By Andrew Stratton
As the owner or manager of a small business, you likely have struggled trying to find a telephone system just right for your office needs.
A large corporation may be able to absorb the costs of an PBX system and the staff to maintain it. But you as a small business owner probably have a need for a much more efficient, and cost-effective option.
With a single receiver or multiple lines, new technologies exist which can be both affordable and easily administered by your existing office staff.
Traditional Small Business Phone System
To understand how far phone systems have come, it is important to understand where they have been.
Small business phone system options of the past were usually a collection of many individual lines, each dedicated to the use of one or two handsets.
This drove costs up, and it made simple features like internally transferring calls almost impossible.
Computers could all be connected to one in-house router, and all the office needed was one Internet connection. This was not the case with phone systems without some serious PBX equipment.
Today's Small Business Phone System Options
With the explosion of the Internet, programmers started addressing the limitations of existing phone systems and developed a much more efficient technology with "Voice over Internet Protocol" or VoIP.
VoIP makes it possible for you to make and receive calls through your existing computer network rather than through traditional means.
Essentially, your calls arrive at your desk the same way that your e-mail messages do. And they do so through your existing Internet connection, rather than a bunch of expensive lines.
VoIP Cost Savings
One of the biggest advantages for small businesses using VoIP is the cost savings.
Rather than a multitude of lines coming into your building, and then physically running the cable inside your building to each extension, you simply use the existing Ethernet cable, which is already installed for your computers.
You also see savings in long-distance charges because you make all of your calls over the Internet rather than through the utility company.
Upgrades and Expansion
When it is time to upgrade or expand to fit more users, the task is as simple as plugging in a new phone.
Gone are the days of having to run new wire to the handset and manually programming the central PBX to handle the calls to and from.
This new "plug-n-play" technology allows your telephone set-up to be easily upgraded and completely scalable for your growing business needs.
A state-of-the-art small business phone system is an easy and inexpensive tool for your office. At Mark L Gray & Associates, http://www.marklgray.com/, they offer exceptional service and support for a full range of office telephone systems and wireless solutions that are simple to use yet powerful tools.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Andrew_Stratton/83489
As the owner or manager of a small business, you likely have struggled trying to find a telephone system just right for your office needs.
A large corporation may be able to absorb the costs of an PBX system and the staff to maintain it. But you as a small business owner probably have a need for a much more efficient, and cost-effective option.
With a single receiver or multiple lines, new technologies exist which can be both affordable and easily administered by your existing office staff.
Traditional Small Business Phone System
To understand how far phone systems have come, it is important to understand where they have been.
Small business phone system options of the past were usually a collection of many individual lines, each dedicated to the use of one or two handsets.
This drove costs up, and it made simple features like internally transferring calls almost impossible.
Computers could all be connected to one in-house router, and all the office needed was one Internet connection. This was not the case with phone systems without some serious PBX equipment.
Today's Small Business Phone System Options
With the explosion of the Internet, programmers started addressing the limitations of existing phone systems and developed a much more efficient technology with "Voice over Internet Protocol" or VoIP.
VoIP makes it possible for you to make and receive calls through your existing computer network rather than through traditional means.
Essentially, your calls arrive at your desk the same way that your e-mail messages do. And they do so through your existing Internet connection, rather than a bunch of expensive lines.
VoIP Cost Savings
One of the biggest advantages for small businesses using VoIP is the cost savings.
Rather than a multitude of lines coming into your building, and then physically running the cable inside your building to each extension, you simply use the existing Ethernet cable, which is already installed for your computers.
You also see savings in long-distance charges because you make all of your calls over the Internet rather than through the utility company.
Upgrades and Expansion
When it is time to upgrade or expand to fit more users, the task is as simple as plugging in a new phone.
Gone are the days of having to run new wire to the handset and manually programming the central PBX to handle the calls to and from.
This new "plug-n-play" technology allows your telephone set-up to be easily upgraded and completely scalable for your growing business needs.
A state-of-the-art small business phone system is an easy and inexpensive tool for your office. At Mark L Gray & Associates, http://www.marklgray.com/, they offer exceptional service and support for a full range of office telephone systems and wireless solutions that are simple to use yet powerful tools.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Andrew_Stratton/83489