October 9, 2023

What Should I Look for in a Small Business Phone System?

Make the Call for Better Customer Service

Searching for the latest and greatest in a small-business phone system probably isn’t at the top of your to-do list, but maybe it should be. Customer service is important, as is communication with your team — and the right phone system matters for both.

We want to make it easy for you to know what to look for in a phone system — one  that works as hard for your business as you do. In this article, we’ll show you the different features of telephone systems and how to use them, as well as answer some frequently asked questions.

What Are the Main Features of a Business Phone?

Every business is unique, so exactly what you need your business phone to do depends how you use it., There are so many things a communications system can do to make running a small business easier, including:

1. Call Routing — Direct incoming calls to the right place, so you can provide better customer service and make life easier for your team.
   
2. Business Inbox — Get your business communication in one place, instead of needing to check phone separate messages, texts, social media messages, and more.
3. Video Meeting Capabilities — Collaborate with team members and customers over the phone with an added visual element.
4. Team Messaging — Connect with your team members within the same app you use for business communications.
5. Admin Portal — Manage everything in one place, from monitoring call volume to adding more lines to changing the incoming call message menu options.
6. Mobile App — Turn internet-connected devices into a business phone so you and your team can field work calls from anywhere.

Is VoIP Worth It for a Small Business?

Many of the features we’ve highlighted already are VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)-based, which means they use the internet to place calls. Traditional wired phone services don’t have the same capabilities to host some of the features a small business needs. VoIP allows small businesses to place and receive calls via any internet connected device, and enables other important features, like mobile and desktop apps, and video meetings. VoIP could also be more affordable than traditional wired phone lines, as they can require less infrastructure and ongoing maintenance.

For all these reasons, VoIP is an increasingly popular tool for small businesses. Modern VoIP fits under the umbrella of unified communications, which uses technology powered by the cloud to deliver advanced services and features, all in one platform.

Disclosure:
This article was adapted from content originally written and published by Vonage. Learn More About Vonage. This article contains general information and is not intended to provide information that is specific to American Express, or it’s products and services.