in the bank to pay for your small business phone system upfront or are you going to pay it off over a certain period of time with finance? A news system is not cheap.

What level of technical support is offered- Unfortunately sometimes things go wrong and you may not be able to fix them. You need to make sure that you buy a phone system that comes with an associated service agreement so things will get fixed in a timely manner should something go wrong.

Can you integrate it with your business phone line bill- Some business telecommunications providers will allow you to purchase a business phone system and pay it off on your phone bill over a mutually agreed to time frame. This can be great for many businesses as it improves cash flow and it also means that you only have to worry about one bill for your telecommunications usage. you don't have to worry about paying multiple people money.

How can you utilise features to boost staff productivity- New phone systems have great features that your old one won't. For example, with a new NEC phone system when someone rings your office phone number both the phone on your desk and mobile will ring at the same time. This means that your staff are more productive because they can answer more phone calls. If they are a sales team, this means that they can spend more time on the road in front of potential clients.

Is it time to update your system? If you have been thinking about it even a little then chances are yes. Hopefully some of the points I've shared above help stimulate thinking so you can make some intelligent decisions.

If you are considering purchasing a new small business phone system give Altitude Communications a call. The team here, with over 25 years experience in telecommunications, can help you pick the best small business phone system for your needs.

By Hamish Jones

READ MORE - 5 Things to Think About When Buying a New Small Business Phone System

Voice Messaging Services and Automated Dialer Solutions

Outbound Voice Messaging Services

The problem is age old, you have a message to deliver to a large number of people in and time is of the essence. What do you do? Utilize your staff to start making outbound calls, who manage to get through to 30% of your customer base? Or do you contract the work out to a professional call centre agency who are able to perhaps deliver the message to 60% of your customer base. The trouble that both methods are still not hitting the full success rate that you should expect.

So what's the solution?

Automating the process so that it doesn't matter what time of the day (within normal working hours of course) or if the person has their phone switched off or is on another call, the message will be delivered 100% of the time. If, for example the person does have their phone switched off, through automated messaging platforms the system can be programmed to flag that particular call as unresponsive and will come back to it. Should the system fail to connect to the recipient multiple times it will deliver a report of which numbers and customer ID were unable to be contacted, which can be chased up by in-house staff and often is the case that perhaps the person has changed their number or the service has been disconnected in these cases.

Often outbound voice messaging services can be tailored to your requirements, so you can choose to speed up or slow down the number of calls made in a day. Furthermore real-time reporting is offered, so you can track the progress of a campaign via a web interface and pull data and stats from it.

What are the benefits?

The immediate benefits for any business utilizing this technology becomes immediately apparent. It streamlines your whole communications process. Think of all the wasted time invested spent by staff/call centre-agents trying to reach customers who may be out or otherwise occupied. Using automated voice messaging services, ensure that you will contact the recipient at a better for time and not waste time waiting to manually call them back after repeated failed attempts. This allows your business to concentrate on the areas that are more profitable, making your business all that more streamlined and efficient. Furthermore, the technology is already there and can be implemented into companies' existing telephone exchanges and platforms.

The versatility of such systems is immense. Outbound voice messaging and automatic dialing solutions can be applied for a variety of uses. For instance perhaps you're a football club and want to send out a personalised message to season ticket holders following successful completion of a season ticket purchase. With such outbound messaging systems, you could then organise a personal message from the manager to be sent out to all who purchased the tickets through automatic dialing. A great personal touch, and something that will mean a lot to the fans. There are endless uses that such systems can be applied to, and will ultimately save your business the two most important commodities: time and money.

Also important for many industries nowadays is to keep up the competition, and you can be sure many of your competitors using manual call communication processes will be looking to expedite the process by turning to automatic methods. At the moment though businesses are still slow to catch on, so this could be the perfect time for your business or organisation to gain the upper hand and start utilizing this technology. If you'd like to know more information please see the details below and get in contact with KeyIVR Ltd - a professional outbound messaging solutions and automated dialer company based in the UK.

Dom Taylor is a SEO and PPC specialist. This article was written on behalf of KeyIVR Ltd. who offer outbound messaging and automatic dialing solutions.

If you are interested in finding out more about outbound messaging and automatic dialing services, you email them at: enquiries@keyivr.co.uk © Copyright Dom Taylor 2011

By Dom Taylor

READ MORE - Voice Messaging Services and Automated Dialer Solutions

How Wireless Expense Management Tools Can Cut Inefficiencies for Your Business

Most business owners cringe at the thought of inefficiencies. As healthy businesses know, cutting inefficiencies and stretching dollars to their max is usually a good formula for growth and prosperity-not to mention offering a great product, too. Yet even though businesses across the globe puzzle over how to become more efficient and grow profits, communications expenses are often overlooked. Perhaps this has a lot to do with how absolutely essential communications is for thriving businesses, especially in the digital age.

This raises an interesting conflict that many of us don't think about. As communication continues to become more simplified, accessible and intuitive thanks to ongoing changes in technology, the bills associated with our addiction to communication grow more complex and at times, fraught. Added to this: our smart phones will only continue to get smarter and for now, anyway, the way we're charged for our smart communication has a long way to go in order to catch up on the end of simplicity.

Fortunately, wireless expense management providers are many steps ahead of the curve. Whereas communications providers love to collect all the fees they can, wireless expense management providers love to analyze and locate frivolous fees so you can stop them in their tracks. Pouring through your bills would be an endless and likely fruitless task. Instead your wireless cost management provider can give you immediate results.

Imagine if you had a tool that could provide these capabilities, instantly:

• Unlimited number of mobile devices and invoices analyzed

• Automatic cost allocations

• Automatic carrier bill retrieval

• Savings action reports

• Standard A/P reports

• Device inventory detail reports

• Advanced accounting A/P reports

• Device inventory detail reports

• Pool plan usage reports

• High use/unusual activity reports

• On-demand device search

• Unified database across all carriers

• Original carrier invoice storage

• Advanced inventory import/export

• HRIS automation for bulk updates

These are only some of the features that wireless expense management tools can provide immediately. All of a sudden your telecommunications spend and capabilities are transformed from an abstraction into a crystalline reality and the result, of course, is savings.

Eliminating frivolous communications expenses is much easier than you think. Instead of trudging through bills after your fees have been incurred, these tools can provide a proactive solution to avoid the fees in the first place. It's as simple as going from a reactive plan to a proactive plan. And all it takes is a phone call to get started right now.

Have you considered a wireless expense management tool to mitigate frivolous communications expenses? Finding the right wireless cost management tool is quicker and more affordable than you think.

By Tim Xigo

READ MORE - How Wireless Expense Management Tools Can Cut Inefficiencies for Your Business