How to choose a phone system for your business

Overview
No matter what the nature of your business, communication is a key to your success. As a business owner you have many different choices for business communication, including traditional land line service, voice over IP service and cell phone service. To get the most for your money, you need to evaluate your needs, seek out quality service providers and consider each plan carefully.

Step 1
Determine your company's needs, including how many phone lines you will need and how many employees your business expects to have. Quantifying the scope of the project will make it easier to get quotes on the business phone system your company needs.

Step 2
Find out which companies serve business customers in your area. You can find this information in your local telephone directory and in local business journals, newspapers and periodicals as well.

Step 3
Compare traditional land line service and voice over IP services. In many cases, VoIP can provide lower rates than traditional services, but it is still best to compare both kinds of phone service.

Step 4
Compare the total costs of each plan, including the basic cost of service and any add-ons you might be required to pay. Choosing a business telephone service with a set monthly fee makes budgeting and business planning easier.

Step 5
Get a list of the standard services that come with each plan. Plans that include popular services, such as voicemail, call forwarding and caller ID, can make your business telephone service more useful and versatile.

Step 6
Compare the warranty plans for each business telephone system. A lengthy warranty plan can be very valuable as it can save the company money down the line.