Background
Companies have traditionally used private branch exchanges (PBX) to satisfy their requirements for a business telephone system. PBX's are dedicated telephone systems that are located on-site at the company and are used to answer, and route, all telephone calls that come into, or go out of, the company. These systems become more complex to purchase, manage, and support, as the company adds employees, and adds additional physical locations. These systems are typically supported by an internal IT resource, and/or the general office manager.
Companies now have the option for satisfying their requirements for a business telephone system that does not require the purchase. maintenance, and support of an on-site business telephone system. This option is a web based services called a Hosted Business Telephone Services. These web based services can satisfy both the company's voice requirements, and its data requirements.
In general, Hosted Business Telephone Services offer the same features, and functions, that are available with PBX systems. However, some Hosted suppliers offers features, and functions, that are not available with many of the PBX systems, such as Follow-Me Routing, and automatic emails generated for all new voice mails, and new faxes.
K&A has been using hosted business services provided by ConnectMeVoice since 2009, and we have been extremely pleased with the results. Several of K&A's Associate Companies, and Clients, have also experienced excellent results using ConnectMeVoice's services. Consequently, K&A added ConnectMeVoice to our approved network of resources in 2010.
Typical Functions provided by Hosted Service Providers
- Inbound 800 Telephone Numbers for voice and faxes
- Call Answering
- Call Routing - individual and group
- Call Forwarding
- Voicemail
- Faxing - both inbound and outbound
Typical Benefits of using Hosted Service Providers
- Does not require the purchase, maintenance, and support, of any equipment on-site, other than the actual telephones
- Eliminates the majority of the time required to support and maintain an in-house telephone system
- Does not require any contracts for service. Companies pay a fixed monthly service fee based on the service package selected. Service can be started, or stopped, as needed.
- Reasonable monthly service fees. Voicemail Services can start as low as $10/mo. Telephone System Services can start as low as $15/mo. per company. Voicemail, Telephone System Services, and Data Services (VoIP) Services can start as low as $40/mo. per company
- Monthly service fees are typically based on the number of minutes used to handle the incoming calls
- Simple and easy self setup. For a company with less than 20 employees, the self setup can be completed in less than 1 hour by a non-technical person
- Can eliminate the need for employees to have to regularly check their voice mail messages
- Can eliminate the need for fax machines, and separate fax lines
- Monthly fee includes access to competent and responsive technical support staff
- Can utilize the company's existing in-bound telephone numbers
- Can utilize the company's existing telephone lines and telephones