A telephony system is essential for any business. It allows employees to communicate with each other and with customers. Many companies are already using cloud telephony system solutions, and it is expected that demand for these services will continue to rise to new heights worldwide by 2025.
Telephony systems for businesses come in all shapes and sizes, and it can be overwhelming to decide which is right for your company.
Businesses of all sizes (i.e., small or large) benefit from cloud telephony. Because it requires no additional equipment, has low to no setup costs, and can be set up and implemented in a matter of hours at most, switching to cloud telephony saves businesses 30-50 percent on average.
You need to think about some things before setting up a telephony system.
To make things a little bit easier, we’ve put together a list of 10 things to consider when setting up a telephony system for your enterprise. Keep these in mind, and you’ll be well on finding the perfect system for your business.
What is an enterprise telephony system?
An enterprise telephony system is a comprehensive telecommunications solution that enables businesses to manage and route calls internally and externally. It can include call routing, recording, voicemail to email, and auto attendant.
An enterprise telephony system is an essential piece of business infrastructure that can help your company run more efficiently.
How do you choose the right enterprise telephony system?
Choosing the telephony system for your business can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. You can narrow your search and find the perfect system for your enterprise by asking the right questions.
Some key questions to ask include:
- What are the features of the system?
- What are the costs involved?
- How easy is it to use?
- How reliable is the system?
- What kind of support is available?
- How scalable is the system?
- What’s the return on investment?
- Is the system compatible with my current infrastructure?
10 Things to consider while setting up a telephony system for an enterprise
Before you invest in a system, there are some important questions you need to ask yourself. Here are 10 questions to get you started:
Determine the needs of your enterprise
The first step in setting up a telephony system for your enterprise is determining your needs.
What do you hope to get out of your telephony system? What features are essential, and which ones are just nice to have? How many phone lines will you need? How many departments will need their extensions?
The more you can answer these questions upfront, the easier it will be to find a system that meets your needs.
Consider the size of your enterprise
When considering the size of your enterprise, think about the number of people using the telephony system.
A small business with a few employees may not need as elaborate a system as a larger company.
On the other hand, if you have a large company with many employees, you’ll need to consider things like call volume, voice recognition, and other features that can help manage calls effectively.
Type of Telephony System
Nowadays, businesses are all growing, as are their needs, and considering their needs, there are two types of telephony systems to meet those needs: PSTN and cloud telephony. Every business has requirements,, and you need to choose one for your business accordingly.
The PSTN is a collection of circuit-switched telephone networks from around the world. Telephone lines, fiber-optic cables, satellites, and undersea cables are part of it.
Of course, there’s also a new global network on the block. The internet is that network. Cloud telephony technology has been used as an alternative to the PSTN and is flexible to use by any size of the organization.
Cloud telephony is a system where telephone calls are made over the internet instead of through traditional phone lines. This system has many advantages over traditional phone systems, such as lower costs and increased flexibility.
One of the biggest benefits of cloud telephony is that it is much more affordable than traditional phone systems.
Businesses can save up to 50% on their phone bills in most cases by switching to a cloud telephony system. This is because there are no expensive hardware or software requirements, and calls are routed through the internet instead of through.
Cloud telephony is much cheaper than PSTN because it uses an existing internet connection rather than requiring a separate system or additional hardware.
PSTN networks are thought to be more dependable and secure than cloud telephony. In addition, the PSTN provides better business continuity because the connection is not disrupted during an internet outage.
Due to jitter and latency, cloud system technology was known for dropped calls and poor call quality.
Using cloud telephony, you can make international calls with clients and finish any remaining work after work, which is not possible with PSTN.
None of the telephony systems is entirely perfect. Each one has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. For example, the best phone system for pizza restaurants may not be the same for retail businesses.
And a phone system that works for one enterprise business may not work the same for another type of business. So depending on your priority, you can pick one for your enterprise.
Choose a VoIP or on-premises solution
There are two types of VoIP solutions: hosted and on-premises. Hosted VoIP is a service where your PBX is hosted by a provider and delivered to you over the internet. On-premises VoIP is where your PBX is installed in your office and managed by your IT team.
Whether to go with a hosted or on-premises VoIP solution depends on a few factors, such as budget, comfort with technology, and the size of your company.
If you’re unsure which solution is right for you, our team can help you decide.
Consider features and flexibility
A good telephony system should be able to grow and scale your business. Therefore, it’s essential to consider the features and flexibility of the system so that it can accommodate your current and future needs.
For example, a good system will have the ability to add or delete extensions, change ring tones, and configure voicemail settings. Finding a system that integrates with your existing software and hardware is essential, so you don’t have to do extra work yourself.
Make sure to ask the provider about these features to see how easily the system can adapt to your needs.
Consider Security
There are several factors to consider when setting up a telephony system for a business. One of them is security: the system should be able to protect the privacy of the enterprise’s conversations and data.
First and foremost, a strategy for managing and monitoring system access is critical. Setting up appropriate permissions and determining who has access to what are all part of this process.
Data security is also an important consideration. All data transmitted over the telephony system should be encrypted, and access to it should be limited to only authorized users. In an emergency, it’s also critical to have a backup plan in place.
Determine the budget
When it comes to budget, there are a few things to consider. Of course, the most significant expenses will likely be the equipment and installation. However, you’ll also need to budget for updates and maintenance and any additional features or licenses you may need.
It’s essential to get an accurate estimate of your telephony system’s cost to ensure it’s within your company’s budget. Work with a telecommunications provider who can help you determine what you need and how much it will cost.
Set up the system
Once you’ve decided which telephony system is right for your business, it’s time to set it up! This will involve installing the necessary hardware and software and configuring it to work with your existing network infrastructure.
If you’re unfamiliar with the process, we recommend working with a qualified systems integrator to help you get everything up and running. They’ll be able to help you select the right equipment and configure it for your specific needs, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free deployment.
Train employees
Training your employees is one of the most important aspects of setting up a telephony system for your enterprise. They need to be familiar with the new system and how to use it to get the most out of it.
Train them on using the new system, making and receiving calls, and navigating through the menus. You may also want to train them on specific features of the system that are important to your business.
If you’re unsure where to start, our team can help you. We offer various training options tailored to your specific needs and can help get your employees up to speed quickly and easily.
Evaluate the system
Evaluating the system is one of the most important steps in setting up a telephony system for your enterprise. You need to ensure that the system can handle your needs and that it will be reliable for your employees.
You should consider the number of extensions the system will support, how many phone lines it can accommodate, and what type of call routing you need. You should also evaluate the system’s features and ensure they meet your requirements.
Finally, you need to ensure that the system is compatible with your existing infrastructure and that it will be easy to manage.
Conclusion
When it comes to setting up a telephony system for your enterprise, there are a lot of things to consider. First, it’s important to consider all the factors that go into choosing and setting up a telephony system for your enterprise.
There are many things to consider when setting up a telephony system for your enterprise. The type of system, the features you need, the budget you should consider, and more.
You can ensure that you choose a system that not only meets your needs but is also simple to use and manage by taking the time to ask the right questions.
This article provides a checklist of considerations when setting up a telephony system for your company. You can select the best system for your company by considering these factors.
And by keeping the following 10 things in mind, you can make the process a lot easier and ensure that you get a system that meets your needs.