Guide to Business Phones-Connect your business to more sales with the right business phones.

Posted by siva , , Friday, February 13, 2009 2:27 AM

The back end of business telephone systems -- the hardware and software that runs office telephones -- really matters. But it's the handset and base, the actual physical apparatus of office phones, that can either help or hurt your actual business. Buying business phones can be complex, so knowing the key points helps when buying business telephones.

Covered in this guide to office phones:

1. Basic desktop business phones
2. Buying multi-line business telephones
3. Wireless office telephones
4. When to consider buying speaker phones
5. Headsets for business phone use

Action Steps for Business Phones

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Business Phone Action Steps For most users, standard desktop business phones will suffice Whether you have five employees for 500, most will need only the business phone functionality they already understand: calling, voicemail, speaker phones and transfer-to-extension business telephone functions. Office telephones can be more complex, but why?

I recommend: Some of the larger vendors of business telephone systems include Avaya, Cisco, Nortel, Vertical (which owns the Comdial and Vodavi brands), and NEC.

Business Phone Action Steps Multi-line business telephones make your team more productive Your sales people will be taking calls in all directions, more often than not. Having enough multi-line business telephones (capable of ringing through two or more calls) can make a difference. They'll need a second or third line, too, to do simple conference calls from their desks.

I recommend: Price multi-line business telephones at Bizrate and PriceGrabber. If you are buying an entire system from a major vendor, they should offer you a discount for purchasing more office phones.

Business Phone Action Steps Wireless systems will change your choice in office phones If your company is running a wireless network for Internet, it is now possible to add lots of new phones to your operation quickly, should your business telephone needs expand. Adding office telephones is becoming less of a chore.

I recommend: Siemens and Mitel make phones or add-ons to business phones that allow the additional of multiple handsets using wireless communications. No wires, just plug and play.

Business Phone Action Steps Do business meetings better with quality speaker phones In conference rooms and in executive offices, conference calls go easier with speaker phones that allow team members to take part in the conversation without straining to hear or be heard.

I recommend: Most desk phones come with speaker phone capabilities, but for the best quality take a look at real speaker phones at vendors like Polycom, ClearOne and Panasonic.

Business Phone Action Steps Some users of your office telephones will need headsets Receptionists, salespeople, technical support, billing -- many modern office workers are on the phone constantly as part of the job. Do their necks and backs a favor and invest in headset systems for their business telephones.

I recommend: Consider headsets made for business telephone use by Plantronics and Logitech.

Tips & Tactics for Finding Business Phones

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
  • The best business phone is one your people will use. When considering office phones, don't overbuy features you yourself don't fully understand. If you don't get it, no one else will either.
  • Don't skimp and buy consumer brand phones, even if they will work on your system. A few months of office use and they'll be kaput. Better to look into buying used office telephones instead, if price is a problem.
  • Newer office phones come with wireless hardware built in, like Bluetooth, that will let your business phones communicate with nearby cellular phones or laptops.