Business phone-system-ebook disclosure-5370behnam_khani software engineer

How To Choose Your
Business Phone
System
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Table Of Contents
Click on the title below and jump straight to that specific section.
Chapter 1: What is a Business Phone System and What
Kind is Best For My Team? 3
Types of Business Phone Systems 3
VoIP vs Landline: What They Are & How They Work 6
How VoIP Systems Differs From Landline Systems 6
Free & Low-cost Business Phone System Options 7
Business Phone System Features 8
Chapter 2: Setting Up Your Business Phone 11
Setting Up Your Business Phone System 11
How We Determined Which Business Phone Systems Are
Best 13
Small Business Phone System Reviews 13
Questions to Ask Before Choosing Your Business Phone
System 14
The Bottom Line 15
Chapter 3: Business Phone Features 16
Other VoIP-specific phone features 37

Click on the title below and jump straight to that specific section.
Chapter 4: Types of Business Phone Numbers 38
Business Phone Number Options 38
Local Business Phone Number 39
Toll-free Phone Number 40
Vanity Phone Number 40
Which Type of Number Is Best for Your Business? 41
800 Numbers: Definition, Cost, Features & Providers 43
How to Choose an 800 Number 46
Pros & Cons of an 800 Number 47
Chapter 5: Phone Equipment, Hardware and Software 48
Business Phone System Hardware 48
Types of Phones 48
Analog Adaptors 49
Headsets 50
Call Management Software 50
Appendix 51

Jump back to table of contents.
Page 3
Chapter 1
What is a Business Phone System
and What Kind is Best For My Team?
Business phone systems support a network of land or internet-based phone
lines for inbound and outbound calling. These systems come in a variety of
forms but the most common are VoIP-related phone solutions. Business
phone systems have many features and price points, providing options for
organizations of all sizes, from single-member businesses to call centers.
Business phone systems are land or internet-based tools used to
communicate internally as well as with external customers and prospects.
They include not only the telephone hardware necessary to communicate
with callers but also any additional equipment like power supplies, headsets,
and routers to connect internet phone systems online.
Types of Business Phone Systems
Business phone systems can range from a couple of desktop telephones in
a small of ce, to a remote team using mobile apps, to a complex array of
phone lines connecting multiple of ces across the country. Companies have
a variety of options to choose from when selecting a system that includes
the .
business phone system features they need

Page 4
Speci c types of business phone systems include:
VoIP Business Phone Systems
technology transmits your voice over the
internet instead of over traditional copper wire used in landline phone
systems. VoIP business phone systems offer companies a wider range of
features than landlines, like advanced call management tools, CRM
integration, and unlimited calling. This a good choice for sales and support
teams wanting phone system tools that support the customer service
experience. Suggestion: We have a number of articles about , including
our guide to the best systems on the market, things to consider when
adopting a service, and a to installing a VoIP system. VoIP
systems are especially useful in the following scenarios:
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
VoIP
step-by-step guide
– With features like automatic call distributors, call
monitoring tools, and interactive voice response, VoIP phone solutions
help companies improve the customer experience and provide
superior service to callers.
Call Centers
– Many VoIP phone systems feature tools that integrate
with popular CRM platforms like and to allow
coordination of call data with other customer relationship information.
Sales Teams
Freshsales Pipedrive
– VoIP phone service is an affordable option for solo
entrepreneurs to have a business line with basic features on their
personal phones. It’s a good way to stay competitive in larger markets
by making phone communication appear professional from any phone.
Solopreneurs
– Businesses with mobile workers and employees who
travel bene t from features in a VoIP phone system, like call forwarding
and the ability to make outbound calls on your mobile appear as if
they’re coming from your desk phone.
Mobile Teams
– Most VoIP providers offer a range of price plans
and many have a la carte feature selections, making it possible to
customize the right solution for your business needs that can scale as
your company grows.
Growing Companies
Whether your company is young or established, very small or corporate-
sized, phones are likely to be something you can’t do without. Fortunately, a
competitive market means a range of solutions that are right for nearly every
type of business need.

Page 5
However, there are disadvantages when using a VoIP system, such as power
and internet dependency, sometimes resulting in inconsistent call quality.
Learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of a VoIP phone
service to help you make a decision.
here
Call Center Business Phone Systems
Call center business phone systems improve the customer experience with
features like automatic call distributors for routing inbound calls and
interactive voice response systems that automate many call center tasks.
Some systems also include call monitoring, analytics, and reporting for
organizations that want to monitor and improve call center performance.
PBX Business Phone Systems
Private branch exchange (PBX) business phone systems use a piece of
hardware installed on location to receive and route incoming calls. They
include call management tools and other features that help companies
professionally manage their business communication in-house. However,
localized PBX systems can be expensive to set up and maintain, so PBX
systems hosted by VoIP business phone service providers are often a more
affordable option.
Landline Business Phone Systems
Landline business phone systems transmit call data via your local or regional
phone company’s expensive standard copper wiring. Though not as feature-
rich as VoIP or softphone technology, landline business phone systems have
excellent sound quality and almost 100% uptime, making it the best choice
for businesses like emergency tech support that must be available by phone
24/7.

Page 6
VoIP vs Landline: What They Are & How They
Work
Unlike a landline, which requires dedicated wires, VoIP phone services use
your business’ existing internet connection to convert and transmit audio as
data. While Zoom and other services are examples of good VoIP services for
individuals, other VoIP options like RingCentral and offer the same
technology, but on a larger scale for businesses.
Nextiva
With that in mind, VoIP also works in a nearly identical fashion to a traditional
phone system. You can make and receive business calls using any type of
phone, whether it’s another VoIP phone, a cell phone, or a landline. It may
run on a different network, but you can use it just like any other device. For
more information, you can read our .
guide to VoIP systems
How VoIP Systems Differs From Landline
Systems
There are a number of key differences between a VoIP platform and a
traditional landline service. If you are a small business, the rst thing you
might notice is that VoIP systems are much cheaper. When you compare
RingCentral with Verizon’s landline service, RingCentral starts at less than
half the price for ve users.
A VoIP service can also do things that a traditional landline simply can’t do.
For example, VoIP services allow you to use your mobile phone as an
extension of your of ce phone, which extends your phone system to literally
anywhere you’re located. You can also integrate most VoIP platforms with
outside business software like customer relationship management (CRM)
platforms as well as take advantage of additional features such as advanced
call routing and voicemail to email.

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VoIP systems even give you the option to buy your equipment outright and
have your IT team self-host and manage the service. For example, you can
choose to rent the equipment from your service provider and have them
host your service in the cloud. This cloud-based solution is typically best for
small businesses due to its ease of use, cost-ef ciency, and limited in-house
support requirements.
However, the most signi cant technical advantage of VoIP services is their
scalability. Landline systems are limited to the number of lines that you have
connected, and adding more means installing and upgrading your
hardware. VoIP systems, in contrast, only rely on your internet connection,
meaning it can support an unlimited number of lines (depending on the
strength of your connection). This drastically reduces your setup and
maintenance costs.
Free & Low-cost Business Phone System
Options
A business phone service doesn’t have to be expensive in order to be
reliable. allow you to save the monthly expense of
maintaining a separate utility in order to make and receive phone calls. In
addition, depending on the service you select, do not require you to
purchase additional equipment.
VoIP phone systems

Page 8
Business Phone System Features
Business phone systems are packed with features to help organizations
manage communications with callers, but it’s important to remember that
phones with newer technology tend to offer more features. However, while
traditional landlines may not offer the same number of options as the
or softphones offer bene ting small businesses, they still pull their
weight with call management tools like call waiting, hold, and call transfer.
best
VoIP
Key include the following:
business phone system features
Call Management
Call management tools allow agents to place callers on hold, forward calls to
other phones, extensions, or voicemail boxes, park calls, block inbound calls
by phone number, and screen incoming calls and is a critical feature for
. Some providers also allow customers to record
personalized voicemail greetings for recognized callers and include
voicemail-to-email transcription and voicemail search with their service.
call
center phone systems
Free Local and Toll-free Phone Numbers
Many business phone system providers include one free local phone
number with new accounts and some also offer a toll-free phone number.
Most providers include free extension numbers with their pricing plans for
business owners to assign to individual employees, but additional phone
numbers are typically available for purchase if desired. Find out more in this
book’s chapter devoted to phone numbers.
Free Local and International Calling
Most providers include unlimited domestic calling with their plans and per-
minute international calling rates. Some providers feature unlimited
international calling to groups of countries or offer buckets of prepaid
minutes customers can purchase in advance for a lower pay-as-you-use
calling rate.

