Phone System Sizes

Does your business need a telephone system? Maybe your cell phone or landline just isn't doing everything you need a phone to do. If you are thinking about investing in a telephone system for your professional operations, you will need to decide how big it should be. You don't want to pay more than necessary when a less expensive system can get the job done. Go over the actual telecommunications needs of your business before you decide which type of phone system to get.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Phone System

1. How many employees will be using the system on a regular basis? If you manage a one-person operation, obviously one phone is enough for now. But if you plan to grow in the near future by adding other employees, try to foresee which of these will need phone access. If there will just be another salesperson or two, and they are on the road most of the time with a cell phone, you might be able to get by with a system for one person, at least for now. Get a system that lets you upgrade easily, though, in case you decide to grow in the future.

2. If your business employs several people at the same site, do all of them need to have the same type of phone access and service? You may want to conduct a needs assessment by asking each employee to write a brief description of his or her phone usage and duties. This will give everyone a better idea of how to plan for a new phone system rather than buying a multi-person system that everyone might not use in quite the same way.

3. When shopping for a new telephone system, decide in advance which features it must have, and which you can do without for now. Although it might be useful to get as many as you can possibly afford at this point, that may not be the best investment of your company profit. Work out a budget beforehand, and try not to stray from it while shopping, especially if you should encounter a pushy salesperson. Stick with your estimated purchase plan, unless there is some compelling reason to spend more.

4. When calculating the purchase price for a new telephone system of a particular size, don't forget to figure out the monthly bill for its use. Even if you get a great deal at the time you buy it, or if the system comes with a rebate or discount, you will still have to pay those monthly utility bills. Some systems offer an overall rate for telephone, cell phone, and computer dial-up line. Decide in advance if this type of pricing will work well for your company. It may or may not, depending on your operational needs.

Fitting your needs and budget

Shopping for a telephone system and finding the right size is a little bit like buying new shoes. You want to get one that looks good and fits well at a price you can live with. But compromise on any of these, and you may not get your money's worth or have to put up with an ill-fitting phone system that may be too large or too small for your company.