What a Small Business Phone System Can Do For You

Our economic era is characterized by pervasively low consumer spending, high unemployment and incredibly scarce credit for even the most trustworthy borrowers. As such, this year has been merciless for small businesses across the nation. The current state of our economy shows no mercy; only businesses that have great business plans and can spend money wisely will survive.

How can you make sure your small business outlasts these difficult days? One way is to save money on your small business phone system. Most entrepreneurs will first turn to traditional land line technology when it comes to setting up a PBX or small business phone system. These systems can, however, be unwieldy and much more expensive than VOIP (voice-over-IP) options.

Some consumers might rather erroneously associate VOIP with an unprofessional or casual image. Services like Skype are appealing to the mass consumer audience; however, VOIP systems known as "virtual PBX" are specifically tailored to meet and exceed the needs for a business.

VOIP also boasts extremely high call quality, thanks to the fact that it utilizes a digital (and thus interference free) signal, rather than a traditional analog signal. This is very important for business owners with international clientele. VOIP and Virtual PBX systems can off crystal clear call quality that cannot be matched by phones that run off of PSTN, to exotic or underdeveloped areas of the world.

Additionally, many VOIP business phone systems offer advanced digital features such as digital voicemail. Thanks to their online connectivity and high-tech features, VOIP small business phone systems are capable of e-mailing transcribed voicemails to their intended recipients in your office. Digital voicemail can be stored on online or "cloud" data storage websites, allowing for easy access.

An advantage that VOIP small business phone systems can offer is the perception to others, that your company is a localized, cohesive unit with the virtual call-center feature!

Saving money on a business phone system will add up and loosen the financial burden on your small business.. In fact, they may be the only way for your business to hang until our current economic storm clears and clearer skies return.

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Mobile VoIP for Business Is More Than Just a Cost Saver

In stark contrast to the difficulties emerging for mobile VoIP for consumers (the encroachment of the telecom giants on what should be a 'nearly free service', and the imposition of calling plans that almost negate the advantages of VoIP), business mobile VoIP is a breath of fresh air for large companies with dozens of on the go employees.

The difference between the average consumer considering adding VoIP to their mobile phone and the average business owner considering it as a feature added to an already existing VoIP / PBX network is that while the consumer's actions are primarily driven by a desire to save money, the business owner is more driven by the need to increase productivity and employee satisfaction.

Reduced costs may indeed play a part (particularly if the company makes a lot of international calls), and may even prove a major benefit down the line as an indirect benefit of higher efficiency in the workplace, but the baseline consideration for business mobile VoIP is convenience.

Skype is probably the most used VoIP application both for soft phones and mobile phones. While Skype is a service, another option, Bria for iPhone, is a software phone that can be registered with and run off of your own hosted phone service or PBX network.

This allows you to make calls from your mobile and recipients will see your main business phone number as the origin of the call. You can receive calls from your work extension on your mobile, anywhere you have service. You can transfer calls back to department personnel in the office, and conference in to an important meeting while sprawled on a deckchair by a hotel pool.

Using mobile VoIP for business means that calls from anyone on your network are always free (although calls to/from the PSTN will incur whatever standard charges have been determined by your provider). Overall, mobile VoIP offers you and your staff freedom and the ability to stay connected, increasing productivity and enjoyment of their job!

Saiju is a VoIP and business software expert specializing in business phone systems and hosted SIP services.

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