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Business Tools Integration
Some phone systems integrate with business tools like support ticket
systems, chat, and email to keep teams connected and working ef ciently.
Some systems also support integration with CRM applications commonly
used by business organizations like Freshsales, Pipedrive, and Salesforce so
that employees can document every interaction will callers.
Auto-attendant
Auto-attendants automatically greet and route callers to pre-speci ed
extensions, phones, voicemail boxes, or of ces. Some auto-attendants can
also route calls to multiple locations and can be used on external phone
numbers, so mobile or personal phones function the same as the user’s desk
phone.
How Automated Attendant Works
For many years, companies had dedicated of ces staffed with human
switchboard operators and receptionists. If customers dialed the company’s
main number, they would speak with a receptionist who would physically
wire a connection to the appropriate extension. Since the rapid adoption of
phone systems, however, this task is now
often performed by a technology known as an automated attendant.
voice over internet protocol (VoIP)
Like a receptionist, receive incoming calls
and use algorithms to route them based on pre-con gured rules set by the
administrator via a menu builder in your phone system’s management
console. This means that someone can call your company, be greeted with a
range of options, and reach their desired extension via voice or key
commands based on your pre-de ned rules, all without anyone on your staff
having to intervene.
auto attendant phone systems
Some systems offer what’s known as a multi-level auto-attendant, which
takes the basic attendant module and makes it more advanced. Multi-level
attendants can route calls to multiple locations or external phone numbers
so mobile or personal phones can function in the same way as a business
phone. This is particularly helpful for remote teams.

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Automated attendants are useful because they handle your incoming call
traf c and don’t require any of your employees to route callers in addition to
their other duties. They are also helpful because they give your business a
more professional presence over the phone. Whether you are a young
upstart or a large company, callers that are greeted with a list of options will
likely think that your company is established and worth taking seriously.
You can read more about auto-attendant phone systems in our dedicated
.
article

Page 11
Chapter 2
Setting Up Your Business Phone
Setting Up Your Business Phone System
Once you’ve selected a business phone system provider based on the type
of business phone systems covered in the previous chapter, the decisions
don’t end there. Here are a few other things to consider before you set up
your and let the calls start rolling in:
business VoIP phone service
Set Up Your Business Phone Number
When you set up your account with your new provider, one of the rst
decisions you’ll make is about your . If you already
have an established number, chances are you won’t want to change it and
risk losing customers. Fortunately, most providers will port your number to
their service for free. Be aware that the process can take a few days or a few
weeks, depending on how long it takes your current carrier to release your
number.
business phone number
If you don’t have a business phone number or want to get an additional line
with your new account, this step in the process is a great time to consider a
vanity phone number. Customized numbers like 1-800-FLOWERS are easy
for customers to remember and help your business stand out from
competitors. Read more about this in chapter 3.
Set Up Your Answering Service
Most business phone system providers include individual voicemail boxes
for each user on the account. That may be suf cient for missed calls during
lunch hours or while agents are taking other calls, but business owners may
want to consider an answering service to make sure customer calls are
answered around the clock, even when no one is in the of ce.

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Some answering services provide live receptionists to answer phone calls
24/7 year-round while others offer live receptionist service during standard
business hours only with off-hour availability for an additional charge.
Answering services do more than take messages; some also offer custom
scripting, customer troubleshooting, and provide personalized live greetings
to callers.
Set Up Your Conference Call Service
Some providers include conference calling in their price plans, but the
number of meetings or participants may be limited. Companies that hold a
lot of conference calls or online team meetings may want to consider a
separate to complement their business phone
system.
conference call service
Conference calling features include security tools like PIN and dedicated
phone numbers and call controls for managing meetings and participants.
Some services also offer call recording and storage, mobile apps, and HD
video support.
Set Up Your Phone Tree
A phone tree is a menu-driven phone system that routes callers to an
extension or person as well as sends messages to a large group of people.
Setting up a phone tree is a three-step process that includes drawing out
your tree, assigning employees to call groups, and programming the tree
into your VoIP system.
Phone trees are designed to help businesses save money as it minimizes, if
not eliminates, the need for a full-time live receptionist. Also, while a phone
tree’s auto-attendant may not be as personable as a receptionist, it reduces
the risk of a call being sent to the wrong person or wrong department due
to operator error.
In addition, it can also minimize leads being sent to voicemail. This is an
important bene t as, according to Forbes, of callers sent to a business’
voicemail don’t leave a message. Find out more about setting up your
phone tree in our and get free phone tree templates
80%
article here.

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How We Determined Which Business Phone
Systems Are Best
Business phone systems are a crucial part of your organization’s internal and
external communication strategy. A good phone solution includes features
that support both employees and customers, like user extensions, voicemail,
auto-attendant, and CRM integrations. It should also be affordable, easy to
use, and backed by reliable customer support.
We picked the top four business phone systems based on the following
criteria:
: We evaluated the price of each provider based on the features it
offered and the number of users it accommodated.
Price
: We assessed the number and types of features each business
phone system offered overall and within each tier, where applicable.
Features
We evaluated how easy each phone system is to set up
and use.
Customer Support: We assessed the types of customer support each
provider offered along with its online accessibility and live support
hours of availability.
Ease of Use:
Find out more about our recommended phone systems and pricing in our
.
article
Small Business Phone System Reviews
Often times, the best way to choose the right business phone system for
you is to check existing customer . This can
help you get a sense of providers’ features, functionality, ease of use,
customer service, and more before you buy. You should read our reviews of
the top VoIP business phone providers for information on price, features,
comparability, as well as other considerations.
reviews on top VoIP providers

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Questions to Ask Before Choosing Your
Business Phone System
Once you’ve selected your business’s phone service and hardware, you may
have a few questions about implementing the service in your of ce or about
the business phone industry itself. Here are the answers to some of the
most common questions readers ask.
1. How Many Phones Can My Bandwidth Support?
If you plan to use a , be sure to test the
speed of your internet connection to learn how many phone lines the
system should be able to support and anticipate call quality.
VoIP-based business phone system
Traditionally, businesses wanting a robust business phone system required a
with an expensive private branch
exchange (PBX). Recently, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones have
become low-cost and robust alternatives to these traditional four-line
systems. This means that today, the best business phones are typically VoIP
systems rather than four-line systems. Review our on 4-line phone
systems versus VoIP systems to nd out which is better for you.
four-line, landline-based phone system
article
2. What Is the Current State of the Business Phone
System Industry?
Thanks to wireless business phone hardware, workers are no longer stuck at
their desks by corded telephones that restrict their movement. Softphone
apps allow users to make and receive calls on their computers and mobile
devices and give business owners even more freedom to leave the of ce
without worrying about missing important client calls.

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3. What Should Look for in a Business Phone System
Provider?
Business owners should prioritize what components of a business phone
system are most important to their overall company goals. Some may value
price over a range of features while others may be comfortable with limited
access to customer support. We offer a number of reviews on top
to assist with your decision making.
small
business VoIP providers
The Bottom Line
After all the research and testing is done, it’s time to choose which business
phone systems will help contribute to the success of your business. From
the system you select to the hardware you buy, it’s important that the entire
ecosystem work together to deliver a seamless customer experience to your
callers.

