Analyze Your Needs
Even before you head to look for a small business phone service for your business, you must first determine a few things. Does every employee need a separate extension? Do they need a voicemail box and online fax? Does your business need an auto attendant? Do you think your employees will benefit if they can read their voicemails in emails? Before you decide on using a small business phone it is important to know the answer to all these questions. You should know how many extensions your business needs before you start looking for a virtual telephone(http://www.itelecenter.com/Virtual-Phone-System.aspx).
Check for the Important Features
Auto attendant
The next important thing is to check for the features that you and your employees need. Check if your phone system has an auto attendant or not. An auto attendant is perhaps one of the most important features of a small business phone service. An auto attendant greets and routes your callers. You can record all your information on the auto attendant greeting and your customers can choose according to their need. You also have the flexibility to customize your information. An auto attendant works like an automated receptionist round the clock.
Call forwarding
Call forwarding is another important feature of a small business phone service that can have immense influence on your business. An auto attendant receives any call and forwards it to the right person or department. But in case the right person is not available to answer the call, the automated attendant then forwards the call to the voicemail box. You can also set your system to forward calls to more than one phone number of your choice. You provide the phone numbers to the system and also specify the time and the day when you are available on each number to receive calls.
Voicemail box
If you are not able to answer your customer’s call, the auto attendant forwards the call to your voicemail box. Your small business phone service can send you an alert as soon as there’s a new message in your voicemail box. It also allows you to read your voicemails in emails so that you can manage all your communications from one place.
Online fax
Online fax helps you to send and receive fax from anywhere and at anytime. You do not need a fax machine or paper for sending fax. It is faster, convenient and more effective than the traditional facsimile.
The Capacity of the Service
The last but not the least important thing is to check the capacity of the small business phone service that you are opting for. You obviously want your business to grow. In fact that is one of the reasons for buying a small business phone. So you should also check the capability to upgrade your service in the future. Your phone service should be able to grow as your business grows.
