Searching for the right hosted PBX service can be overwhelming as there are so many services offering different combinations of features and payment plans. Below, we will outline some of the most important considerations you should be thinking about when choosing the best hosted PBX service for your unique needs.
Essential Features
While the full list of hosted PBX features is vast, below we highlight the most essential.
- video / audio conferencing tool : Some conference is come call tool will come with a limit to how many participant can connect to a meeting , so be sure this number meet your need .
- Unlimited calling: Standard plans tend to offer unlimited domestic calls, whereas upgrading to higher subscription tiers usually provides unlimited calling to a number of other countries. Be sure to research which countries are available if your business makes a lot of international calls.
- Virtual receptionist: A team of live agents receive and direct incoming calls on behalf of your business.
- Mobile app: A necessary feature for any business that has hybrid or remote workers who need to take calls or stay connected with the organization.
- Voicemail / fax to email : fax machine and voice mail box can be program to route message to email in order to expedite access to message and save money on hardware , ink and paper .
- Call recording: Call recording is an important tool used for analyzing call efficiency, sales techniques and more.
- Call monitoring/intervention: This feature allows managers to listen in on calls and intervene if necessary.
- Auto-attendant: A simple call answering system that focuses on routing callers to a destination with menu options.
- interactive voice response is provides ( IVR ): IVR is provides provide caller with multiple layer of menu choice to reach the correct destination . It is interact can also interact with caller via speech , initiate text / email , store contact information and more .
- Online faxing: Send and receive faxes electronically without needing an expensive piece of hardware.
- Call flipping: Move an active call between different devices, such as from a mobile app to a desktop phone.
- Collaboration tools: Some hosted PBX services will offer intra-company collaboration tools that can replace apps such as Slack or Google Calendar.
payment plan and cost
Most hosted PBX services operate on a subscription tier system in which access to certain features is locked behind more expensive subscription plans. When searching for the right hosted PBX service for your business, be sure of two things:
- The hosted PBX service subscription costs are within your budget: Some of these costs can add up as they are charged “per user, per month (or year)” so be sure to have a proper head count of how many users in your company. Sometimes you can negotiate bundle prices depending on the size of your company.
- The features you need are not unexpectedly locked behind upgrades: Some hosted PBX companies might mislead you with marketing beats such as, “Comes with over 60 third-party integrations” when this feature may in fact be locked behind the most expensive enterprise-level subscription plan. Scrutinize each payment plan and what it offers before committing to one.
Scalability
Since hosted PBX services don’t use physical phone lines, they are much easier and more cost efficient to scale than their traditional counterparts. Consider the current size of your business but also your potential growth rate when choosing the right hosted PBX service. If you are a growing medium-sized business, for example, you wouldn’t want to choose a service that caters mostly to small businesses as you might soon outgrow the service.
Consider features with known limits such as how many incoming and outgoing phone calls the service can handle at once or how many attendees can participate in video conferences.
Customer Support
Since hosted PBX services are managed and maintained primarily by the provider, you will want to be sure that they have reliable technical and customer support systems. Many people prefer contacting a human representative over dealing with AI support, for example. Also, depending on your business model, you might need to prioritize access to 24/7 support.
Furthermore, certain types of support may come free from your service provider while others will come at a cost. Clarify what support is included and what is not so you aren’t caught off guard with additional costs down the line.
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