Five Things to Consider Before Investing in an IP-PBX

To strengthen their grip on the market, enterprises and small businesses are branching across multiple locations. Even the employees perform diversified roles and, hence, are no longer confined to their desks. These scenarios do promise growth of an organization but lead to huge communication gaps, decelerating the decision-making process.

An on-site Ip-Pbx is a comprehensive solution for the evolving communication needs of modern enterprises. The phone system offers benefits such as enhanced communication connectivity, improved collaboration, controlled telephony costs and more. Apparently, different industries have diversified needs and, hence, there are numerous tailored communication solutions available in the market to suffice these requirements.

To know which factors are to be considered while purchasing an IP-PBX, read on:

• Determine the Number and Kind of Users to be Supported

The number of users to be connected with PBX is not equal to the number of employees. For example, it is less likely for the sales people to use their extension but those in the sales coordination team will definitely be using their extensions. Therefore, the number and type of extension depending on the number of people handling a particular job profile. If the office set up is such that maximum employees work from home or from remote sites then the enterprises will have to look for those solutions that support mobility extensions which are easy to deploy and use. However, if the extension is for hotel receptionist’s desk then select a communication solution that supports operator’s console as well. Therefore, before selecting a business phone system judge the number of users and their requirements to avoid making a useless investment.

• Scalability and Reliability

With the passing of time, the technology and the number of employees are bound to change. Therefore, a future-proof solution offering the facility to increase and decrease the number of extensions at minimal costs should be selected. There are certain country regulations and certificates which a buyer can check for quality and reliability quotient. Reliability can also be counted on the basis of call management and collaborative features which a PBX can offer.

• Number of Simultaneous Calls

Diving deep into the world of telephony, the buyer will come to know that there are different types of trunks offering a different capacity of channels. So if there are one to five users calling outside the PBX configuration simultaneously, then investing in Analog lines is a cost-effective alternative. If the number of simultaneous calls is between 25 to 30, then calling needs of first 23 callers can be sufficed with PRI lines and the rest with Analog trunks. However, if the employees working remotely or at multiple locations need to connect, then investing in SIP trunking is the best option.

• Security Aspects and Customization as per the Industry

Communication requirements of companies belonging to the hospitality sector are different from those belonging to the banking domain. Therefore, it is necessary that user selects an IP-PBX phone system that can be customized as per the specific needs of different industries. PBXs tailored on the security protocols such as TLS and SRTP are useful in mission critical applications such as in Banking and the Defense sector. The digital EPABX phone system, which can be readily integrated with third party Property Management System and Call Accounting Software, is useful in the hospitality sector.

• Training and After-sales Support

Before installing any IP-PBX business phone system it is important to check with the manufacturer if they offer installation training and after-sales support. Even if there is an IT support team, VOIP architecture and the licensing structure of some PBX systems is such that the training and support from manufacturer’s side is important.

• Integration with Computer Telephony

Employees mostly waste time while juggling between multiple screens for effective communications and improved customer experience. Therefore, the enterprises should invest in solutions that offer features like Click to Call, Computer Telephony Integration and more to let attendants know the name of the caller before picking up and in turn offer personalized experiences.

The crux of the article is that there are a variety of business phone systems available in the market, offering a different set of features which can baffle the user. Therefore, the user has to carefully study the requirements, services/features offered by the IP-PBX and also keep in mind the technological evolution before investing in any solution.