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Chapter 3
Business Phone Features
VoIP business phone system providers offer a plethora of VoIP features with
their service plans. Some are designed to streamline the call management
process while others are meant to improve the customer experience or help
teams work more ef ciently together.
Popular VoIP features include:
1. Automated Attendant
An automated attendant (auto-attendant) answers callers and routes them
to the right extension or department quickly, increasing the likelihood of a
favorable customer experience. Basic automated attendants offer simpli ed
features like prerecorded messages and a small library of hold music options.
Basic auto-attendants are useful for solopreneurs and freelancers who need
an extra hand answering phone calls.
Multilevel auto-attendants include more complex VoIP features like
customizable greetings and the ability to route calls to multiple phone
numbers. Multilevel auto-attendants are helpful for larger organizations and
call centers that deal with high call volumes. For more information on auto-
attendants, including which VoIP systems offer the feature, check out our
article on the .
best auto-attendant phone systems
2. Call Forwarding
Call forwarding is a business phone feature that ensures a customer’s call
never goes unanswered. When activated on a phone number, inbound calls
to that line are redirected to another designated phone or an answering
service, making it an ideal solution for business owners who don’t want to
send important calls to voicemail. Call forwarding is a valuable VoIP phone
feature that’s right for nearly every business setting. It gives business owners
and staff peace of mind that important calls won’t slip through the cracks.

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Call forwarding bene ts include:
Business owners and solopreneurs can
use call forwarding to send calls to voicemail or an answering service
when they can’t personally answer the phone.
Call routing for message taking:
Call forwarding ensures customer
calls are handled quickly and ef ciently.
Superior customer service to callers:
People who travel for work or work remotely use call
forwarding to make sure their calls follow them wherever they are and
on whatever landline or mobile phone they choose.
Mobility:
Some healthcare and legal workers must be
available by phone outside of regular business hours to handle
emergencies. Call forwarding allows callers to reach someone wherever
they are by dialing a single number.
Emergency access:
Call forwarding helps small and medium-sized
businesses stay competitive and appear larger than they are when
someone is always available to answer a call instead of being routed to
voicemail.
Competitive advantage:
Bigger organizations use call
forwarding to help effortlessly distribute a large volume of calls.
High-volume call management:
There are few businesses today that don’t bene t from call forwarding.
Companies can use it to easily route calls to a secondary number or set up a
complex system of rules to handle speci c types of incoming calls
differently.
You can nd out more about and if it’s right for you and how
to make a purchase decision. To decide where to forward your business calls,
read our article on the .
call forwarding
best live receptionist answering service
3. Call Hold & Transfer
Call hold and transfer are business phone features offered by most providers.
Once a caller is placed on hold, users can transfer them to another extension
or phone number. Most phone systems offer users a choice of blind transfer
or assisted transfer where the sender stays on the line to make sure the call
is answered. Call hold and transfer is a VoIP feature that businesses with
more than one person will want with their phone system. To decide how to
best manage your business calls, read our article on the
.
best call
management systems

Page 18
4. Call Recording
Call recording is a VoIP feature that allows business owners to record calls for
training and quality assurance purposes. Depending on the business phone
system provider and service plan, calls may be recorded company-wide or for
speci c numbers or extensions. Some providers also offer cloud storage
space to store recordings temporarily or inde nitely. Call centers and
organizations that take a lot of customer calls will want call recording.
5. Caller ID
Inbound caller ID provides key data on callers before the phone is answered,
including name and phone number. This VoIP feature is useful for blocking
anonymous or unknown calls and helps auto-attendants route known
callers to predesignated destinations. Outbound caller ID allows extension
users to select which ID to use when placing an outbound call, which is
important for anyone using their personal phone for work.
6. Call Screening
Call screening puts customers in control of which calls to take. Caller ID
details on the phone’s display allow users to decide whether to take the call,
decline it, or send it to voicemail. Some providers pair call screening with a
call block feature that let customers specify that certain numbers should be
allowed to ring through.
Call screening is technology that recognizes the characteristics of a
telephone call and provides the user with the tools to decide how to answer
the call, or whether to answer the call at all. In most phone systems, users
can see who’s calling and either connect, send it to voicemail, or block the
number from ever calling again.
Screening software recognizes the number of the caller and displays it on
either your phone’s screen or your desktop app (unless they’ve paid for local
number masking or have blocked their number), depending on the
hardware you use to make calls. In some cases, it will also take that phone
number and look for a match in your system’s contacts list. If it nds a
match, you will see the caller’s name as well as their number.

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Call screening features have been in both personal phones and business
phone systems, such as voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) and virtual
phone services, for many years now. While many users may take the feature
for granted, it can be extremely helpful in saving employees time and
energy, as they are not wasting time on low-priority or near-constant SPAM
calls.
It’s hard to imagine a scenario where call screening isn’t helpful. After all, the
ability to see who is calling your number and deciding whether or not to
answer it is a useful feature for any busy employee who can’t afford to waste
time answering spam calls or having any conversations not immediately
relevant to their job.
Here are a few cases where call screening is especially bene cial:
: Sales representatives usually count on their commissions
to make a living. As such, they need to always be focused on making
sales and can use call screening to determine which incoming calls are
worth answering.
Salespersons
Free services that cannot afford VoIP services like
RingCentral can still have a professional phone presence thanks to free
services like Google Voice, which greets calls and asks for their name
before forwarding them to your end.
Young startups:
According to a study by , nearly half of all call traf c in
2019 will be robocalls. Messages from scammers aren’t going anywhere,
and call screening features are your organization’s rst line of defense in
avoiding spam.
Spam haters: Orion
All told, the positives of a call screening module far outweigh the negatives.
These features ensure that you block out distracting and meaningless
phone conversations. They also protect you from malicious actors who are
plaguing the world’s phone networks. Virtually all types of business users
can make use of the technology.

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Call Screening Features
Call screening and other are important parts
of everyday phone use. First, the phone service usually recognizes the
number and will automatically greet the caller with a voice greeting, where
they are asked to say their name. Then, the recipient of the call is informed of
this information on their screen. The recipient can then either answer, block,
or route the call to voicemail via on-screen call options.
VoIP business phone features
Call Greeting
When someone calls your business, and other solutions will
automatically answer the call for you with a voice greeting. They might say
something to the effect of “Thank you for calling [your organization]. Please
say your name at the tone.” The system then takes that voice recording of
the name and forwards it to your phone. During the process, a phone
system will also recognize the phone number and look for a match in your
contacts list.
RingCentral
Caller ID Message
Once the phone service has taken the name and number of the caller, you
will get a noti cation on your mobile app, your desk phone, or any other
compatible device you are working on. This can either be delivered via an
audio message when your phone rings or as an on-screen transcription of
the caller’s name.
Call Options
When you know who is calling your line, your phone service will likely
provide you with a set of options for managing the call. You can accept the
call and get connected with the caller, or you can hit decline to send them
right to your voicemail inbox. You can also choose to block the call, which
automatically blocks the number from reaching you ever again. This is
especially helpful for stopping known spam callers.

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7. Call Flip
Call ip lets users transfer calls from one device to another with the press of
a button while a call is in progress without disconnecting the call. This VoIP
feature comes in handy when a user’s mobile device battery is about to die
and he or she needs to switch to a desk phone, or he or she is ready to leave
the of ce and want to move calls to a mobile phone without hanging up.
Call ip is a bene t to business owners and sales agents on the go who want
to stay professional with clients.
8. Voicemail
allows callers to leave messages and noti es users they have
messages waiting. Advanced voicemail features include custom greetings
and transcription services that convert messages to text. Voicemail is a VoIP
feature every company should have to accommodate customers who call
when of ces are closed. If you’re considering custom greetings, be sure to
read our article on the .
Basic voicemail
best professional voicemail greeting providers
is a voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) business
phone feature that converts audio voicemail messages into text
transcription to read in your email inbox or smartphone messaging app. It
may be a standalone feature or bundled into visual voicemail. Either way,
both are easy to activate in the user settings section of your system’s
dashboard. Here is an easy guide to show you how to set up your
.
Voicemail transcription
voicemail
transcription
is a voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) business and mobile
phone feature that, once turned on in User Settings, displays voicemail
messages in a single list so users can prioritize how to return calls. Some
companies also offer voicemail-to-email or voicemail-to-text, a written
transcript of the call along with an MP3 attachment of the audio message.
Visual voicemail

