Functionalities of Cloud PBX System

One of the most sophisticated innovations in telecom sector is the emergence of Cloud PBX system. Any business organization would want to focus on selling its products/services and not fritter away its time and efforts in unproductive work.

An independent and reliable phone system can make a big difference to your business. If you are looking for a hassle-free and affordable phone system, your best option would be a Cloud PBX system. It is the latest internet phone technology which is creating waves.

Many people are amused with the term Cloud PBX and wonder what it does. It, simply stated, is a phone service which is provided through the internet, instead of a phone line. The term - Cloud - in Cloud systems means that the PBX phone system uses an internet connection instead of telephone wires. This makes expansion as well as mobility much easier.

When you are in the Cloud, you have a scalable, flexible, and reliable business phone system with multiple features and you are freed of all the bother. The Cloud phone service provider will assume total responsibility for operating as well as maintaining your PBX system - allowing you to attend to your core business activities.

One of the other major advantages of Cloud PBX is scalability. Unlike conventional telephone systems - it will not be necessary to install additional wiring to add extra phone line and pay more. Another key feature of a PBX phone system is its flexibility. You can add capabilities when needed and remove capabilities when not needed.

Cloud PBX has all the standard as well as optional features the other phone systems offer including Auto Attendant, Call Conferencing, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting, Caller ID, Voice Mail, Fax Mail, Voice to Email, Custom Message Alerts, Call Screening, Dial By Name Directory etc.

Because the Cloud PBX operates through the internet, you can have a telephone connected to the hosted PBX service regardless of geographic borders. The Cloud PBX can connect employees in different states while all being unified in the same system.

The Cloud PBX system is mobile- that means your business can shift location or your employees can move but the whole PBX system will travel with them.

The main functions of a cloud based phone system are the capability to deliver calls over the internet, direct inbound calls to the proper employees within the organization and offer applications like voicemail and call recording.

The Cloud system has the functionality and features to more than fulfill the communication requirements of small/ medium/big sized business houses. You are only required to manage the IP telephones in your office and all the rest will be taken care of by the service provider.

Cloud PBX has varied versions like Public, Private and Hybrid Cloud PBX. Each of these PBX systems uses VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology, and is convenient in a number of ways. VoIP and PBX technology are becoming increasingly popular amongst the business community.

Before the advent of VoIP, all phone systems were dependent on the public switched telephone network (PSTN) using copper wires. It is still feasible to have a Cloud based phone system in the PSTN Cloud though many business enterprises do not prefer it.

To get more information about fax number as well as finding more information about Business VOIP, check our website for updates.

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Mitel 5000HX Phone System - Out the Box Features

When you are buying any new phone system you want to know what features that are available straight out the box. This article provides details of the features that the Mitel 5000 has from the word go.

The Mitel 5000 has hundreds of features readily available that you might not be aware of or have never used before. Here are some of the features available of the Mitel 5000:

Unified Voice Messaging

Basic voicemail for any Mitel Phone System is now called unified voice messaging; this is the feature that attracts the most customers compared to any other available feature on the Mitel 5000.

As well as being able to setup a voicemail box for every phone you have you can forward voicemail notifications to email addresses. This allows users to listen to voicemails when they are away from their desk. Supported by Blackberry messaging service users have the ability to listen and also delete their voicemails without have to perform this task at their desk.

The Mitel 5000 now allows embedded messaging to be active in combination with NuPoint messaging, in this case all message boxes this increase in size.

Voicemail boxes must be hosted on NuPoint but additional services such as call routing announcements, position in a queue and the scheduled time based application routing (STAR) can all be provided through the embedded system to NuPoint.

Auto-Attendant Functionality

The 5000 also provides an auto-attendant function allowing callers to be routed to their desired department or individual without having to be passed from one extension to another. This gives the caller a better call experience.

The embedded messaging system can also play call routing announcements (CRA) these are typically used in call centres to inform callers that they are in a queue.

Dynamic Extension Express

Dynamic Extensions allows you to 'sync' other telephone devices as part of a device group. This allows any user to ring an extension or DDI (Direct Dial) and any devices that are registered within that group will ring. This allows the recipient to give out their number and be contactable where ever they are.

Users have the option for a simultaneous cascade ringing and conventional ringing for either all devices to ring at once or ring in turn depending on a specified order. Voicemail message indication is provided on all internal devices such as desk phones but also sends a notification to one of the external devices such as mobile phones.

Hunt Groups

Hunt groups help to organise a company's telephone infrastructure in terms of department and ring groups.

If a customer calls in they wish to speak to a person in sales when they choose that selection every phone in the sales hunt group will ring this helps to make the customer experience more efficient.

There are several types of hunt groups but here is a list of the two most common used hunt groups:

· Linear - A linear hunt group directs the call to ring each member in a pre-determined order each time a call comes in.

