One of the most important factors of operating a business is having a good phone system. Whether you rely on customers to phone in orders, have patients that must phone in appointments, or use your phone to contact customers, having a quality phone system is a must. There are several different systems to choose from, so it's essential for your business that you take your time when choosing a phone system. The options for features can be overwhelming, so to help reduce your stress on what features to get, here are a few must haves to include in business phone systems.

Voice Mail

Although many people assume that voice mail is standard when it comes to a phone system, it's actually an option. So, when choosing the best system for your business, it is highly recommended that you include voice mail in the service options. Many hosted PBX systems do include voice mail in the packages for business phone systems, but it's important that you verify this with the company providing the hosting.

Automated Responses

Automated responses are a prerecorded menu that allows callers to choose where they want their phone call to go. For instance, if you own a medical practice, the menu may include the option to schedule or change an appointment, speak to a nurse, or request a prescription refill. Business phone systems that include automated responses can be created specifically for your business. However, be sure to ask the host company if the automated response option is used, will the call go directly to the voice mail for return calls if there isn't anyone available to answer the call being directed to the requested line.

Variety of Hold Options

If you have yourself ever called a business and been put on hold, you understand the frustration of not knowing if your call has been lost because of the silence on the other end of the line. Having a variety of hold options will allow you to add music or voice information for your customers to listen to while they are on hold. This not only helps to reduce the stress of your customers, but it will reduce the number of repeat phone calls from customers who think their call was lost due to the silence while being placed on hold.

Most business phone systems no longer use the external boxes and wires, but instead rely on the Internet to operate their phone system. This means it is essential that you have a reliable Internet service, but it is also important that you choose a reliable hosted PBX provider. When changing hosts or if you are new to this type of phone system, be sure to address any questions and concerns you may have before you sign a contract with the host company.