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Visual voicemail is a standard feature of most phone systems that works by
collecting all your voicemail messages sent to your VoIP or mobile phone
and arranging them in a list beginning with the most recent call. However,
messages can be listened to non-sequentially as well. The list is easily
viewable on your VoIP system’s dashboard or mobile app to quickly scroll
through and decide which ones need immediate attention and which can
be archived or deleted.
To nd out more about visual voicemail, read our .
article
Professional voicemail greetings are important because they are an
extension of your brand, re ect your level of professionalism, and offer
important information to your customers. To help you create the best one
for your business, we’ve outlined nine types of professional voicemail
greetings with scripts that can be adapted for your speci c needs. You can
nd them in our along with helpful example scripts.
article
9. Business Tool Integration
Some VoIP features include integration with business tools like support
ticket systems, chat, and email to keep teams connected and working
ef ciently. Some also support tools for sales teams like customer relationship
management (CRM) application integration for documenting interactions
with customers and automatic dialers that automating the dialing
procedure. To learn how auto-dialer software saves sales teams time and
money, check out our article on the .
best auto-dialers for small business
10. Conference Bridge
A conference bridge is a VoIP feature that allows users to hold meetings with
dozens or even hundreds of participants via a computer, smartphone, or
internet-connected device with a microphone. A conference bridge is great
for consultants and sales agents who frequently make multiperson calls. To
learn more about how a conference bridge works and which VoIP providers
offer the feature, read our article on the .
best conference bridge services

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11. Video Conferencing
Video conferencing is a business phone feature that facilitates multiperson
video meetings and typically includes tools for screen sharing, screen
drawing, and more. Video conferencing is a good VoIP feature for remote
teams and business owners that want to meet with clients when face-to-
face meetings aren’t possible. To learn more about how video conferencing
can bene t your team, check out our article on the
.
best video conferencing
services
12. SMS Text Messaging
Short message service (SMS) text messaging is a VoIP feature that allows
users to send and receive text messages on their business phones. It
provides an additional channel of communication for customers and gives
business owners a way to respond to missed calls quickly and discreetly. SMS
text messaging is also great for business owners wanting to target markets
that prefer communicating by text rather than phone.
13. Hot Desking
Hot desking is a business phone feature that lets users log into a shared
desk phone to access personalized pro les and settings. It’s a terri c way to
allow employees to access their own voicemail and other VoIP features from
any of ce phone while minimizing hardware investment costs. Hot desking
is a good choice for businesses with eld agents, remote workers, and off-
premise workers who only need occasional access to on-site phones.
14. Call Routing
Call routing is a feature of voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) business
phone services that automatically answer incoming calls, routing them to
phones or extensions based on predetermined rules like “forward all calls to
voicemail.” Smart call routing strategies can improve the customer
experience, particularly for call centers and businesses with a high volume of
inbound customer calls.

Page 24
This feature occurs when a company’s VoIP phone system answers a call
from an external caller and uses caller input via voice or keypad prompts to
direct the call within the organization. This call can be routed to a speci c
phone extension, the next available agent, or other pre-arranged rule.
Advanced call routing systems can even answer calls with customized
greetings and direct calls to phones outside the company.
A feature of most VoIP business phone packages, call routing works the
same way as call forwarding does on personal phones, but VoIP call routing
usually offers many more options than simply forwarding calls to a single
phone number. For example, you can choose to route calls to
, , or based on like time of day or
location.
speci c
individuals groups of users caller attributes
Virtually any business that receives regular calls to ensure incoming inquiries
are always answered and directed to the right extension or sales agent
would be a good t for call routing. Solopreneurs and small businesses
bene t by having an “extra hand” with like call forwarding so
that calls don’t slip through the cracks. Larger companies bene t from rules
like skills-based routing that matches callers to the most suitable agent to
meet their needs.
VoIP features
Call routing is right for:
Features like call forwarding to an assistant and call
screening of speci c numbers give solopreneurs control over incoming
calls while ensuring customer calls don’t go unanswered
Solo entrepreneurs:
Small companies can use call routing to redirect
inquiries to an answering service or voicemail box outside regular
business hours, giving them the appearance of 24-hour service
Small businesses:
Larger
organizations may want routing rules in place around the clock to
manage high call volume to minimize the number of times the phone
rings and to make sure customers aren’t left on hold for too long
Companies that receive a large volume of inbound calls:
Features like skills-based routing ensures
customers reach the right agent with the skills to help them address
their needs and concerns, increasing customer satisfaction
Customer support teams:
Call management tools like round-robin routing ensures
sales leads are allocated fairly among agents
Sales teams:

Page 25
Call routing can help solopreneurs, small businesses, and sales teams route
inbound calls quickly, even when call volume uctuates seasonally or just
throughout the day. offers this feature with all its service plans.
When combined with unlimited domestic calling, toll-free minutes, and
voicemail, VoIP providers like RingCentral provide a comprehensive inbound
and outbound phone system.
RingCentral
Find out more about and costs in our .
call routing buyer's guide
15. Call Handling
Call handling features allow you to answer, route, and block incoming and
outgoing calls. They are designed to help businesses better handle their call
traf c, especially in sales environments where call volume exceeds the
number of staff to handle them. They also provide the bene t of a more
professional presence over the phone.
Call handling refers to the management of both inbound and outbound
telephone calls. In its most basic form, call handling is used by everyone; if
you have ever received a call and answered it, you’ve used call management.
However, modern business phone services offer advanced call handling
functionality that can handle many calls at once, greet callers, and route
them automatically.
In most business phone systems, this is usually accomplished via an
automated attendant, which is a voice menu of routing options. While this
is usually included for free as part of a more
complete service, even virtual phone systems like Grasshopper, for example,
often include an automated attendant to pick up the phone for you.
business phone feature
However, if you have more demanding needs, there are options for you.
Customer support systems like implement interactive voice
response (IVR) technology. IVR is similar to an auto attendant, but is more
powerful thanks to natural voice recognition technology and the ability to
pull up caller pro le information from databases. Some systems even come
with AI assistants that can provide support staff with suggestions on how to
handle customer tickets.
Zendesk Talk

Page 26
Additionally, (PBX) systems work in a similar way.
These systems, which can exist either as on-site hardware boxes or cloud-
hosted software, offer businesses the ability to receive incoming calls and
route them without human intervention. They route calls based on
precon gured rules that your administrator sets within the system. These
devices often host auto-attendant software on them.
public branch exchange
Outbound call handling is commonly found in call center systems and works
a bit differently. The functionality works by having an administrator in your
company set up outgoing messages to send to numbers on a phone list.
This is useful for letting your customers know about new products or
seasonal promotions. It’s also helpful for letting employees and associates
know about of ce closures in case of emergency.
Call Handling Benefits for Small Businesses
It’s hard to imagine a scenario where call handling isn’t helpful. After all,
being able to accept, route, and block call traf c is an important part of
keeping your company’s phone operations running smoothly. Still, there are
several environments where auto-attendants, IVR, and other call handlings
tools are especially helpful.
Call handling is especially bene cial for the following:
The ability to handle many incoming calls at once,
along with the ability to send automated outgoing sales messages,
makes call handling an important feature for sales staff who use the
phone to close deals.
Sales Departments:
Customer support agents face high call volumes all day
long. IVR systems that can automatically route callers and deliver them
to their desired extension frees up your staff from having to answer and
route the call themselves.
Support Staff:
Nonpro ts depend on charitable donations to
survive. Being able to accommodate incoming calls and route them to
the donations department can help increase funding.
Nonpro t Organizations:

Page 27
All told, call handling is a common functionality for personal and business
users alike. After all, your organization’s phone network would be chaos if you
didn’t have the option to automatically to voicemail
or block them altogether. Call handling is, therefore, one of the most
important core aspects in all of telephony.
route calls successfully
16. HD Voice Calling
High de nition voice (HD voice) is a technology found in modern telephones
that provides clearer, more natural sounding audio when compared to
traditional phone systems. This bene ts virtually any user that wants to
better understand their phone conversations and the feature is found in
most modern voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) systems for no additional
cost.
For many years, phone calls were transmitted over a network of copper
wires. The audio quality of these calls was passable but did not sound natural
or clear at all. Since the dawn of both mobile internet and ,
vendors have taken advantage of the increased bandwidth and offered HD
voice technology, which sounds clearer than what was previously possible.
VoIP technology
However, It is worth noting that HD voice is a two-way process. In order for it
to work, both parties on a call need to have HD voice equipped on their
handset. This means if someone with HD voice calls someone without the
feature, the call will simply be in “standard” de nition.
This is because HD voice technology requires both software to process the
calls in high de nition and handset hardware to send and receive the
signals. As such, you’ll need both a VoIP service that offers HD voice features
and a phone that can support it. Mobile users, too, will need a compatible
smartphone and a wireless plan that offers HD voice.

