• By Steven Hays
• Published 10/3/2012

Being one of the essential parts of a business, the telecom system holds a lot of importance for any business organization. An efficient telecom system acts as the company’s lifeline to its suppliers, customers and to the rest of the world.

It still remains as one of the fastest and easiest ways of communicating within and beyond the organisation’s walls. Choosing the right telephone system for your business is an important decision as it can have both operational and financial repercussions if the wrong system is chosen.

You may have to face a lot of challenges when setting up a new business. Prioritising the different aspects of the business could be the hardest of all tasks. However, the telephone system is one of the aspects that require the highest priority. That is why when choosing business telephone systems you need to make some considerations.

The budget: The budget is the first consideration that you must make. You must know how much you can spend on the system. Knowing the amount will not only help you narrow down your search, it will also keep you from spending more than you can afford. Do not think about going for the “cheaper” alternative.

When you are investing in the telecom system, make sure you are investing in the good system and your investment lasts for long. The cheaper may seem tempting in the beginning, but it may end up costing you more.

Your requirements: Before you opt for a particular system, you must review all your needs and requirements carefully. What does your business need the system for?Is the telecom system going to be the primary mode of communication? What sort of a system does your business require? You need to find an appropriate system.

There are systems that come with added features like voicemail, call waiting and so on. Your business may benefit greatly from using these features. Determine whether or not you need those extra features.

The size: Think about what benefits you will get from using the phone system. For businesses that do not need to use the telephone service that much, a small system may be ideal. However if your business is going to conduct most of the operations via phone, you will need a much bigger system that is capable of handling the call traffic without any interruptions.

The additional features: Depending on your business needs, you must choose the features. There are numerous features that may come with different packages. Once you have reviewed why you need the telephone system and what requirements are there, you will be able to determine which features will be necessary. Additional features may include:

• Auto attendant – attends the call automatically without someone doing it and calls will be routed to the right employee.
• Conferencing – connects a number of extensions for them to participate in a single conversation.
• Call hunt – when an employee is not able to answer the phone, the call will be forwarded automatically to another member of staff instead of going to voicemail.

These were some of the considerations that you must make when opting for the telecom system. You must also choose the business phone company wisely for avoiding purchasing the wrong products.

Author Bio: Steven Hayes is a copywriter specialising blog posts and articles in the electronics and communications industry. He provides tips and suggestions for choosing the right business telephone systems.