Every business needs a phone number, so every business also needs a telephone system to utilize the phone number. When choosing a phone system, it is important to be familiar with the available technology.
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Private Branch Exchange
A private branch exchange or PBX business phone system is a private phone system for your business that will allow employees to talk directly with both coworkers and external callers. A PBX is a traditional system connected to a landline and has been used by businesses for decades; it enables incoming callers to choose the department or extension they wish to be connected with. Similarly, employees can speak to each other by simply picking up the headset and pressing a button. A PBX system does require physical equipment so it can become expensive to install and maintain but it does allow a business to customize customer greetings and choose how to route customers when they call.
Key System Unit
Another type of phone system is called a key system unit or KSU system. This type of phone system connects landlines to a centrally installed hardware unit where each phone is physically connected to the KSU system. This system can be basic and is a good choice for small businesses but expansion can be difficult once the landline capacity is reached; it also requires on-site service and maintenance, so it can become a costly option.
Voice Over Internet Protocol
A voice over internet protocol or VoIP phone system is a more recent innovation where the ability to make and receive calls is hosted through the internet with no equipment installations or costly maintenance since everything takes place through the cloud. These types of systems are great for companies that don’t want to maintain hardware or software and want to have the option to easily expand.
The PBX, KSU and VoIP phone systems offer several options that allow businesses to customize their systems to various degrees to suit their preferred method of communication.