Page 28
HD voice is good for any business user who has a reliable internet
connection, either through their mobile network or with a VoIP service. As
more people abandon traditional landlines, more users are becoming eligible
to make use of HD voice technology. There will likely be a point in the future
where their standard de nition calls will cease to exist.
Here are a few use cases where HD voice is especially useful:
When a large number of people are on the same call,
HD voice can block out background noise and make meetings less
chaotic.
Conference Calls:
Traveling workers who take calls from airports, coffee
shops, and other noisy environments can better understand the
person they are speaking with
Mobile Users:
Clearer audio quality is easier to transcribe for both
human and automated transcription services.
Transcription Users:
Unless you don’t have an internet connection that supports it, it’s hard to
imagine a scenario where HD voice isn’t helpful. Much like how HD Video is
an objective improvement over older resolutions, HD voice improves upon
an old technology in virtually every single way.
Find out more about HD voice calling in our and making the right
purchasing decision in our .
article
buyer's guide
17. Call tracking
Phone call tracking systems track and report all incoming call information
and attribute calls to the marketing channels that drove them as well as
basic information like the caller’s number, call time, and location. This is
useful for marketing, as it helps businesses determine where customers
come from to tell you which campaigns are effective.

Page 29
What is call tracking and how does it work?
Call tracking is a that helps you track phone
leads by inserting a unique tracking number into all of your paid ads, emails,
landing pages, and website contents in order to gauge which of your
marketing efforts are producing the best results. In addition, it also tracks
the number of calls you receive, the times of the calls, and more. This
information can all be used to better understand your audience and, in turn,
make your operations more effective.
VoIP business phone feature
In its most basic form, call tracking consists of setting up a unique phone
number for all of your marketing channels. As an example, you might have
one number for your print ads and another one for social media. If you get
more calls to the number from the print ads, then you can deduce that
those marketing efforts are more effective. This, in summary, is the main
bene t of call tracking functionality.
It is worth noting that you run the risk of confusing customers by having
many different phone numbers. To avoid this, we recommend keeping one
main phone number for all incoming callers. We also suggest keeping no
more than three or four different marketing numbers live at any given point.
This way, you do not overwhelm customers who may come across several of
your marketing channels.
Call tracking software services will create numbers for you to insert into your
marketing collateral. If someone calls one of those numbers, the service will
automatically forward them to your main business line while also keeping a
record of the original number called. You can then view what channels are
getting the most calls on your call tracking software dashboard.
The type of call tracking you use will depend on the call tracking solution
you have. If you want to track via multiple phone numbers, then you can use
any , like RingCentral, Grasshopper, or even Google
Voice to set up these numbers and just put them into your marketing
materials as you see t.
business phone system

Page 30
In addition to providing notable marketing insights, call tracking is also
useful in the same way that the call log on the average smartphone is. Being
able to see when calls were placed, the numbers involved, and caller location
helps you keep track of all of your daily business communications. If you
need to remember when an important sales call took place last week, you
can simply look at phone call tracking software and look up the person’s
name or number.
Who is call tracking right for?
As a small business, you want to make sure that you are getting the right
return on investment (ROI) on all of your marketing strategies. Phone call
tracking gives you direct insights into where most of your audience is
coming from and thus where you should focus the bulk of your marketing
efforts. Additionally, call tracking can help companies make better
scheduling decisions and reference earlier calls.
Call tracking is particularly useful for the following:
Call tracking makes it possible to determine what
content made your audience aware of your organization. These insights
can help you understand what campaigns are over or underperforming.
It also tells you where your audience is located, so you get a better idea
of who your demographic is.
Marketing Initiatives:
Call tracking software tells you when people are
calling your company. You can use that information to determine your
busiest times and shift sales and support schedules around that data.
Scheduling Decisions:
It’s hard to keep track of all of your business
conversations every day. If you need to remember when a speci c call
took place for reference purposes, you can easily pull up that
information on your tracking service’s call logs page.
Call Reference:
All told, phone call tracking is a powerful tool for anyone looking to better
understand their marketing efforts. You can use the information to make
smarter decisions about where to spend on marketing campaigns. This is
accomplished by giving you a full view of all of your incoming calls.

Page 31
Call Tracking Features
All call tracking systems need to be able to accept incoming phone calls
with a unique number, forward that call to a main business line, and tell you
what source the call came from. On top of that, many services also offer text
tracking and the ability to connect call data with outside business software.
Call Tracking
Being able to track call sources is the core function of all solutions. Most
systems will provide you with either local or toll-free numbers to use in your
marketing materials. Call tracking software will take that information, note
what number was called, and then transfer the caller to your main business
line.
Phone call tracking services can track phone numbers across all sorts of
marketing channels, whether that is an online ad, company website, social
media, newspaper, billboard ads, and more. In the majority of cases, you will
be able to apply custom labels to each marketing phone number.
Text Tracking
With CallCap and other solutions, you have the ability to track the source of
incoming text messages much like you do with calls. This is especially
helpful as many of today’s modern consumers prefer to reach out over text
message than email. This is a good feature to look out for if most of your
customer base tends to be younger.
Software Integrations
Many leading call tracking systems offer the ability to automatically enter all
incoming callers into a customer relationship management (CRM) service
like Salesforce so that these callers can be turned into trackable prospects in
a sales pipeline. Having caller data automatically sent to a CRM’s database
can save agents a lot of time so that they can focus more on closing deals.
For step-by-step information on see our website.
how to set up call tracking

Page 32
18. Call Parking
Call parking is a feature found on phone systems that allows you to put a call
on hold at one handset and continue the call from any other phone. This
helps you transfer calls throughout the of ce and also ensure security via a
personal identi cation number (PIN). This is usually free with business
phone systems.
What is Call Parking and how does it work?
Call parking is a fairly straightforward process. On an of ce-wide phone
system, the call parking feature lets you take a call at one handset, put the
caller on hold in a centralized location―the cloud, in the majority of
cases―and then pick up that call on any connected phone system. This
feature is unique to phone services that have multiple lines or extensions in
one network. Call parking features are common to modern business phone
services and come at no extra cost.
The process of parking a call will depend on the kind of phone service and
handset you have. Some voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) services have a
dedicated button for it on their mobile or desktop softphone. Many business
handsets also have a call park or hold button that can be used for this.
However, other services may lack a dedicated button and require you to dial
a combination of numbers to unlock a parked call. Check with your provider
for more information.
In most cases, a business phone system will accommodate a xed number
of call park slots available at once. You can think of call park as a physical
parking lot for your incoming callers. These “lots” have unique parking
spaces with unique numbers so that you can easily nd the call you are
trying to connect to when you move to your secondary location.

