Auto Attendant
Receptionists are becoming rare, as the tasks of these individuals are usually spread out among team members. While some businesses still retain receptionists, others find that nixing an extra employee can save money. With an auto attendant, calls are routed to the appropriate person faster, and it can provide assistance to whomever is on receptionist duty.

Music On Hold
This feature is not limited to music only – you can provide helpful information regarding your company while a caller is on hold. Be sure to keep this information up to date to avoid any misinformation.

If you choose to use music, be sure to have the proper licensing or search the available “royalty-free” music. But note that “royalty-free” doesn’t necessarily mean “free.”

Call Basics
Call waiting, hold, park, pickup, and transfer are all extremely helpful whether you have a large or small office. Call waiting and hold are fairly standard. Call park is similar to hold, but you can access a call from any phone within your system. Call pickup allows you to answer someone else’s call at your station. Various types of transfer functions enable routing calls to the appropriate extensions or mailboxes easily.

Follow Me
There are two options when it comes to the Follow Me feature: multiple ringing (where all the lines are ringing at once) or sequential ringing (if the primary line isn’t answered in a given time, the next line in order is tried, and so on). This is helpful for those who work at home or odd hours, eliminating the need to constantly change settings.

Hunt Groups
These work like the Follow Me feature, but somewhat on a larger scale. For example, you can assign a phone number to your sales team, and incoming calls will be routed to members simultaneously or sequentially. They can even call a specific team member to speak directly with him or her.

Selective Diversion
While diverting calls is nothing new, selective diversion provides you with the ability to route calls according to specific criteria. These criteria can include time of day, day of week, and even a caller’s number. For example, a business that offers emergency services or after hours support may opt to set up a schedule for nights and weekends to divert calls to the mobile phone of the person who is on call at that time. Depending on the time or day, calls that would normally be handled within the office would be diverted to a worker’s mobile phone.

You can also divert calls from your important clients to your private mobile number on weekends or holidays, to ensure that they can contact you in case of emergency from a single number.

Please remember that diverting calls to a fixed line, mobile phone, or a number on another VoIP provider’s network, you will be charged at your usual rate for such calls. You will not incur charges if you are simply diverting calls to another one of your own VoIP lines.

Conference Calls
Three-way calls, or conference calls, let you connect two calls into one. Some systems permit you to add additional parties, which make collaboration easier without having to meet in person.

Call Recording
With this feature, you can record calls as necessary. Within your area, be sure to fully understand the audio recording laws. Also, as common courtesy goes, you should always inform the person if you will be recording the call.

Dial Extensions
Often overlooked as a benefit, dialing extensions allows you to contact other lines easily, without having to dial a whole phone number or use up space on your speed dial list. With VoIP plans, you don’t pay for calls to the same provider, essentially making all of your lines ‘extensions’ in the traditional sense.

Voicemail
Fairly commonplace, voicemail ensures that you don’t miss an important call or message. Voicemail to email is sent as an attachment and allows you to replay the message as often as you’d like without incurring additional fees (especially helpful when overseas).

1300/1800 numbers
Rather than distributing a local line, a 1300 or 1800 number makes your business seem larger and more corporate. Also, they are more flexible if your company decides to move or opens multiple branches. You can point the 1300 or 1800 to your new number, or the caller can be directed to the nearest branch based on location.

Does your small business use a VoIP phone system? What other benefits have you experienced? Share with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and Pinterest.

For an excellent selection of VoIP phone systems, parts and accessories, please visit us online. If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to call 1-800-564-8045.

VoIP Services
Whether you go the hosted Cloud services route, or manage your own system, switching to VoIP technology will afford your business a multitude of benefits. VoIP solutions are available for fax, email, voicemail, conferences and work across business phones and mobile phones. Connect your communication routes to make it easier for customers and colleagues to contact you. Keep your employees accessible to your customers for improved service and business. Aside from this, VoIP services can often be more cost-effective upfront and in the long run.

Downsides
Perceived downsides of VoIP include reliability and latency. People may find that calls may not be as reliable on VoIP as on other systems. Latency issues deal with how long a command takes to respond. However, both of these issues can be addressed by choosing the right provider. If you have concerns, whether it’s regarding reliability, latency, or something else, seek a provider that addresses these concerns and puts forth an effort to safeguard whatever it may be.