· Distributed - A distributed hunt group starts any new call by ringing the phone immediately after the phone that answered the previous call this is a simple way to distribute calls more evenly.

Call Routing Announcements

Another important feature within the Mitel 5000 is the call routing announcement, CRA announces a callers position if they are in a queue and the expected waiting time.

The phone system provides the resources to create these internally eliminating the need to purchase additional equipment that provides this feature.

Recorded Greetings

The Mitel 5000 provides the flexibility to record up to 500 custom recordings for the auto attendant, call routing announcements. The 5000 gives you the flexibility to when, where and which greetings to play. You also have the option to play recordings in a linear order.

For more information on the Mitel 5000 Phone System visit us here: Phone Systems

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Mitel Phone System Review

Auto attendant and IP networking are among the features of the Mitel 3300. With auto attendant, you can deal with calls quickly and easily, and your callers will reach their preferred person or department without a lot of hassle. Employees don't have to waste time screening and forwarding calls. The system will simply send the caller to the right department or person, making for happy customers. This feature is already built in and brings great benefits to the system.

With unified messaging (an included part of this system), your workers can enjoy video messaging, voice-mail, fax, SMS, and email within one interface. Organizations achieve a higher degree of efficiency because employees can be reached more quickly using SMS, email, and voicemail. Simultaneously, enjoy very fast communication with your customers when you use video messaging, email and fax. You don't just make and receive phone calls with a Mitel Phone System. You can use it as an all-around communication device for the 21st Century. Even with all the technology involved, experts say that this system is one of the most reliable phone systems available today. Nonetheless, you should get a specialist to install your phone system and take care of it for you.

The high quality Mitel 5360 IP Phone system will provide great service for years to come while livening up your office with its attractive color displays and extended functionality. You won't hit the wrong button by accident again because the Mitel 5360 IP Phone has a unique display icon for each programmed function key. You can also personalize the key phone by placing the key contacts, names of individuals and names of departments prominently. That way, workers can get through the options a lot faster and navigate calls with ease.

You can add on-demand-call-recording to your Mitel 3300 Phone System. You can instantly record conversations -- great if you have that one employee you need to track down for excessive personal calls. If your business takes phone orders, you need call recording. Generally speaking, when an order is recorded incorrectly, it costs the company money. With call recording, your calls will be answered and dealt with in a quick and definable way. Consider the Mitel 3300 Phone System very seriously because it is not just an office expense. It is also an office investment, many modern phone systems like Mitel 3300 and 5000 nowadays increase staff productivity and enhance customer experience.

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What Can a Virtual Phone System Do for Your Direct Sales Business?

A direct sale is a term for the process by which products and services are sold to customers, without the use of any third parties or middlemen. A virtual phone system can be an integral part in helping any direct sales business to succeed because it provides optimal communications that are beneficial to the business and the customer.

Customer Courtesy

One of the most important facets of running a successful business is treating customers with the utmost respect and courtesy. As part of this, telephone communications should be optimized in such a way that customers are never placed on hold for lengthy amounts of time, or transferred several times, to reach their intended destinations. A virtual phone system is a great way to ensure that the communications remain organized. With an auto attendant, customers are always greeted with a friendly voice and they can choose the best person to handle their call from the automated system.

Provide Information Simply and Easily

Consumers often want information about products and services before they are ready to buy. For this reason, they will often call a place of business to ask their questions. While every business should be willing to provide this service to their potential customers, it would impact the company's productivity if one or more employees were charged with the task of answering these questions day in and day out. Thankfully, a virtual phone system also provides businesses with a feature known as an info hotline or sizzle line. Here, the business owner can attach a pre-recorded message that explains the products, pricing and more automatically when a caller selects the corresponding option.

Close Sales on the Go

Depending upon the size of the business, it may not be feasible for an employee to remain in the same physical location at all times for the purpose of fielding telephone calls. This task can become very mundane and has a huge impact on the business's overall productivity. With a call forwarding feature as part of a virtual phone system, it is incredibly simple for business owners and their employees to forward their incoming calls to their mobile phones in order to take calls while they are out in the field, out to lunch or even at home.

Personal Attention

Though some direct sales businesses consist of only a single employee who is also the business owner, others may have more employees in order to reach a broader audience. This is particularly true when door-to-door sales and in-home demonstrations are an important part of product sales. Many consumers enjoy getting to know a certain salesperson or company representative and then doing business only with that person in the future. With the help of a virtual phone system, call forwarding and individual extensions, any employee is just a telephone call away, and their privacy is completely protected.

The direct sales industry is one that is growing rapidly, and more and more people are seeking to become involved in this industry growth by creating their own start-ups. With the help of a virtual phone system, any direct sales business owner can get a leg up on the competition through communications.

This article was written by Kevin John, Online Marketing Executive at iTeleCenter. He has extensive marketing experience and is extremely knowledgeable about vanity numbers, local numbers, toll free numbers and auto attendant in conjunction with virtual phone system. He is happy to share his knowledge with small business owners on how to protect company image.