Page 33
When to Use Call Parking
Call parking is useful in many different situations. Say, for example, you got a
call on your desk phone from one of your most important clients. They want
to discuss their upcoming contract renewal, and you want to make sure that
your team members and management are on the call to discuss important
details. You could place that caller in call park space “1,” assemble your crew
in the conference room and then pull up that caller on the speakerphone
there.
The feature is also helpful in retail environments, especially in hardware
stores or any multi-department establishments. For instance, you could take
a call at your front desk from someone who has a question about power
tools. You could park the call, and then declare over the store’s PA system
that there is a “call for power tools on line one.” Another use case for call
parking is wanting to move a sensitive call to a private location.
When call parking was rst introduced into landline systems, there were
problems with people parking calls and then forgetting to retrieve them,
leaving the caller on hold inde nitely. The call parking features found on
modern, internet-based VoIP service often come with a feature that will ring
you after a few minutes to remind you of the parked call.
In the past, call parking features required wired handsets to work. Since the
introduction of VoIP services, this has changed. Not only can you park calls
from a Wi-Fi-connected handset, but you can also even do it while you’re
out of the of ce via a mobile app. For example, if your top salesperson were
out of town for a meeting, you could park a call, ping them, and have them
make the call on their mobile app, even if they were thousands of miles
away.
Call Parking Benefits for Small Businesses
It’s hard to imagine a scenario where call park isn’t helpful. The feature is free
with most phone services, and it provides the ability to place calls on hold
and pick them up on another connected phone. With that said, there are a
few situations where call parking is particularly effective.

Page 34
These cases and situations include:
You can move important client calls to a common space
where other employees can chime in on the call.
Sales teams:
Call park allows you to take an incoming call, park
it, and then have staff in the right department take the call on their
handset.
Retail environments:
If an important call comes when you are about to
leave your desk, you can park the call and take it on your VoIP service’s
mobile app.
General convenience:
All told, call parking is a common feature for business phone systems. Being
able to place customers on hold and retrieve them easily from any
connected device makes handling incoming call traf c much easier. Call
parking is one of the most important core functions of business phone
systems.
Call Park Features
Call parking is pretty simple: it is comprised of receiving a call, placing it in
your virtual parking lot, and retrieving it later. However, not all call parking is
created equal. Important features of a call park module include the parking
allotment, retrieval method, and mobile app support.
Parking Allotment
If call parking functionality puts all of your calls into a “parking lot,” then the
size of that lot is very important when considering phone services. You can
expect modern phone services to have at least 50 spots open, although
more advanced services place no limit on how many calls can be parked at
once. More basic services like offer just one spot, which makes
them less ideal for larger businesses, but can be a more economical option.
Grasshopper

Page 35
Retrieval Method
Once you have a call parked, you will have to retrieve the call from its spot.
This is done in a different way, depending on the phone service you have. For
example, lets you park calls simply by pressing the “Call Park”
button on your on-screen softphone. It will then give you a “location” of that
call, which is an identi cation number. All you need to do is retrieve the call is
type in the * key and the given location of that call.
RingCentral
Mobile App Support
The majority of today’s business phone systems have mobile app support
that essentially allows you to take your work phone wherever you go. These
apps often have access to call parking features, so you can retrieve calls even
if you are physically away from the of ce.
19. Call Logs
Call logs are records of conversations kept as a way to track follow-up calls to
prospects, document customer issues, and serve as a historical reference
point for future conversations or kept for compliance purposes. Call logs can
also be used as a performance measurement device to manage the
ef ciency of your company or call center.
The best VoIP business phone systems include a robust call log system with
advanced analytics to view placed, incoming and missed calls as well as the
ability to export call logs.
How Call Logs Work
Call logs work by creating records that contain data pertaining to inbound
and outbound calls, such as the time of the call, phone number, and the
date, time, and call duration. The notes captured from the call then help
nurture leads by identifying what issues were resolved or need resolution,
and act as a record of any follow-up needed with colleagues, customers, or
clients.

Page 36
Business Phone System Ebook
There are two types of call logs in a business environment: manual and
automatic. Manual call logs can be as simple as jotting details onto a
notepad after each call or typing notes into customer relationship
management (CRM) software. Most VoIP business phone systems include
automatic call logs with their service plans that automatically capture and
organize relevant call details that are easy to search and retrieve.
While manual call logs are a common option, there are a few drawbacks to
consider. Paper-based logs are dif cult to search, can get lost easily, and
present storage challenges such as how to le them securely. At a
minimum, businesses that use paper-based manual call logs should always
use a template to ensure each worker uniformly records the same call
information.
Automatic call logs, a common feature of business VoIP phone systems, are a
better option to make sure call data is systematically and thoroughly
captured. Workers don’t have to remember to write anything down, the
data is securely stored, and managers can easily run reports or analyze
metrics. Automatic call logs are the way to go when you want to make sure
essential call data doesn’t slip through the cracks.
Who Benefits From Using Call Logs
Call logs are right for virtually any business that makes and receives calls
because they provide historical data and valuable metrics for making future
decisions. Solopreneurs and small businesses can use them for record-
keeping and reference purposes, and larger companies can use call logs to
analyze worker productivity and understand calling trends.

Page 37
Call logs are bene cial for:
Solo business owners can
use call logs to better connect with clients by tracking who they’ve
spoken with and providing insight into any missed calls from people
who didn’t leave a message.
Independent contractors and consultants:
Call logs assist sales and service staff by providing
detailed records of calls, customer issues, complaints, and resolutions
that are accessible by all team members in order to provide a smoother
customer experience.
Sales and service staff:
Small businesses can use call logs to resolve
customer disputes and track worker productivity to identify gaps in
customer service.
Small business owners:
Call logs assist call centers by providing valuable metrics
that can be used to forecast peak calling hours for staf ng purposes
and ensure calls are being routed ef ciently to agents.
Call centers:
Physicians, lawyers, and money
managers can use call logs as part of any regulatory or compliance
standards they must adhere to, like HIPAA or Sarbanes-Oxley.
Healthcare, legal, and nancial of ces:
Call logs can help solopreneurs, small businesses, and call centers gather and
organize phone call data for record-keeping, reporting, and analytics. To read
more about call logs, the advantages and disadvantages, and manual call
logs, read our .
article
Other VoIP-specific phone features
CRM Integration
VoIP phone systems with CRM integration allow sales teams to unify
customer call data in a single location rather than across multiple systems.
Many providers offer integration tools for platforms like , ,
, and .
Salesforce HubSpot
Pipedrive Freshsales

Page 38
Phone Number Porting
Established businesses won’t want to give up their phone numbers when
moving to a new phone system provider, so many VoIP solutions port
existing numbers for free or for a small charge. The process can take
anywhere from a couple of days to several weeks, depending on how long it
takes the rst provider to release the number.
Free Local and Toll-Free Phone Numbers
Many VoIP phone systems include a free local phone number with new
accounts and some also include a free toll-free phone number. It’s common
to offer only one free number, but customers can usually purchase more for
an additional fee.
Free Local and International Calling
Free unlimited domestic calling is a common feature offered by most of the
larger VoIP providers. Some also offer unlimited international calling to
groups of countries, with more groups available at higher pricing tiers. Most
providers offer pay-as-you-go .
international calling rates
Bottom Line: How to Choose Phone Features
The most important VoIP features for your business depends largely on the
needs of your employees and customers. Freelancers, consultants, and
solopreneurs may prioritize conferencing tools over call forwarding and
transfer features. Conversely, larger companies and call centers may nd
value in call recording and business tool integration features.

Page 39
Chapter 4
Types of Business Phone Numbers
Business Phone Number: Local
Number, 800 Number or Vanity
Number?
A business phone number keeps your company calls separate from your
personal ones, giving your organization a more professional presence.
Business phone numbers typically take minutes to set up and include
options like a local number, 800 number, or a vanity number, and can range
in price from free to more than $50 per month.
Business Phone Number Options
Pros Cons Price
(Approximately)
Local
Phone
Number
Simple, often provided
free with phone
service
Ties you to a single
geographic area; not
always memorable
$0-$10/month
Toll-
free/800
Number
Indicates a more
professional and/or
nationwide business
You have to pay for all
calls; not always
memorable
$10/month
Vanity
Phone
Number
Extremely memorable;
great for advertising
Can be expensive and
hard to obtain
$10-$50/month
or higher

