Guide in Choosing Business Voicemail Service

Voicemail is one of the many features of a small business phone system that can be very useful in supporting customer service for business and home office. Voicemail system is capable of storing and recording voice messages that can be retrieved anytime you want for review and future listening. You may categorize all the voice messages that will pass the voicemail box according to its importance; you can tag it as urgent or non-urgent messages. Aside from this, voicemail system can boost up professional image of your small business. So, in order for you to get the best voicemail you need to consider the few tips provided here:

• Consider the impact of voicemail to your customers. As much as possible keep a business voicemail that maintains a pleasant environment for your customers as well as to the users.
• Look for a phone system provider that proposed a voicemail service and automated attendant at the same time. This feature tandem will ensure that your phone system can forward calls from one extension to another. Best voicemail service can detect call progress. This call detection service will give you no difficulty in terms of integrating the service to another phone features. 
• Consider also how many calls your voicemail can handle. If necessary get a multi line voicemail that will accept several calls at a time. What's more, it is advisable to acquire a dynamic port voicemail system if you have an auto-attendant service.

Modern voicemail like the internet voicemail service will even allow you to receive online fax, create group lists and establish a guest voicemail box. So, start examining your voicemail requirement now and get a phone system that will back up all your business communication needs.

Information Exchange between Lawyers and Clients

Excellent legal service and competent lawyers is what a successful law firm is made of. But, these are not adequate if there is no proper coordination between lawyers and clients. Day to day process on a law firm usually involves a lot of information exchange and it is important to have a system to quickly access and convey information. It is also crucial to keep information that goes in and out of the firm confidential, organized and secured. All of these can be attained with the use of the following:

• Call Forwarding – clients can easily reach a lawyer by allowing the office phone system to access all of the phone numbers configured on the call forwarding feature.
• Internet Fax – one of the reliable tools not only for law firms but also for every business. Transmitting documents the fast and secure way is more probable with this technology rather than utilizing an old fax machine. Law firms can assure a reliable exchange of information between them and their clients since internet faxing does not rely on PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Networks).
• Voicemail – law firms may not be opened 24 hours a day but their phone system is. Phone calls from clients can be unexpected anytime of the day and even during sleeping hours. But, that does not prevent information from being conveyed since unattended calls are taken care of by allowing callers to leave important messages on the voicemail inbox. Modern phone systems can even notify the user that a new message has arrived via SMS or e-mail alerts.

Choosing the Best Phone System for Small Business

Business phone systems are likely to vary from the smaller end of the scale all the way to the top. Since the phone is often the easiest way to reach clients and customers, it is then one of the essential decisions that businesses can make.   Purchasing a phone system is not that simple. What makes it even more difficult is that phones systems are evolving from time to time and prices are also increasing. That is why it is better to find a provider who can help. But be careful in choosing. Many phone providers do not keep up and continue to recommend too expensive phone system. Although we all know that every company needs an effective, reliable phone.

Here are some tips and information on how to choose a phone system:

• Voice over IP (VoIP). VoIP is ideal for small businesses. Small offices need only few telephone lines and a basic voicemail. VoIP services require you to have enough bandwidth computer networks and the right equipment to achieve the highest possible call quality. And it can also help you keep connected while keeping your overall costs down.

• Investing into your phone system. Do not hesitate to invest for your office phone system. Although the internet now plays an important role in the business industry, the phones are still fundamental to business success.
• PBX (Private Branch eXchange) equipment including switching facilities to route calls between employees and outside lines. Standard PBX systems are usually ideal for medium to large industry, but the new PBX vendors provide services to the small business market with VoIP technology.
• Virtual PBX (or PBX) systems cost about $ 10 to $ 50 per month, depending on the nature and number of lines your business have.

Now, when choosing the right phone system for your business, realize that you must take into account how many employees will use the computer. This will determine the hardware you will be buying for your small business. Look forward to the expansion, and create a space for future employees, or the purchase of a new hardware that can improve your service.

Useful Phone System Features

Choosing the right office phone system can be difficult. Not only are there lots of phone system providers but, there are also lots of systems with various features to choose from. A company may choose one over the other due to certain features missing from another system. That feature can be something simple like allowing a user to send an announcement over a speakerphone or rather it can be complex like a customizable answering rule that can redirect calls using the an ACD (Auto-Call Distributor). Whichever features are required what is important is that it can provide the business with an efficient and reliable communication.

Below is a list of some phone system features a sales representative would be using:

• Answering Rules – provides enhancements to the call forwarding feature.
• Automated Attendant – eliminates the need to hire a human operator since it can handle and manage inbound calls.
• Call Blocking or Screening – identify and filters unwanted telephone numbers from calling.
• Call Forwarding – redirect a call to another number or extension.
• Call Logs – detailed communication logs.
• Call Transfer – provides a way for the user to transfer an ongoing call to another number.
• Click to Call – a website feature that allows users to freely connect to the business by phone.
• Custom Greetings – allows playing of specific greetings for every caller.
• Dial by Name Directory – a menu system that enables callers to easily reach the appropriate contact.
• Extensions – extra lines that can be added to a phone system.
• Fax On-Demand – a system that can allow customer or callers to retrieve a copy of a document using a fax machine.
• Internet Fax – a green and cheap alternative to a fax machine.
• Local Number – ordinary number based on location or area. A provider may offer either this number or a toll free number with their phone system.
• Message Alerts – a notification that is sent via SMS or e-mail whenever new voicemail messages or faxes are received.
• Message On-Hold – plays messages or announcements to a caller that is put on hold.
• Music On-Hold – plays background music when a caller is put on hold.
• Real Time Call Controller – a desktop application for managing calls.
• Toll Free Number – a special phone number that allow callers to contact the business free of charge.
• Unlimited Calling – some providers may offer either unlimited calls for inbound, outbound or both.
• Voicemail – provide callers with a way to leave a message when their call is unattended.
• VoIP Phones – are phone units that may be included along with the telephone system.