How to: Choose a business phone service provider

A business phone system is one of the most important features of your company; it not only dictates how you interact with new and existing customers but also how you manage your employees. For this reason it is important to know what to look for when choosing a service provider to find the best fit for your business.

Firstly, you should decide if you want a hosted or an on-site service. Hosted telephony systems run over the internet, giving you the access to more calling features and easier scalability, however problems can arise if you have connectivity issues. On-site systems require the installation of on-site technology which can become expensive as your business grows but it does give you complete control and flexibility, giving you a solution to meet your every need.

Consider the call options that you want to offer, from call recording and call management to advertising on hold, these options are becoming more and more necessary to provide a good customer experience. Ensure that the service provider that you choose is able to provide the options that you need. When considering these features, look at the costs that you will incur, some service providers will charge for certain add-ons and they will all charge differently for minutes used. Make sure you look into the finer details when it comes to the price plan.

Consider how easily you can implement and manage your systems. Some systems, like on-site options, require a member of IT staff to keep the system updated and maintained. Whereas hosted telephony systems can be maintained and updated over the internet. Each system is different so speak to the service provider about the management options that they offer.

Don’t forget the support, if something goes wrong you don’t want to be left high and dry with no knowledge of how to resolve the problem. You will need to rely on an expert to help find a solution and find out what went wrong. This additional support may not be a standard provision so check your terms and conditions.

At ITC we understand that every business is different, each company has different requirements and needs from their business phone systems. That’s why we offer a variation of services that can adapt with your business as it grows. If you want to find out how we can help you, contact us on 0845 652 0450 or email info@clickitc.co.uk.