Page 40
The main types of business phone numbers are local, toll-free, and vanity
numbers. Each of these has their pros and cons and are ideal for different
scenarios like budget, industry, and company size.
There are also , which are local, toll-free, or vanity
numbers that forward to an existing phone line. While these aren’t exactly a
type of phone number on their own, virtual numbers are another important
option for new businesses that want to create a more professional image for
their business without the cost of a more expensive system.
virtual phone numbers
Below are more details on each type of business phone number, including
where to get one.
Local Business Phone Number
A local phone number is the most common type of business number and is
available for free but can go up to $39.99 or even more in some cases. The
three-digit area code corresponds to your city or region. This makes it ideal
for brick-and-mortar businesses who have mostly local callers or those that
want their phone number to establish a connection with the community.
A local phone number is usually provided for free when you sign up for
ongoing service with a small business phone provider, whether you choose a
landline, VoIP system, or a virtual phone service provider.
Alternatively, you can get a free business phone number from .
With this, you can make and receive calls for free from your desktop or
mobile phone and the app lets your search for a phone number with a
business phone number lookup page. However, the main downside to
Google Voice is that in some instances, local area codes are not available. The
service also has a very dated interface compared to smoother platforms like
.
Google Voice
RingCentral

Page 41
Toll-free Phone Number
If your business operates nationwide, a toll-free or 800 phone number is a
way to separate yourself from a local area. These numbers, which typically
start at $10 per month, give customers the ability to call your business
without incurring long distance charges. Today, they’re generally sought-
after to give your business a larger and more professional brand image.
Toll-free numbers can begin with 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, and 844. Most
professional phone system providers like or include a
toll-free number at no additional cost with your purchase. However, if you
aren’t looking to replace your phone system, you can also buy a virtual toll-
free number that forwards to your existing line. For more information on toll-
free numbers as well as where to go to nd one, visit our guide on
.
Nextiva RingCentral
800
numbers
Vanity Phone Number
Consumers are more likely to remember a vs a
numeric phone number.
vanity phone number
The reason is that a vanity phone number is communicated using easy-to-
remember words. For example, 1-800-TELEPHONE is a vanity number that
corresponds to 1-800-835-3746 on the phone’s keypad. Vanity numbers,
which typically cost $10 to $50 a month, can also be used as a marketing
tactic if you want to set up a unique number for a promotion or product.
The price of vanity numbers varies widely depending on demand. Most
business phone number providers will let you pick a vanity number for free
or for a small extra monthly charge, but you’ll likely need to use some
numbers in combination with words, such as 1-800-824-TAXI. To get a full
phrase like 1-800-TAXICAB you’ll likely need to use a specialized service like
and pay a larger sum of anywhere from $30 to $400 or more per
month.
RingBoost

Page 42
Which Type of Number Is Best for Your
Business?
The answer to this question can be tricky. This is because it ultimately
depends on how you’ll be using the number in addition to making and
receiving phone calls, such as those displayed on a billboard ad, posted on
your website, and so on as well as the type of business you run. Below, we
discuss which number might be best for your business.
Local Phone Numbers: Best for Local Businesses
While toll-free numbers communicate a sense of reputability, a 1-800
number isn’t always what customers want. Local phone numbers leave the
impression of a smaller, more personable, and attentive local business. When
your company is represented with a three-digit area code, it shows your
customers that you are just as much of a part of the community as they are.
1-800 numbers are often associated with larger brands and can come across
as impersonal and unfeeling. This can bring to mind frustrating experiences
with call centers, automated menus, and long on-hold times. Therefore, if
you operate a retail shop or a catering hall and want to promote a sense of
community or seem more customer service-centric, then a local phone
number is the most appropriate option.
Toll-free/800 Numbers: Best for National Companies
Companies doing business outside of their local area will want to consider a
toll-free number. If the scope of your business is national, you don’t want a
phone number that suggests you only operate within a speci c region. This
may lead customers to believe you don’t operate outside your area.
A local number can also harm your business by making it seem like a smaller
operation. This might not matter for a pet-care or shoe repair service, as
these businesses do best by appearing to be part of the neighborhood, but
for a larger consulting rm, for example, you want a phone number that says,
“I’m large, reputable, and well-connected.” An 800 number leaves that
impression.

Page 43
Vanity Phone Numbers: Best for Advertising & Marketing
Vanity phone numbers are memorable and associated easily with your
business, making them best for print, radio, and TV advertising as well as
billboards. For example, a number like 1-800-AC-REPAIR is more likely to stay
in people’s minds than a random sequence of numbers.
Vanity numbers aren’t that helpful for online advertising, which is a very
important channel today. For online ads, memorability isn’t always as
important since web and mobile users can click a button to dial your
business, which is also true for Facebook, Google, and Yelp. In these cases, a
local or 1-800 number might be best.
Bonus: Virtual Phone Numbers for New Businesses
A virtual phone number is any type of number that forwards to an existing
line. Prices can range from free options like or cost as much as
$39.99 per month. It can be a local, toll-free, or vanity number and is useful
for entrepreneurs who aren’t planning to set up a professional phone system
but don’t want to give out their personal number either.
Google Voice
In the past, getting a new business phone number meant installing a new
phone line in your home of ce or business. Today, virtual numbers make it
possible to add business phone numbers to your existing personal line or
device. This makes virtual numbers ideal for new businesses wanting to use
a new phone number as opposed to a personal number, but don’t have the
funds yet to set up a full-scale phone system.
A virtual phone system can be set up in a matter of minutes, is often for free
if you’re only making calls in the United States and Canada and can scale
with you. Nevertheless, most businesses will want to switch to a small
business phone system so that they aren’t dependent on employees using
their own smartphones or other personal devices.

Page 44
800 Numbers: Definition, Cost, Features &
Providers
An 800 number, or any other kind of toll-free number, such as 888 or 877, is a
telephone number with a distinct three-digit code that can be dialed with
no charge to the person placing the call. They are typically used by
companies that want a more professional business presence than using a
local area code.
How an 800 number Works
An 800 number is, in basic terms, an agreement with your service provider
that your business will pay the cost of someone calling your company. This
makes it easier for customers outside of your local area to reach out to you as
they won’t be charged any long-distance fees. This is especially bene cial for
landline callers who do not have unlimited long-distance calling plans. This,
in turn, bene ts your business as it drives more call traf c to your
organization.
It is worth noting that dialing an 800 number is not always free for wireless
callers. Calls made to a toll-free number are treated the same as any other
call and will count towards the caller’s monthly airtime minutes. Still, many of
today’s wireless consumers have unlimited domestic calling plans, so most
will be unaffected by the charge.
The 800 pre x is the rst one we usually think of when we consider toll-free
numbers. However, in time, businesses began to take up most of the
available 800 numbers. As a result, phone service providers began offering
other toll-free pre xes like 844, 855, 877, 888, and more. They all serve the
same purpose. Therefore, how these numbers work and the process for
getting one is no different from how to get an 800 number.

Page 45
For many decades, customers have been hearing 800 numbers during
advertisements from large, national companies. As a result, the average
consumer usually associates a toll-free number with an established
business. If you have an 800 number, callers may very well take your
organization more seriously than if you had a local phone number with your
region’s area code.
Who an 800 Number Is Right For
An 800 number can be bene cial for many different types of businesses. If
you have a support team, for example, you can make it easier for landline
customers to reach out for help. You also give people more incentive to call
your sales team to learn more about your services, since calling your
company is free. Additionally, toll-free numbers are good for any company
looking to adopt a more professional business presence with a national
phone number.
Calling an 800 number is more affordable for your
landline customers if they need assistance.
Support teams:
If a customer wants to learn more about your services,
you’ve made it easier to call your sales staff and potentially close a deal.
Sales teams:
If you are looking to take on the appearance of a
nationwide company, an 800 number can be a big help in solidifying
your brand as such.
Growing businesses:
All told, most businesses can bene t from having an 800 number. The fact
that many offer a toll-free number with every new
account also means that getting an 800 number has never been more
accessible.
business phone systems
800 Number Costs
The cost of an 800 number will largely depend on the phone system you
have. While many services like offer the option of a local or 800
number for free when you subscribe, other systems charge an additional fee
for a toll-free number.
RingCentral

Page 46
Factors that impact the cost of 800 numbers include:
A is a phone service and, usually, a
complete business communications platform rolled into one. Prices can
range anywhere from $12.99 per user, per month for all the
way to $55 per user, per month for the most expensive version of 8×8.
VoIP phone service: VoIP service
Phone.com
Virtual phone systems allow you to add a
business number to an existing personal landline or mobile phone.
Virtual phone providers like Grasshopper start at $29 per month and
offer a toll-free number.
Virtual phone service:
Most internet services, like RingCentral, provide a
monthly allotment of toll-free minutes. For example, RingCentral
provides customers of its most basic tier a monthly allotment of 100
toll-free minutes. These minutes are taken out of your allowance every
time a user calls your number.
Toll-free minutes:
It is possible to adopt an 800 number for your
landline phone network. Prices vary widely depending on the landline
providers in your area. AT&T, , and other companies still offer
landline systems in many parts of the country. The cost of adding a toll-
free number to a landline system can cost more than $1,000 easily.
Landline phone service:
Verizon
800 numbers usually come free with VoIP and virtual phone systems, which
makes them more affordable than they were in previous decades. There are
toll-free number options to suit the needs and budget of nearly every type
of small business.
Why 800 Numbers Still Matter
Fewer customers than ever are paying for long-distance calls as more people
adopt mobile phones and VoIP services. Even some landline plans include
unlimited calling in all of North America. While this may minimize the
primary advantage of 800 numbers, they continue to be a popular option for
many businesses.

