VOIP Buyers Guide

When you're considering the purchase of a new voip phone system, prepare yourself by knowing the
following about the needs of your company:

1. How many employees are there in the organisation? Is this likely to grow?

Many PABX systems come with a maximum number of extensions that limit growth. Others charge
significant costs for supplying installing extra handsets. If your organisation is going to grow over the next
few years, understand what each additional handset will cost, how quickly it can be supplied, and whether a
technician needs to come to site to install it (and if that's included in the price).

2. How many offices does your organisation have? Are you likely to add new ones in the next few years?

If you have multiple offices, then some PABX systems provide the ability to "link" servers together using the
Internet. This can provide advantages in terms of free inter-office phone calls, 3 or 4 digit dialing between
offices, and in some cases can allow staff in one office to answer calls on behalf of another office such as
during busy times or after hours.

3. How many employees work from home, or spend extended periods on the road?

Telecommuting and mobile phone integration are features available in some of of the newer technology
PABX systems. Providing a teleworker an good quality handset (or headset) at home, and have them be
able to make and receive office calls just like they were in the office, as well as using software that can show
if someone is on the phone, busy or available for calls, can go a long way to increasing collaboration
between teleworkers and those people in the office.

4. How many calls does your organisation make? Are they predominately inbound or outbound calls?

The number of concurrent calls you make affects the size of the PABX system you need, and the number
and type of telephone lines you need. It's rare that all the staff in an office are on the phone at the same time
(unless it's a call centre) and so if your existing phone system doesn't give you information about call usage,
it can be hard to work our how many lines you're using. If you're not sure, check your phone bill, there is
typically some information about line rental included in every bill.
If you're existing lines are sufficient, then you don't necessarily need to change them, but while thinking
about your future needs, also consider what growth you're expecting.

5. Are you using VOIP now, or are you considering it?

Voice Over IP (VOIP) is a technology that allows phone calls to be carried over the Internet rather than
relying on traditional telephone companies. This has meant that the telephony market has been opened up
to a whole new generation of carriers, which has increased competition and reduced costs, especially for
international calls. Some PABX systems support only traditional phone lines, some support only VOIP and
others support both. VOIP is a rapidly maturing technology, so if you're considering VOIP to reduce call
costs, or to link multiple offices together or enable remote workers in the future, then you should plan for it
now.

6. What is your current phone system, manufacturer and model? Why are you looking to replace it?

Knowing what existing phone system you have can help a new supplier understand your current usage, and
can help determine if there is any special wiring required etc.

7. Do you want voice menus?

If you have large call volumes or teams of specialists, then getting calls to the right people first time can be
very important. By implementing a voice menu, the caller can select the type of enquiry they have, and have
the call answered by someone who can help.

8. Do you want to be able to route calls differently after hours and on weekends?

If you want to be able to provide after hours support, but don't want people stuck in the office, then using
scheduling rules on your PABX can direct calls differently depending on the time and day. For example, calls
received after 6pm but before 9pm can be directed to a mobile phone. After 9pm they can be directed to a
voicemail box.

9. Do you want different numbers for different purposes? e.g. Sales number different to Support?

Some PABX systems support different call handling rules depending on what number was called. For
example, calls a 1800 or 1300 sales number can be distributed among the sales team. Calls to a different
number can be directed to the customer service and support team.
10. Do you have teams of staff that handle sales or customer service or technical support?
If you have functional teams, such as sales, customer service, accounts, etc. then features like automatic
call distribution (e.g. route calls to the next team member) and call queuing during busy times (putting a
caller on hold, playing on-hold messages, etc.) can improve the customers experience and your operational
efficiency. These features are often referred to as Call Centre features as this is where they were originally
conceived.

11. Do you want Outlook or CRM integration?

If you heavily rely on Microsoft Outlook or a Customer Relationship Management system, then as if the
PABX supports integration with these products. Being able to click on a phone number to call, or see
information on the computer screen about who's calling can improve productivity and customer satisfaction.

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