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A Virtual Phone System Is an Outrageously Affordable Communications Solution

Telephone systems and communications are a very important part of the success of any business. In fact, communications costs are often associated with as much as 25% or more of a business's overall expenditures. This can change with the use of a virtual phone system, however, as this solution is more affordable than any other.

Landlines vs. Virtual Systems

Consider the costs associated with purchasing two or more telephone numbers from a landline company. First, the business owner must pay for the installation of telephone jacks; this often costs upwards of $200.00. The national average for basic telephone service that does not include any features whatsoever is $20.00 a month. Even if this cost is discounted by half for the second line and each one after that, business owners are still expected to pay $30.00 a month plus all of the associated taxes for two telephone lines with bare minimum service. For the same price, the business owner could purchase a virtual phone system packed with features and multiple virtual telephone lines.

Auto Attendants vs. Administrative Assistants

The next thing to consider when it comes to saving money on communications is whether or not to hire an administrative assistant who has the sole duty of answering telephones and routing calls. While effective, this method is very expensive. The average salary for an administrative assistant is between $50,000 and $70,000 a year-just to answer phones and route calls! For just a few dollars per month, business owners can incorporate the auto attendant feature, which is a recorded message that callers will hear as soon as they call. The greeting is friendly and courteous, and the system allows the caller to select the required department for an immediate and seamless transfer.

Call Forwarding Costs

Even if a business is small enough that it only requires a single phone number, the costs associated with forwarding calls alone can become staggering. The call forwarding feature must be purchased from the telephone company separately-usually at a cost of between $4.00 and $5.00 per month-and pay per-minute charges for all forwarded calls on top of this. That cost alone is between $0.20 and $0.40 per minute. With a virtual phone system, business owners can forward their calls as frequently as necessary with just a few clicks of the mouse and there is no additional charge from the company for forwarded calls.

Maintaining Privacy Affordably

Finally, when saving money on communications and maintaining the privacy of the employees are of equal importance, a virtual phone system is a must. There are times when business owners and employees must be able to accept calls when they are away from the office, whether they are at home or out in the field. Since it is not feasible to provide callers with these employees' personal telephone numbers for privacy reasons and call forwarding through a landline or mobile phone company is very expensive, virtual phone systems are a great solution. This way, when callers dial into an employee's extension, they are automatically forwarded to the home or mobile number of choice; the actual number remains invisible to the caller.

Businesses who want to save money on their communications can do so with the help of a virtual phone system. With plenty of features included in the low monthly or annual price, business communications have become surprisingly and even outrageously affordable.

This article was written by Kevin John, Online Marketing Executive at iTeleCenter. He has extensive marketing experience and is extremely knowledgeable about 1800 numbers, vanity numbers, local numbers and toll free numbers in conjunction with virtual phone system. He is happy to share his knowledge with small business owners on how to protect company image.

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Why a Virtual Phone System Is the Best Solution for Your Small Business

A small business is a very stressful undertaking, especially in the beginning. There is marketing to be concerned with, overhead cost to manage and even communications needs to tackle. With a virtual phone system, however, communications can be simplified and economical, regardless of the business size.

Cost Effective

When most people consider telephone service for a business, their minds are automatically drawn to landline service providers for many different reasons. Landlines are often viewed as traditional and affordable, especially since long distance service is often included in the packages. However, when it comes to adding many lines of service and toll-free calls, these costs can truly add up. A virtual phone system combines all of these costs into one affordable monthly package that is completely customizable based upon the size and needs of the business in general. The main difference is that the service is provided via the Internet rather than standard copper wires and telephone jacks.

Packed with Features

Landline telephone service certainly offers plenty of features that are designed to make communications simpler, but they do not offer much in the way of affordability. Standard features, such as caller ID and perhaps even call waiting, will be included in almost any phone package; everything else must be purchased separately. With a virtual phone system, business owners will get these features and more, including auto attendants, call screening, access to informational hotlines and even hold music that is selected by the business itself. The cost of these features is often included in the price of the phone system package, so there are no unexpected charges or surprises on the bill.

Easy to Use

Businesses that use landline service must often use complicated telephones, and this can be frustrating for business owners and their employees. With a virtual phone system, the interface is available on a computer desktop. When an employee would like to forward his or her calls to their mobile phone for the day, they can simply log onto the interface and make the change with just a few clicks. Checking voicemail, sending and receiving fax and even returning telephone calls has never been simpler.

Privacy and Mobility

Finally, small business owners are often aware that their personal numbers should be kept private from customers and vendors at all times. Otherwise, they would be unable to leave their work lives in the office. A virtual phone system allows employees and business owners to route calls coming into their business lines in any way they see fit, whether to a personal landline telephone or even a mobile phone. The caller has no idea where the call is terminating; all they are aware of is that they called the business and an employee answered. This maintains privacy and also allows for a level of business mobility that could never be achieved with typical landline telephone service.

