How to Select VOIP Phone

Choosing a VOIP phone that is right for your business depends on your needs. You shouldn’t have to pay for something you don’t want, and you definitely don’t want something that is going to be inadequate for your business. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to the features that many VOIP phone brands offer as part of their hardware.

Before You Buy, Know:

Who Will Be Using the Phone?

Every office is different and that means focusing your attention on the communications needs specific to your company. This all depends on how big or small your business is and how it operates. If your company is small and only consists of a few employees, you might not need a phone with a huge amount of features and functionality. However, if your company is mid-sized or even larger – consisting of multiple departments – you may want to consider phones that are feature rich while also considering how they are going to be used.

For example, when it comes to managers and executives they may need phones with conference capabilities, video phones, whereas associates might only need desktop corded or cordless phones.

Features and Functionality?

Once you’ve mapped out who will be using the phone, such as department heads, sales teams, and even your front desk staff or receptionist, you need to consider the features and functionality of the phone you want to purchase. There are many VOIP phones on the market designed with an intended purpose. There are desktops, cordless, conference phones, video phones, and even soft phones apps that can be downloaded straight onto your computer or mobile device. Most of the phones are loaded with standard features, such as: call waiting, call parking, and call transfer while also offering other benefits such as sidecar capability, speakerphones, and larger screens.

The point is, the features you select should be specific to the job function.

Line Capability?

Now that you’ve got an idea of who will be using the phone and the features and functions you want specific to each department of your business, it’s time to consider the VOIP phone’s line capability. Unless you are an administrator, operator, or front desk receptionist, most people in your company won’t be needing a phone that offers you up to twelve lines for incoming calls. In fact, on any given day, most employees will only need about 2-5 lines of call capability. So choose a phone where you won’t be wasting valuable tech real estate with unnecessary lines. This goes back to the first question of who will be using the phone and then designing the features of it around their position.

Many phones come equipped with a standard of about 2-6 lines, while others offer up to 12 lines appearance or more. You can even find phones that only offer three lines of incoming and outbound call capability.

Cost?

Finally, we come to the biggest question: how much do you need or want to spend on your new VOIP phone? VOIP phones not only come in a wide variety of forms, functions, and features, but they also vary in cost. Some will cost you as low as $40, while others can reach well over $1,000. The fact of the matter is that you need to choose the right phone for the right price. Don’t waste precious monetary resources on a phone with features you don’t need, and don’t under pay for a phone that is practically useless for your line of work.

Whether your business is big or small, there are hundreds of phones from which you can choose. To help you make the right choice in the VOIP phone selection, consider the questions above.

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