An appropriate communications strategy is an essential requirement for any business and will enhance efficiency, allow flexible working as well as improve customer service. This will determine the need and format of an overall telephone system as well as how it integrates with mobile telephony to help employees increase productivity even when away from the office.
There are three main choices for telephone systems;
1. Analogue – Normally using key system telephones where calls come in centrally and are transferred around the business by a receptionist.
2. Digital - A private branch exchange (PBX) system which allows you to route calls directly to individual extensions usually using ISDN lines. Additional functions such as call logging and voicemail are also then available.
3. Internet – Using Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) provides either a PBX even greater functionality extending the system across sites and enabling instant messaging and file sharing for instance or it can consist of just handsets with similar features being hosted on the network instead.
The correct choice of telephone systems is largely determined by the anticipated way of working and functions required for the business, both currently and expected in future. In all cases, a degree of future proofing is possible as most proprietary telephone systems are modular. In the case of VOIP handsets, the basic module is literally the handset itself which, with hosted applications, offers significant advantages in easy scalability.
In a similar way, mobile technology also presents choices
1. GSM – Global System for Mobile Communications allows mobile phones to send and receive data
2. GPRS – General Packet Radio Service provides an always-on data service similar to broadband but at slower transfer rates
3. 3G – Third Generation cellular data services also offering always-on connection but at rates comparable to broadband
Many mobile handsets now offer access to these data services which include email and the web, as well as simplified office applications. They can also provide connection to laptops and other mobile devices using wireless technology such as Bluetooth, enabling the user to synchronise their work real time whether in or outside the office. These are known as smart phones.
Mobile telephony can improve the service you offer to customers and the efficiency of your business. It does however need careful thought both to select the correct hardware, tariffs and functions required as well as to consider the implications for security of the devices, business data and acceptable use by employees.
The wide range of telecoms services and products can change the way you do business. If you add the increasing trend to further integrate telephony with IT , then businesses will find they have both considerable opportunities and challenges to ensure they select the right telephony within an overall communications strategy that gives them the best way of working to service their customers.
For further details and advice for business owners on smart business telecommunications to reduce your costs and operate more effectively, contact Roger Whittaker of Pink Connect