A small business relies upon communications to build up its clientele and make a name for itself in its chosen industry. A virtual phone system is an affordable and easy-to-use method to stay connected to customers and other employees privately, even when on-the-go.

This Article was written by Kevin John, Online Marketing Executive at iTeleCenter. He has extensive marketing experience and is extremely knowledgeable about vanity numbers, 1800 Numbers, local numbers and toll free numbers in conjunction with virtual phone system. He is happy to share his knowledge with small business owners on how to protect company image.

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How PBX System Supports Small Business?

The PBX systems are becoming increasingly popular amongst small business enterprises for a variety of reasons. Because of the continuing demand, the manufacturers of PBX systems for small businesses are trying to make the system more and more sophisticated as well as affordable.

For a small business, effective and reliable communication with customers, employees, suppliers and other stakeholders is critically important. But at the same time, most small corporations can ill afford to buy or maintain expensive business phone systems.

A Private Branch Exchange (PBX) is a telephone switching system that manages incoming as also outgoing calls for a company's employees. The PBX is connected to the public phone system (PSTN) and automatically directs incoming calls to specific extensions. It also handles multiple lines.

A typical small company PBX system includes external and internal phone lines, a computer server that manages call switching and routing plus a console for manual operations.

An IP based PBX can replicate everything a traditional business PBX does and more. It performs the switching and connecting of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) as well as landline calls.

A traditional PBX requires two separate networks - one for data and another for voice. But, an IP PBX system straightaway runs on an IP data network, which saves costs and also reduces network management for small businesses. You can get a business PBX with smart features that you would want for your business.

A small business can use IP phones, soft phones (which mean only a computer and a microphone headset) and landline phones for an IP PBX phone system. These PBXs have smart features such as time-of-day forwarding and real-time call records, time-of-day call routing, voicemail-to-email and fax-to-email - apart from a host of standard as well as advanced features.

Communication is critically important for all sizes of business enterprises including small corporations. There are today PBX systems specially designed for small businesses. These PBX systems are affordable, reliable and full-featured. They combine an IP PBX with robust telephony features to enhance business communications and to increase overall productivity.

You can greet your callers with a professional business greeting every time they call and give your small business the image of a large corporation.

With an intelligent queuing facility, the PBX can route your callers to the right employee in the right department all the time.

With a virtual PBX phone system, you can route incoming calls to any type of phone, anywhere. This is a boon to your employees who work from the office, from residence, work sites, or even those on the move.

These PBX systems are wholly scalable and you can keep expanding the size and adding features as your business grows - while only paying for what you need and use at any given point in time.

The latest trend amongst small businesses is Cloud PBX (a phone service which is provided via the internet) that is a scalable, flexible and reliable telephone solution. Because Cloud PBX operates through the internet, you can connect a telephone to the hosted PBX service regardless of geographic boundaries.

There is no need to bother about maintaining the PBX as the phone service provider is wholly responsible for your Cloud PBX system's maintenance. Choose a provider who owns the PBX technology and that way they are totally responsible for the systems. Make sure you receive 24/7 service back-up support. Also, check there are no hidden fees, taxes or charges.

To get more information about internet fax as well as finding more information about Business VOIP, check our website for updates.

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A Virtual Phone System - What Every Work-At-Home Mom Needs

Raising children is no simple feat, but work-at-home moms are able to successfully balance their professional careers with their ability to care for their children. With a virtual phone system, these tasks become much easier, and work-at-home moms just might find that they have more time to spend with their families.

Dedicated Telephone Line

Many people still have landline telephones in their homes these days. They are a direct link to the outside world, and can be used to summon for help instantly in the event of an emergency. Work-at-home moms likely already understand the need to communicate with potential and existing clients and customers, but as the business begins to grow, the landline may not satisfy all of the company's needs. With a virtual phone system, all of the same basic landline features are available, as well as some that are a bit more business-oriented. This frees up or even negates the need for the landline, boosts professionalism, and simply makes things easier for already busy moms.

Features

Some of the features associated with a virtual phone system that are favored by work-at-home moms are those that allow communications to be handled easily and with mobility. Call forwarding allows these small business owners to take their business telephone numbers with them wherever they go, whether to the grocery store, a sporting event or even while taking the kids to or from school. Advanced voicemail features allow busy moms to check their messages from any telephone or computer with an internet connection. The ability to send and receive faxes online makes waiting for documents a thing of the past, as they are instantly available on the computer screen.

Ease of Use

Making and receiving telephone calls, checking voicemail messages, sending faxes and trying to keep up with business life on-the-go can be a huge task, and work-at-home moms need every spare moment they can get. A virtual phone system is a great tool because it packs all of the small business communication systems anyone could possibly need into one easy-to-use computer program. There are no complicated steps required to set everything up, and each feature's maintenance page is completely self-explanatory.

