Phone systems & VOIP

While phone system manufacturers compete against one another to wow users with a plethora of advanced features and functionality, a high proportion of these features are seldom used, partly due to lack of awareness and partly due to insufficient need for the same. Buyers looking to purchase business phone systems must be cautious and discerning enough to determine the must-have features, the nice-to-have ones and the dispensable or "use-less" ones.

Modern phone systems are a manifestation of the convergence of various technologies, as we can see in some of the more common but advanced features and functionality. Below is a list of such features that you should consider when planning your phone system purchase.

Computer Technology Integration (CTI): This allows a combination of both computer and telephone technology to provide the user an alert and advanced communication tool. CTI allows users to click on numbers instead of dialing them manually, route incoming calls to a department or person concerned, display callers' account information and more. Moreover, CTI enables personalized responses to phone calls with information pertaining to callers and their requirements a click away.

Automatic Call Forwarding: This feature routes incoming calls to a location designated by the user. The user can route incoming calls to residence numbers, mobile phones or remote locations and thus ensuring that the calls reach the person intended and the user is not flooded with voice mail messages. This feature is important for extremely mobile professionals who need to keep in touch with their business associates through the same number even when they are not in the same location.

Automatic Call Distribution: This feature maximizes the efficiency of a phone system. Incase of a call centre-type business environment where large volumes of calls are made, this feature tracks "per call" and "per employee" statistics and is a vital component to study the efficiency of your enterprise in a solutions-driven business.

Advanced Messaging Services: This feature enables voice mail to be sent as text messages and auto forward messages to e-mail, text to speech etc.; it is valuable particularly for extremely mobile professionals.

Group Call Distribution: This feature allows group call distribution, forwarding, group voice messaging and maintaining group call activity logs.

Convergence: Convergence implies a combination of various technologies with a similar objective. Convergence enables the same communication system to handle phone calls, voice mail, e-mail, instant messages, video conferences, faxes and other types of communication. Advances in phone system technologies will only see more and more convergence.