Workthere’s business phone guide

Let’s face it – whatever the size of your business, you need to be contactable by phone. A huge part of the impression you give clients and customers will be created as soon as they pick up the phone to contact you, so it’s important to get it right.

However, it’s surprising how confusing business phone systems, numbers and hardware can actually be. Even the smallest of companies will need to put a lot of thought into what kind of phone system is right for them – your team and your customers need to get the absolute best from their phone communications. But, there are quite a few options out there - it can be hard to make an informed decision.

So, we’ve done some research into everything business phones - if you’re looking for a point in the right direction, keep on reading.

Rolling with the times

Before delving into all the different kinds of business phones currently on the market, it's important to make sure you’ve considered how modern work communication currently occurs, and what it might look like in the future. If not, you might end up in a situation where your business phone choices will leave you needing an update much sooner than you’d like.

Instant messaging services such as Slack, Hangouts and WhatsApp are now extremely common in the workplace for internal communications. This might be something to consider when deciding on what kind of business phone system, number and hardware to invest in.

External communications are also becoming increasingly internet-based. Many customers prefer online chat agents and bots, and customer service email addresses let customers easily send images, documents or any other kind of file.

However, while it’s important to maintain and grow online services for customers and colleagues alike, a functioning phone line will always be the preferred method of communication for many people.

Business phone systems

There are actually quite a few options available when it comes to business phone systems, so you’ll need to consider a few factors when deciding which system suits your needs – for example, if you’ve got plenty of space, how much you’d like to spend, how secure your phone lines have to be and the call functions you’d benefit from.

We’ve explained the different types of systems (and the pros and cons that come with the system) below.

Mobiles

There’s nothing to stop your team being contactable via mobile. In fact, there’s loads of benefits that come with using mobiles as your business phone system.

For example, customers may feel mobile phone communications are more personal as they tend to be picked up by the intended recipient every time, rather than having to go through switch boards or receptionists.

They also offer great mobility, so your staff can stay connected wherever they may be – both to your team but also customers and clients. There’s the added functions of texting and instant messaging too, meaning communications can continue even in situations where you wouldn’t normally be able to take a call.

However, depending on the nature of your business, mobile contact numbers can seem unprofessional. They also lack the ability to transfer calls amongst other useful features that business phones can provide.

Cost is also something to consider, as mobiles will have to be paid on plans or topped up and are also more likely to be lost or damaged.

Static business phones

Perhaps the most traditional business phone systems operate through static business phones.

Static business phones can provide more clarity within calls, as they’re specifically designed with phone calls in mind, whereas mobiles are now often devoted to being multi-functional, and their speakers and microphones aren’t the focus.

Static phones are also more reliable, as you won’t be losing them, you’ll struggle to damage them, and they’ll always have a steady, stable connection where mobiles can lose signal.

They can provide all the traditional call functions, such as hold with music, easy call transferring and conference calling. You can also enjoy added features such as video calling or buy static meeting phones that allow the whole room to participate on a call.

There are multiple options to choose from when looking at static phones, but mainly they either operate through cloud-based on or on-premises technology.

On-premises is the original solution. Also known as PBX (Private Branch Exchange), on-premises technology means there’s a box of kit that lives within your workplace that connects all your extensions and phone lines through PSTN or ISDN telephone lines. It’s extremely secure, but it does usually involve some sort of upfront cost.

Cloud-based static phones use the internet to connect all of your extensions through one public phone network. It’s also known as a hosted phone system, and it means that there’s no bulky bit of kit on your premises. It’s usually cheaper to set up and maintain and doesn’t often incur a big upfront cost.

Of course, static phones don’t provide the same portability and flexibility as mobile phones, but if your business doesn’t involve much remote working and involves a number of staff members that will be dealing with calls, static phones should be a definite consideration.

Business phone numbers

When it comes to selecting the kind of number you’ll be using for your phone system, you need to consider the volume of calls that your business will receive. If you’re a customer-facing business that will be handling regular calls from the general public, it’s a good idea to opt for a freephone 0800/0808 number. More customers will get in touch and won’t be frustrated by having to pay call charges.

Local, national and premium numbers will cost the incoming caller money and can often be more expensive to connect when setting up. These kinds of numbers can put callers off, but if your main focus isn’t to encourage callers, you might consider these kinds of business numbers.

You're ready to choose

Now you’ve considered what you’ll need from your business phones – and in the near future – we hope you’ll feel more confident when choosing your perfect business phone system. 

Technology

It's important to consider the hardware that you use for your business phone system. Your team need technology that provides all the features and accessibility imperative to get the job done properly. That being said, you also don't want to pay any more than you need to for bells and whistles that might not ever be useful.

If you’re using mobiles, balance usability with durability. For example, if your taskforce needs smartphones to stay connected remotely, you may not need to buy the latest, most expensive models in order to have access to all the tools you need, but you also need to ensure you’re not buying outdated products that will be obsolete quickly.

This is the same with using static phones – ensure you have all the features you need, you’ll be able to use the phones for a lengthy amount of time, but they’re not packed full of expensive features your business won’t need.