Cost Effective

When considering the costs associated with adding a second dedicated telephone line and all of the features necessary for running a business, these can easily add up to more than what many people are prepared to spend. Of course, when considering the costs associated with a virtual phone system and all of the different features that come with it, these same people often over-figure. In fact, it is quite possible for a work-at-home mom to switch to an internet-based phone system for as little as $20.00 a month, provided that she already has high-speed internet access. There are no costly installation fees, no additional hardware to purchase and no complicated computer programs to install.

Work-at-home moms certainly have their hands full, but they do not have to rely on antiquated or expensive technology to help their businesses succeed. A virtual phone system is an affordable and highly advanced communications system that will give work-at-home moms what they crave the most-more time with their families.

This Article was written by Kevin John, Online Marketing Executive at iTeleCenter. He has extensive marketing experience and is extremely knowledgeable about vanity numbers, 1800 Numbers, local numbers and toll free numbers in conjunction with virtual phone system. He is happy to share his knowledge with small business owners on how to protect company image.

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How Real Estate Professionals Make the Best Use of a Virtual Phone System

The real estate industry continues to thrive despite recent economic turmoil. As a result, real estate professionals are constantly on the lookout for products and services that can help them in their sales endeavors. A virtual phone system is a phenomenal tool for real estate pros to use in the office, at home and on the go.

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The landed property business would not be as lucrative as it is today without plenty of advertisement. After all, it would be harder to sell properties without making their availability known to potential buyers. Most properties are advertised in classified ads, websites and signs placed in their front yards, and making the most out of these ads is the best way to gather the public's attention. A virtual phone system, along with a toll-free number, is the best way for a landed property professional to encourage potential buyers to call for more information. Also, these communication systems offer several features that boost productivity and better the overall experience for the consumer.

Information Hotlines

Being a real estate professional is a busy job, and as a result, it is likely that these individuals simply do not have the time to field the dozens of telephone calls they are likely to receive over the course of a day. When most people call the telephone number they see associated with a home or other property, they are calling for information or perhaps to schedule a viewing. An information hotline is one feature of a virtual phone system that can truly be invaluable; the landed property professional can easily record the basic information about the property for the prospective buyer to hear directly after the call is placed.

Connecting With an Agent

When using an information hotline, it is important for landed property pros to provide consumers with the opportunity to learn more about a property or contact the agent directly. Therefore, it is imperative that automated operators are utilized in these situations. For instance, once the automated recording that provides basic information about the property has been played, the potential buyer may then choose to press 0 to hear the price of the property or schedule a viewing. The call would then be forwarded to the real estate professional and handled accordingly.

Other Features to Consider

A virtual phone system includes the ability for real estate professionals to forward calls to a mobile device to increase their efficiency while in the field. This is very important, especially when it is considered that agents rarely spend any time in the office unless they are finalizing paperwork or meeting with clients. Call screening is also a great feature because it provides agents with the ability to block unsolicited calls while allowing those that are from legitimate potential buyers.

A virtual phone system is an exciting and effective means of communication for real estate professionals. When all of the available features are combined and used in conjunction with one another, they can boost productivity, ease stress and even help to increase overall sales.

This Article was written by Kevin John, Online Marketing Executive at iTeleCenter. He has extensive marketing experience and is extremely knowledgeable about vanity numbers, 1 800 Numbers, local numbers and toll free numbers in conjunction with virtual phone system. He is happy to share his knowledge with small business owners on how to protect company image.

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How a Virtual Phone System Changed My Home Business

When I first started my home-based cleaning business, I had a handful of clients whom I could count on. However, as time went by and my clientele grew larger, it became difficult to manage my telephone calls. A virtual phone system changed all of this, and now I am able to enjoy a larger client base than ever before-and I make more money as a result.

In The Beginning

When my business first got off the ground, there were so many expenses to contend with that I did not even consider adding a second telephone line at home, much less a virtual phone system. I used the existing telephone number-the same number on which my husband and children receive telephone calls-to take my business calls. When there were only a handful of clients, this was acceptable; these clients were friends and family members who did not mind the hustle and bustle of the household and were not shocked when my six-year-old daughter answered the phone. However, as the business grew, it became evident that something needed to change.

The Saturday that Changed it All

I can distinctly remember a particular client whom I will call Mr. Smith. He was an elderly gentleman who had lost his wife several years earlier, and he had hired me to come into his home once per week for light cleaning and laundry duties. After having been to Mr. Smith's home on several occasions, he began to call every now and then with something extra that he needed to have done, and this worked well up until the Saturday that changed my business forever. Mr. Smith called at about 10 o'clock that morning, but since I was in the shower, my daughter answered the telephone. Mr. Smith was unable to communicate with her clearly, and as a result, he disconnected the call with her.