Emergency Calls
Emergency calling from VoIP systems may be a concern for some. Emergency calls from traditional phone systems can easily be tracked since the phone number is linked to a physical location. IP technology lacks that direct relation. However, VoIP calls can be tracked. An Internet service provider can track an IP address and, in most cases, the signal can be tracked.

Security
Telephone hacking can be a threat to businesses, but with the appropriate safeguards, you can keep your VoIP calls safe. If available, take advantage of security options (ex. encryption or firewalls) from your provider. You may also be interested in anti-virus software. This will protect you from known viruses, but because attackers are always creating new viruses, it is imperative to maintain and keep your software up to date. Before switching to VoIP, assess your telephone security needs and choose a provider and/or software accordingly.

Much like everything else, VoIP services are not perfect. But overall, the advantages of VoIP technologies far outweigh the disadvantages. Affordability, efficiency, versatility, and scalability are just some of the reasons businesses want to switch.

Have you adopted VoIP services within your business? What benefits have your experienced? Share with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and Pinterest.

For excellent VoIP telephones and equipment, visit us online or give us a call at 1-800-564-8045.

VoIP Features

For a smooth transition, VoIP phones usually maintain the familiar look and feel of traditional business phones. However, the difference is the availability of special features. These features may include call recording, specialized conferencing features, and more.

The features and functions of VoIP systems, and any phone system in general, play a large role in your ultimate decision. Beyond that, your service provider and your VoIP phones should have a certain level of compatibility based on the specific features and functions you desire. For example, high-definition voice is a fairly common and excellent feature provided by VoIP systems, however, your devices must have the capacity to support it.

Scope Of Service

You have the option of starting fresh with a new VoIP system, or you may adjust and adapt your current phone system. If you go with the former, you may supply your own network, and your vendor would provide a phone system which IT manages. The latter would require the use of analog telephone adapters to VoIP-enable legacy telephones.

Another important factor is deciding between a cloud- or on-premise-based system, along with maintenance and professional services. Your specific needs and budget will help determine which services you should or should not enlist.

Network Requirements

Your network requirements may vary whether you’re executing a full transition or transitioning in a series of phases. Remember, you will be going from having your telephony network on its own to integrating it within your data network. VoIP does not use a lot of bandwidth, however, the new influx of traffic may interfere with performance. This can be resolved by upgrading cabling or capacity, or prioritizing voice traffic.

Another alternative could be to route your voice data over a separate data network. This offers a higher level security while still providing the numerous VoIP benefits.

Future Expansion

VoIP systems can offer versatility when it comes to future expansion abilities. To ease your way into a VoIP system, you may want to work with a vendor who offers a hybrid service. Long-term needs should also be considered before jumping into a new system.

While choosing a VoIP system can take some time, money, and much thought, the benefits will pay off. Browse our selection of VoIP business phones, systems, and equipment online or give us a call at 1-800-564-8045. Our knowledgeable staff is always ready and willing to assist you. You may also connect with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, or Pinterest.

When shopping for new  telephone equipment, it can be hard to keep up with all the new terms and acronyms. Considering that many are transitioning from analog systems to VoIP phone systems, some may be wondering what VoIP really is and whether or not they really need it. We’ll go over some common terminology to make your shopping experience a bit easier.

Voice over IP (VOIP)

VoIP is technology that allows voice to be transmitted over the Internet. Voice is converted into digital data and organized into small packets, which then are marked with a destination IP address and routed over the Internet. It is reconverted back to voice when it reaches its destination.

IP

IP stands for Internet Protocol, and is technically the network layer protocol in the TCP/IP communications protocol suite. More simply put, IP defines the way the data packets, or datagrams, travel. It works similarly to the way you follow the GPS navigation in the sense that you have a destination and it directs you there.

Kbps

Kbps = kilobits per second. Kbps indicates transfer speed. For example, if the modem speed is 1 Kbps, it can transfer data at the speed of 1 thousand bits per second. The Kbps of your router and modem will determine the call quality of your office.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the volume of data that can travel over a communication line in a fixed amount of time. For digital devices, it is expressed in bps (bytes per second), while analog devices use Hertz (Hz) for cycles per second. The bandwidth determines whether a system can handle VoIP services or not.

