PBX Phone Systems: How They Can Benefit a Small Business

A budget friendly and feature rich PBX phone system or VoIP Phone System is the ideal solution for a growing small business that needs a system to grow with it. A PBX System offers all the features a business needs to manage their calls and time. They can also make a business appear bigger than it actually is and assist callers by creating multiple departments and extensions.

What is a PBX Phone System?

A PBX phone system is an office system developed to manage the calls within a business. With a PBX system, callers to a business are greeted by an automated professional attendant and can select from a menu list to be transferred to the correct department. These systems also allow a business to manage a higher volume of phone calls without the requirement of additional staff to answer the incoming calls.

For decades, PBX telephone systems have been a part of a business. Originally these systems were utilized for both incoming and internal phone calls. Typically these systems were made up of a console along with installed technology. Nowadays, with more sophisticated technology and programming, these systems support many more features to enhance a business.

A PBX system is a highly customizable and cost-effective option for a small business and allows it to handle and control all the incoming calls with just the one system. Today’s modern PBX phone systems do not require the installation of any hardware and utilize software to direct phone calls to the correct department and individuals from your team.

How Does a PBX Phone System Work?

A PBX system works so efficiently your callers will not notice the actual system your business utilizes. The system provides incoming callers with a professional greeting along with a list of options which they can select from. Callers to your business can reach members of your team or departments with the help of a menu listing or by dialing by extension or name.

When a caller chooses from the list of options available or dials by extension or by name the system will automatically connect them to the correct individual or department. Incoming and internal calls can be easily transferred to members of staff where ever they are, including the main office, a branch office, and home office and even out on a business call.

Your calls can be captured by a voicemail system when you are not available. You can select voicemail to text services or voicemail to email to ensure you receive your business voicemails while you are out in the field.

It is also possible to convert faxes received into email messages and forward calls to you regardless of where you are located. There’s also a screening feature which allows you to concentrate on your work whilst still been available for important phone calls. What Are the Benefits of a PBX Phone System?

All small businesses can enjoy the benefits of a PBX system and are partially beneficial to:

Companies Receiving High Call Volumes

A PBX phone system can handle high volumes of calls efficiently without requiring additional staff to answer incoming calls. Callers to your business will not receive a busy signal and every phone call will be answered and transferred correctly.

Companies with Multiple Offices and/or Remote Employees

PBX systems are able to forward phone calls to employees in their home offices or in another part of the country. Calls can also be forwarded to employees on the go via their mobile devices.

Companies with Call Volumes that Vary

Companies that have call volumes that vary will want to ensure that every caller gets through. Instead of having to hire and train additional temporary staff to manage the additional call volumes. During busy and unpredictable periods a PBX system can very easily handle the varying call volumes.

Cost Saving Benefits

The cost of a PBX system with an automated attendant is much less than the expense of employing someone to answer incoming calls. There’s no need to go through the recruiting and screening process, the training process or salary and benefits to pay. A PBX system operates around the clock to ensure all calls are properly directed.

Different Types of PBX Phone Systems?

A PBX system for a small business should not be considered a one-size-fits-all solution. This is why every system is customizable with a choice of features.

There’s a choice of three different kinds of systems to select from:

Traditional PBX System

A traditional PBX system utilizes landlines to transfer callers to the different departments or extensions. As this system requires landlines, a business will be required to install various pieces of equipment and pay more expensive costs, including for long-distance calls.

IT services will be needed for these systems to maintain them and to make any changes. Including extra phone lines can be challenging and a business might be limited to the total number of lines they can install.

While this system is not as popular nowadays, some businesses continue to utilize the traditional PBX model as they have continued to utilize their existing system.

IP PBX System

Instead of utilizing landlines, an IP PBX System utilizes Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This means calls are made utilizing an internet connection which can reduce the expense of making long distance calls. This system does not require any subscription expenses and offers plenty of control over how to configure the system in-house.

A potential disadvantage of an IP PBX System is that it needs the installation of a network and to be maintained, which can be expensive. As long as a business has plenty of bandwidth it is easy to add additional phone lines.

Hosted or Virtual PBX System

There’s no need to install any equipment when it comes to a Hosted VoIP PBX system. These systems are operated by a service provider off-site, and all a business needs to do is request the PBX phone service needed and pay the monthly fee for it.

This type of system tends to be feature rich and budget friendly. It is one of the most popular choices with small businesses as there’s no requirement for a large setup fee upfront, or to learn the complicated equipment and no need for maintenance fees.

PBX Phone System: The Key Advantages for a Small Business

The key advantages of a PBX phone system include:

Cost-Effective: A PBX system saves money for a business when compared to equipment-intensive systems and landlines.

Professional System for Handling Incoming Calls: A PBX system can help to position your business as a professional one as incoming calls are answered quickly and without an annoying busy signal.

Ability to Adapt the System as Your Business Develops: A PBX system makes it very easy to make changes utilizing a mobile app or intuitive web interface. Changes can be made very easily to your outbound messages, explaining any new offers or business changes and to offer seasonal greetings. Adding new team members or departments can be done very easily without the need for any technical training.

Ability to Efficiently Manage Influx’s of Calls: A PBX system, during busy periods, can manage high volumes of phone calls without annoying busy signals or dropped calls. Calls are handled effectively and transferred to the correct department or team member quickly and easily. During busy periods a PBX system can take care of your calls while you can concentrate on the work you are required to do.

If you are interested in getting a small business phone system or VoIP phone service with a virtual phone number for your company check out these great PBX System Services »