The First Lost Client

I called Mr. Smith back immediately, but he was frustrated with his previous experience with my daughter and stated that he needed someone who was more professional to handle his cleaning needs. This was the first client I had ever lost and his words certainly stung, especially when my daughter had meant no harm. That day, I began researching the rates for adding a second line of service-a private line for the business-when I stumbled across an article for a virtual phone system. I was intrigued by this, but at the same time, I was a little put-off. After all, how could something so inexpensive be so effective?

The New Telephone Line

Since the installation fees associated with adding a line of service were non-existent and the monthly cost was affordable, I decided to go ahead and purchase the virtual phone system. Within just a few hours, everything I needed had been downloaded to my computer and I was ready to go. I was extremely shocked by how easy the interface was to navigate, and the auto attendant feature added that level of professionalism that clients like Mr. Smith would have appreciated. To this day, I have not lost another customer due to inferior communications, and I can easily forward calls from my virtual telephone to my mobile phone when I cannot be at home to take them.

While I can certainly understand the need to save money wherever possible when starting or running a home business, I can assure you that a virtual phone system will save you time and money in your ventures. As a matter of fact, it may even help you make more money than you ever thought possible.

This article was written by Kevin John, Online Marketing Executive at iTeleCenter. He has extensive marketing experience and is extremely knowledgeable about vanity numbers, 1800 numbers local numbers and toll free numbers in conjunction with virtual phone system. He is happy to share his knowledge with small business owners on how to protect company image.

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Virtual Phone System - The Secret to a Successful Home Business

There are many things to consider when it comes to running a successful home business, but communication with clients and customers is one of the most important. A virtual phone system is a great way to ensure that home business owners are never out of reach, even when they are not at home.

Always Available

The great thing about using a virtual phone system is that it allows the business owner to always be available to their clients and customers. While it may be important to set regular business hours and stick to them, it may not be feasible for the business owner to stay near the home telephone waiting for calls to come through. The virtual phone allows users to forward calls to mobile devices or other locations with just a few clicks of the mouse, and this is important for people who are always on the go. This way, running a business and a household at the same time becomes much easier, and business owners are less stressed and more productive.

Better Organization

One of the difficulties associated with running a small business from home is staying organized in the wake of household schedules and business schedules. Juggling telephone calls from schools, clients, customers, doctors and more can certainly become a hassle, particularly if all of the calls are coming in to the same telephone number. With a virtual phone system, it is easier for business owners to set up secondary telephone numbers, and this helps calls remain better organized. The desktop application makes it easier to check voicemails and view the calls that came in to each individual telephone number.

Call Management

Running a small business from home can be extremely difficult during busy periods, particularly when there is only the business owner to handle the call volume. A virtual phone system provides plenty of features that help with call management; everything from an auto attendant to information hotlines can make communication easier in the long run. When a call cannot be answered right away, the virtual voicemail system will pick it up and provide the business owner with a notification. This voicemail can be checked via any telephone at all or even through the desktop interface. Calls can be easily prioritized, and those calls that require immediate responses can be handled.

Cost Effectiveness

There are many different options available for handling communications needs in a home-based business, but none are as cost-effective as a virtual phone system. A single landline is expensive enough, but when a second is added to suit the needs of the business, the cost can grow exponentially. Jacks must be installed, hardware must be purchased, and expensive monthly fees are imposed. Virtual telephones do not require the purchase of any additional equipment, and the monthly fees are much less than those associated with typical landline services.

All in all, enjoying a successful home-based business comes from combining excellent products or services with great customer service. The quality of customer service provided has much to do with the type of communications selected, and a virtual phone system is always a fantastic choice.

This Article was written by Kevin John, Online Marketing Executive at iTeleCenter. He has extensive marketing experience and is extremely knowledgeable about vanity numbers, local numbers, toll free numbers and auto attendant in conjunction with virtual phone system. He is happy to share his knowledge with small business owners on how to protect company image.

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How PBX System Supports Small Business?

The PBX systems are becoming increasingly popular amongst small business enterprises for a variety of reasons. Because of the continuing demand, the manufacturers of PBX systems for small businesses are trying to make the system more and more sophisticated as well as affordable.

For a small business, effective and reliable communication with customers, employees, suppliers and other stakeholders is critically important. But at the same time, most small corporations can ill afford to buy or maintain expensive business phone systems.

A Private Branch Exchange (PBX) is a telephone switching system that manages incoming as also outgoing calls for a company's employees. The PBX is connected to the public phone system (PSTN) and automatically directs incoming calls to specific extensions. It also handles multiple lines.

A typical small company PBX system includes external and internal phone lines, a computer server that manages call switching and routing plus a console for manual operations.

An IP based PBX can replicate everything a traditional business PBX does and more. It performs the switching and connecting of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) as well as landline calls.

A traditional PBX requires two separate networks - one for data and another for voice. But, an IP PBX system straightaway runs on an IP data network, which saves costs and also reduces network management for small businesses. You can get a business PBX with smart features that you would want for your business.