SIP/SIP Phone

SIP, or Session Initiation Protocol, is an IP telephony signaling protocol. An SIP Phone is a phone that uses SIP to complete voice calls over the Internet. Not all phones are SIP-enabled, so it is wise to inquire about support or suggestions for SIP phones.

Softphone

This is software which basically turns your PC into a phone, using VoIP technology to make voice calls over the Internet. Audio is enabled through a microphone and speakers plugged into a sound card. Ideal for traveling situations, this software allows you to make phone calls with your laptop with just a headset.

PBX (private branch exchange)

This is a telephone switching system that interconnects telephone extensions to each other both in-house and outside of the network. 

Hosted PBX

A Hosted PBX eliminates on-premise equipment by hosting the equipment in remote data centers and providing management through a web interface. Much like Software as a Service (SAAS), a Hosted PBX makes systems easier to manage. 

DID (Direct Inward Dialing)

This provides a block of numbers for calling into a company’s PBX system. This allows clients or customers to call a direct phone number for each employee without requiring a physical line into the PBX for every possible connection. This ultimately eliminates the need for a switchboard operator, allowing calls to go through faster and providing customers a more personable experience.

Still confused? Let our staff clear some things up for you. Give us a call Monday-Friday 7:00am-5:00pm at 1-800-564-8045. Or you can visit us online at Startechtel.com, where you’ll find our great stock of new and refurbished business phones, phone systems, and equipment. You can also find us online on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Change is hard, but it can be good for your business. Your money would be better spent upgrading to a VoIP phone system, rather than fixing issues with your existing system. With a VoIP phone system, the total cost of ownership is lower in the long run, and you get excellent features and adaptability up front.

Special Features

With VoIP systems, you get a better variety of features than the limited abilities of an old PBX system. Aside from basic features, like caller ID and call forwarding, you can integrate various forms of communication. Your calls can be automatically forwarded to your mobile phone when you’re out of the office, and voicemails may be forwarded to you via email so you can listen to them from your computer. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) integration allows customer information to automatically pop up when they call, allowing you to better service your customers.

Phone Options

The options for VoIP phones are vast. Smart design and convenient features allow you to work remotely and efficiently. For example, softphones allow you to connect to your computer and make calls over the internet with software. With CRM integration, this helps to easily navigate through your customer profile and communicate with them through your computer. Your productivity could increase noticeably, helping your business thrive.

Maintenance & Development

Since VoIP phone systems are managed through network connections, maintenance and simple upgrades can be scheduled to avoid peak hours and executed quickly. Much like your computer, you may also backup your phone system configurations, should anything occur. Because of the convenience of network connections, VoIP systems offer much more flexibility when it comes to scalability and expansion.

Considering upgrading to a VoIP phone system? Let Startechtel.com help you! Browse our selection online, or speak directly with our knowledgeable staff. Feel free to contact us at 1-800-564-8045. Our offices are open Monday-Friday 7:00am-5:00pm.

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Leaving landlines behind means turning to VoIP phone systems and mobile services, both if which do not provide the reliability of POTS. Are we willing to sacrifice reliability for cost and convenience?

A switch to VoIP phone systems enables a significant cut in costs, providing both phone and internet service for one low price, with the benefits of advanced features. Convenience through integrated communications is enticing enough, but a lower cost is the icing on the cake. While the Internet can provide a faster connection and the ability to sync all of our communications, its connection is unpredictable in comparison to POTS. With inconsistent connections, call quality and ability can be compromised.

With POTS, great reliability is standard. Think back to your landline: how often did you encounter a dropped call? Was the sound quality, more or less, stable and clear? There are certain aspects of POTS that cannot be replaced, but this dependability comes at a cost. POTS typically cost more and features, such as long-distance calling, are added expenses. On the other hand, familiarity makes landlines easy to set up and use.

The transition from POTS to VoIP phone systems seems inevitable and quite difficult. While many have already abandoned POTS for a strictly mobile phone communications, to get rid of it completely will take time. Reliability seems to be the main issue, with alarm systems and public safety services expecting stable, unfailing connection in times of emergency.

Have you switched from POTS to a VoIP system? Or do you use your mobile phone as your main communication device? Which do you prefer? Do you believe there’s no escaping the eradication of landlines? Share your thoughts – find us on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.

For business phones, phone systems, and equipment, choose StarTechTel.com. Find a great selection of VoIP phones, networking equipment, and more online. Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-564-8045 with any questions or to place your order over the phone.