All businesses must have their own phone systems. Choosing among the different phones available on the market depends on the size of your enterprise and the frequency of your communication with customers. You may want to avoid the landline in favor of a mobile phone because you think you can save expenses. But it all depends if the sacrifices are worth the trouble.
Mobile
If you’re the only owner of the business or if you’re a freelancer, a mobile phone is okay not so much because it’s more affordable than landline but because you most likely have one to begin with. With a mobile phone, you no longer need to pay for a landline, especially if you’re the only one who answers customers’ calls. Best of all, you can take your phone everywhere with you.
Just make sure that your mobile provider is trustworthy enough to deliver quality service. Also, if you use your mobile phone for both personal and business calls, be careful. Track down which of these calls count as tax deductible business expense.
If you end up relying on your mobile phone for your business communication, make sure you find other ways to send and receive fax documents. You can buy software for your desktop computer or use an email fax service for ten to twenty dollars per month. Of course, if you rarely fax, you can just use the free fax services available at the Internet.
Landline
If you have a store or office with more than a single employee, relying exclusively on a mobile phone poses risks. You may be able to cut costs, but not all clients may hear you clearly. Then you send a subconscious message that you care more about scrimping money than delivering excellent customer service. Also, you give your business a less professional image when you give others the impression that you can’t afford a landline.
VoIP
If you feel the need for a landline but still find it expensive, consider VoIP-powered business phone systems. With VoIP, you can save a lot of money on business communication costs. You can have a digital fax machine together with a digital phone. As long as your Internet Service Provider is reliable, your VoIP phone can deliver clear communication to your customers.
There are different kinds of VoIP phones to choose from. Soft VoIP phones are computer-based. You just install software on your computer. Then you plug your headset with built-in microphone, and you have a computer-based phone.
Hard VoIP phones come in a wide array too. The basic ones look like landlines except that they run on Internet instead of copper wires. The intermediate one has a bigger screen and more buttons for accessing the phone directory and browsing the Web. Advanced ones have multiple features and color video displays.
Then there are the features of VoIP phones. Enhanced VoIP systems let you use call attendant, volume control, conference call, and other add-ons that can facilitate better communication between you and your clients. You can choose between paying for all of these features on a monthly basis or selecting only the ones that you need. Just talk to your VoIP service provider for more details.