A small business can use IP phones, soft phones (which mean only a computer and a microphone headset) and landline phones for an IP PBX phone system. These PBXs have smart features such as time-of-day forwarding and real-time call records, time-of-day call routing, voicemail-to-email and fax-to-email - apart from a host of standard as well as advanced features.

Communication is critically important for all sizes of business enterprises including small corporations. There are today PBX systems specially designed for small businesses. These PBX systems are affordable, reliable and full-featured. They combine an IP PBX with robust telephony features to enhance business communications and to increase overall productivity.

You can greet your callers with a professional business greeting every time they call and give your small business the image of a large corporation.

With an intelligent queuing facility, the PBX can route your callers to the right employee in the right department all the time.

With a virtual PBX phone system, you can route incoming calls to any type of phone, anywhere. This is a boon to your employees who work from the office, from residence, work sites, or even those on the move.

These PBX systems are wholly scalable and you can keep expanding the size and adding features as your business grows - while only paying for what you need and use at any given point in time.

The latest trend amongst small businesses is Cloud PBX (a phone service which is provided via the internet) that is a scalable, flexible and reliable telephone solution. Because Cloud PBX operates through the internet, you can connect a telephone to the hosted PBX service regardless of geographic boundaries.

There is no need to bother about maintaining the PBX as the phone service provider is wholly responsible for your Cloud PBX system's maintenance. Choose a provider who owns the PBX technology and that way they are totally responsible for the systems. Make sure you receive 24/7 service back-up support. Also, check there are no hidden fees, taxes or charges.

To get more information about internet fax as well as finding more information about Business VOIP, check our website for updates.

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Mitel Phone System Review

Auto attendant and IP networking are among the features of the Mitel 3300. With auto attendant, you can deal with calls quickly and easily, and your callers will reach their preferred person or department without a lot of hassle. Employees don't have to waste time screening and forwarding calls. The system will simply send the caller to the right department or person, making for happy customers. This feature is already built in and brings great benefits to the system.

With unified messaging (an included part of this system), your workers can enjoy video messaging, voice-mail, fax, SMS, and email within one interface. Organizations achieve a higher degree of efficiency because employees can be reached more quickly using SMS, email, and voicemail. Simultaneously, enjoy very fast communication with your customers when you use video messaging, email and fax. You don't just make and receive phone calls with a Mitel Phone System. You can use it as an all-around communication device for the 21st Century. Even with all the technology involved, experts say that this system is one of the most reliable phone systems available today. Nonetheless, you should get a specialist to install your phone system and take care of it for you.

The high quality Mitel 5360 IP Phone system will provide great service for years to come while livening up your office with its attractive color displays and extended functionality. You won't hit the wrong button by accident again because the Mitel 5360 IP Phone has a unique display icon for each programmed function key. You can also personalize the key phone by placing the key contacts, names of individuals and names of departments prominently. That way, workers can get through the options a lot faster and navigate calls with ease.

You can add on-demand-call-recording to your Mitel 3300 Phone System. You can instantly record conversations -- great if you have that one employee you need to track down for excessive personal calls. If your business takes phone orders, you need call recording. Generally speaking, when an order is recorded incorrectly, it costs the company money. With call recording, your calls will be answered and dealt with in a quick and definable way. Consider the Mitel 3300 Phone System very seriously because it is not just an office expense. It is also an office investment, many modern phone systems like Mitel 3300 and 5000 nowadays increase staff productivity and enhance customer experience.

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Mitel 5000HX Phone System - Out the Box Features

When you are buying any new phone system you want to know what features that are available straight out the box. This article provides details of the features that the Mitel 5000 has from the word go.

The Mitel 5000 has hundreds of features readily available that you might not be aware of or have never used before. Here are some of the features available of the Mitel 5000:

Unified Voice Messaging

Basic voicemail for any Mitel Phone System is now called unified voice messaging; this is the feature that attracts the most customers compared to any other available feature on the Mitel 5000.

As well as being able to setup a voicemail box for every phone you have you can forward voicemail notifications to email addresses. This allows users to listen to voicemails when they are away from their desk. Supported by Blackberry messaging service users have the ability to listen and also delete their voicemails without have to perform this task at their desk.

The Mitel 5000 now allows embedded messaging to be active in combination with NuPoint messaging, in this case all message boxes this increase in size.

Voicemail boxes must be hosted on NuPoint but additional services such as call routing announcements, position in a queue and the scheduled time based application routing (STAR) can all be provided through the embedded system to NuPoint.

Auto-Attendant Functionality

The 5000 also provides an auto-attendant function allowing callers to be routed to their desired department or individual without having to be passed from one extension to another. This gives the caller a better call experience.

The embedded messaging system can also play call routing announcements (CRA) these are typically used in call centres to inform callers that they are in a queue.

