Overview
You rely
on the telephone every day to interact with a variety of
people. Given how much time you devote daily to this
form of communication, take a few moments to consider
how much your phone system directly impacts your
productivity -- and, therefore, your profitability.
How a
phone system can improve effeciency
As a result of
the telecommunications industries growth over the
past decade, you have a wider choice of phone
systems than ever before. If you select the one that
maximizes your efficiency, this will put you in the
driver’s seat to increase your revenue stream, as well.
If you'll be selecting new call-processing equipment in
the foreseeable future, you’ll be in a much stronger
position to make a positive impact on the purchasing
decision if you’re armed with a general knowledge of
current trends in phone systems. The information in this
document will help you make an informed, confident phone
system decision. How a phone system can improve
efficiency Time truly is money in business. Therefore,
logically, if you can become more efficient, you’ll free
up more time to do other things, earning more each day
without working longer hours. Modern phone systems offer
features and functions which, when used properly, can
give your productivity just this kind of boost.
Voice
Mail
Let’s
look into a couple of these features and functions, so
you can see how they can be of benefit to you. After
that, we’ll discuss how newer technology enhances phone
system performance. Then, we’ll talk about specific
features, as well as questions you need to ask when you
talk to a dealer about the purchase of a new phone
system. Voice mail If you currently don’t use voice
mail, you could be spending valuable hours each day
simply playing "phone tag." If you wait to return calls
until you get back to the office from an off-site
meeting, you’ve lost that drive-time when you could have
been returning those calls. But, if you do use that
drive-time (or other "dead" time) during the day to make
yourself more efficient, you’ll have more time available
to take care of more customers -- and increase your
revenue proportionately.
Auto
attendant
You can
use your phone system’s auto attendant to take calls
during working hours or during nights, weekends and
holidays. But perhaps you want to make sure your
customers always are answered by a person, not an auto
attendant. If so, you can set up the auto attendant to
answer only calls from family members (as well as
vendors and other frequently calling non-customers).
This will allow your administrative assistant more time
to handle important calls; it also will minimize calls
being toggled on and off hold.
Not all phone systems are created equal
It’s
tempting to dismiss phone systems by saying, "Ah,
they’re all pretty much alike." But that just isn’t
true. Because of technological restrictions, varying
degrees of integration and different levels of design
proficiency, phone systems are far more divergent than
they seem. While many manufacturers claim their systems
have similar features, a thorough investigation often
shows that supposedly comparable features are often
limited in application and operation. Here’s just one
example. Many (perhaps most) phone systems require
multiple keystrokes and hard-to-remember codes to
perform simple tasks such as picking up and transferring
calls, retrieving voice mail and setting up conferences.
By contrast, the most progressive systems use single
keys, intuitive functions and interactive on-board
prompts to help you execute these everyday phone tasks.
Conclusion
It’s
clear that there are distinct, discernible differences
among telephone systems. Comparing features and
functions is an excellent strategy for selecting the
system that will deliver the most ease-of-use and the
best long-term value for your business. As you
investigate various phone systems, always remember to
understand how each feature and function might benefit
you directly. See how the function will work for you,
and make sure you understand each function's benefits.
Then you will make a sound, long-lasting decision which
will pay for itself many times over.