Page 47
An 800 number is one of the few ways to “separate” yourself from a local area
code (virtual phone numbers being another). For example, if your business is
located in California, but you serve customers nationwide, then an 800
number helps to communicate that you’re national. Using an 800 number
removes this doubt as it doesn’t connect you to any speci c location.
Here are some of the other advantages of using an 800 number:
Think of large companies like the home furnisher
, which has used their 800-588-2300 number as a jingle
for many years. An 800 number is usually easier to remember than a
local number.
They’re memorable:
Empire Today
You can keep your current 800 number should you
move to a new area code or open a new location.
They’re portable:
800 numbers still project professionalism and may
create the impression that your business is larger than it is.
They add prestige:
Your customers won’t incur any charges for calling you
if their phone plan doesn’t include long-distance calling.
They’re toll-free:
How to Choose an 800 Number
If you think your business would bene t from an 800 number, the next step
is to decide whether or not you want a vanity phone number where you
select the digits. This might be to spell out a certain phrase, such as 1-800-
EDUCATE, or to take advantage of repeating numbers like 1-877-777-7777.
The primary advantage is to make your business phone number memorable
at a glance.
However, vanity numbers do tend to cost extra compared to randomized
800 numbers. Therefore, if you’re looking for an 800 number to avoid using a
local area code, then you can save a little money by not using this type of
service.

Page 48
How to Choose a Vanity Number
800 numbers have been popular for several decades, so common wisdom
holds that any basic phrase, such as 1-800-LAWYERS, will already be taken.
While this is largely true, there are often still variants available to choose
from. As well, new 800 numbers are regularly released with variations on the
three-digit pre x. 877, 844, and 888 are common examples of different 800
number pre xes that work the same way as 800.
How to Choose a Non-vanity Number
If you don’t need a vanity 800 number, then the process is even easier. Any
800 number provider will generate a random 800 number for your business.
This option is usually less expensive than choosing a vanity 800 number, so
it’s an opportunity for your business to save a little money on the service.
Pros & Cons of an 800 Number
While having a toll-free 800 number has many bene ts, it’s not the best
option for all businesses. Despite being memorable, it can also be expensive.
It can also look cold and impersonal to your customer base if you do all of
your operations in the same local region.
Pros of an 800 Number
Bene ts of an 800 number include:
: An 800 number makes your company look more
established and may command more respect from your associates.
Professionalism
: If your organization moves of ces to another region, your
phone number won’t seem inappropriate if it has an 800 area code.
Portability
: Customers that are on limited landline plans will be able to
reach your business at no cost to them.
Accessibility

Page 49
Cons of an 800 Number
Negatives of an 800 number include:
: If the entire scope of your business is local, then having
an 800 number area code might give off a cold and unrelatable image
to customers in your community. In that case, a local phone number
might make more sense.
Local alienation
: If you do not have a dedicated business phone system ―
you might use your personal cell number, for example ― then you
might nd the cost of a VoIP or virtual phone system unaffordable.
Additionally, is a free service that can give you a local
business number free of charge.
VoIP expense
Google Voice
: Business that still use landline systems can expect to
spend more than $1,000 to adopt an 800 number
Landline systems

Page 50
Chapter 5
Phone Equipment, Hardware and
Software
Business Phone System Hardware
Unless you’re relying exclusively on softphone apps to communicate with
callers, telephone hardware is an essential part of a business phone system.
Let’s take a look at some of the you may want to invest in for
your of ce when .
equipment
setting up a business phone system
Types of Phones
Desktop Phones
Desktop phones cost anywhere from $30 for no-frills handsets to $800 for a
feature-rich model. Basic desktop phones have features like call hold and
forwarding while advanced desktop phones offer video calling, call recording,
and multi-line support. Desktop phones are a good choice for organizations
that want to assign phones to desks or of ces rather than employees.
Conference Phones
Conference phone pricing ranges from $250 for basic models to $800 for
higher-end phones. No-frills phones include 360-degree microphones and
programmable ringtones while conference phones with a higher price tag
offer options like touchscreen interface and customizable apps. Conference
phones are a smart choice for distributed teams and organizations with
employees who travel.

Page 51
Call Center Phones
Call center phones prices start at around $50 for budget phones and climb
as high as $600 for phones loaded with all the bells and whistles. Basic
phone features include call logs and dedicated hold, speakerphone, and
voicemail buttons while more expensive phones offer options like built-in
WiFI and Bluetooth, video-conferencing, and HDMI monitor ports. Call
center phones are designed to help callers have the best possible customer
experience.
VoIP Phones
Before you choose voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) software for your
business, it’s important to rst choose the hardware your team will need to
access it. We looked at the most popular VoIP phones on the market today
and evaluated them based on price and available features to determine the
best VoIP phone for your business.
VoIP systems use the internet to transmit data rather than a traditional
landline, giving them the ability to do things traditional phones can’t, such
as offer high-de nition (HD) voice functionality and video conferencing. The
best VoIP phone takes advantage of these capabilities while allowing your
team to handle calls easily. Read more about our best VoIP selections in our
.
article
Analog Adaptors
An analog telephone adapter (ATA) allows businesses to use traditional
landline phones with digital voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) telephone
systems. We looked at a variety of VoIP phone adapters and compared them
based on price, features, and warranty to narrow it down to the top six, as
well as the best overall option for your business.
Whichever adapter you choose, it’s important that the business phone
system that powers it can deliver quality service. Learn more about adaptors
in our .
article

Page 52
Headsets
VoIP headsets are headphones with a built-in microphone that provide a
hands-free way to make or receive calls over VoIP phone systems. We
considered a variety of headsets and narrowed it down to the six best
options based on price, features, and customer support to learn which one
stood out as the best overall.
However, it doesn’t matter which headset you pick if the business phone
system you use is poor quality. The best VoIP headsets have superior sound
quality and useful features like call controls and visual indicators of a call in
progress. Because users wear them for extended periods, headsets should
be lightweight and offer a variety of ergonomic bene ts. VoIP headsets
should also be affordable and backed by a warranty and reliable customer
service.
Read more about headsets in our headsets .
article
Call Management Software
Call management systems are typically VoIP-based phone software that
gives companies the ability to rout, block, and hold business calls. We looked
at a range of different VoIP systems and compared and contrasted factors
such as functionality, pricing, and additional features to determine the six
best for small businesses, including the best overall.
Good call management systems should have an auto-attendant that can
automatically route customer calls as well as basic features like the ability to
forward, block, and add parties to a business call. Leveraging all of these
features should be easy and not create headaches for the user.
Learn more about our top choices in our .
article

Page 53
Appendix
Additional Resources
For more buying information about many of the products, services, and
equipment in this book, please use our
.
Small Business Phone Systems
Ultimate Buying Guide here
Free Sales Call Reporting Template: PDF, DOCX & Auto CRM Reports
Free VoIP Speed Test: How Many Phones Can Your Bandwith Support?
3 VoIP Tests For Your Small Business Phone System

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