Dynamic Extension Express

Dynamic Extensions allows you to 'sync' other telephone devices as part of a device group. This allows any user to ring an extension or DDI (Direct Dial) and any devices that are registered within that group will ring. This allows the recipient to give out their number and be contactable where ever they are.

Users have the option for a simultaneous cascade ringing and conventional ringing for either all devices to ring at once or ring in turn depending on a specified order. Voicemail message indication is provided on all internal devices such as desk phones but also sends a notification to one of the external devices such as mobile phones.

Hunt Groups

Hunt groups help to organise a company's telephone infrastructure in terms of department and ring groups.

If a customer calls in they wish to speak to a person in sales when they choose that selection every phone in the sales hunt group will ring this helps to make the customer experience more efficient.

There are several types of hunt groups but here is a list of the two most common used hunt groups:

· Linear - A linear hunt group directs the call to ring each member in a pre-determined order each time a call comes in.

· Distributed - A distributed hunt group starts any new call by ringing the phone immediately after the phone that answered the previous call this is a simple way to distribute calls more evenly.

Call Routing Announcements

Another important feature within the Mitel 5000 is the call routing announcement, CRA announces a callers position if they are in a queue and the expected waiting time.

The phone system provides the resources to create these internally eliminating the need to purchase additional equipment that provides this feature.

Recorded Greetings

The Mitel 5000 provides the flexibility to record up to 500 custom recordings for the auto attendant, call routing announcements. The 5000 gives you the flexibility to when, where and which greetings to play. You also have the option to play recordings in a linear order.

For more information on the Mitel 5000 Phone System visit us here: Phone Systems

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Why a Virtual Phone System Is the Best Solution for Your Small Business

A small business is a very stressful undertaking, especially in the beginning. There is marketing to be concerned with, overhead cost to manage and even communications needs to tackle. With a virtual phone system, however, communications can be simplified and economical, regardless of the business size.

Cost Effective

When most people consider telephone service for a business, their minds are automatically drawn to landline service providers for many different reasons. Landlines are often viewed as traditional and affordable, especially since long distance service is often included in the packages. However, when it comes to adding many lines of service and toll-free calls, these costs can truly add up. A virtual phone system combines all of these costs into one affordable monthly package that is completely customizable based upon the size and needs of the business in general. The main difference is that the service is provided via the Internet rather than standard copper wires and telephone jacks.

Packed with Features

Landline telephone service certainly offers plenty of features that are designed to make communications simpler, but they do not offer much in the way of affordability. Standard features, such as caller ID and perhaps even call waiting, will be included in almost any phone package; everything else must be purchased separately. With a virtual phone system, business owners will get these features and more, including auto attendants, call screening, access to informational hotlines and even hold music that is selected by the business itself. The cost of these features is often included in the price of the phone system package, so there are no unexpected charges or surprises on the bill.

Easy to Use

Businesses that use landline service must often use complicated telephones, and this can be frustrating for business owners and their employees. With a virtual phone system, the interface is available on a computer desktop. When an employee would like to forward his or her calls to their mobile phone for the day, they can simply log onto the interface and make the change with just a few clicks. Checking voicemail, sending and receiving fax and even returning telephone calls has never been simpler.

Privacy and Mobility

Finally, small business owners are often aware that their personal numbers should be kept private from customers and vendors at all times. Otherwise, they would be unable to leave their work lives in the office. A virtual phone system allows employees and business owners to route calls coming into their business lines in any way they see fit, whether to a personal landline telephone or even a mobile phone. The caller has no idea where the call is terminating; all they are aware of is that they called the business and an employee answered. This maintains privacy and also allows for a level of business mobility that could never be achieved with typical landline telephone service.

A small business relies upon communications to build up its clientele and make a name for itself in its chosen industry. A virtual phone system is an affordable and easy-to-use method to stay connected to customers and other employees privately, even when on-the-go.

This Article was written by Kevin John, Online Marketing Executive at iTeleCenter. He has extensive marketing experience and is extremely knowledgeable about vanity numbers, 1800 Numbers, local numbers and toll free numbers in conjunction with virtual phone system. He is happy to share his knowledge with small business owners on how to protect company image.

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Why a Business Phone System Is Still a Necessity

Since the invention of the internet and instant messaging as well as text messaging, communicating via phone has slowly lost popularity. People would much rather send a ten word email than dial ten numbers and unfortunately this lack of actual interaction has become commonplace. There is, however, one place where a phone call is still valued: the office.

Email is definitely the future, but there are things about a phone call that are irreplaceable. Maybe it's the subtle nuances and tones that cannot be appreciated through text, but you will be hard pressed to find a serious office in this country that does not maintain some sort of phone system. It very well might be a soft phone (read VoIP), but having a functioning system is essential in today's business world.

The obvious reason is that phones are still the preferred means of contact when an outsider wants information on a company. Whether they want to buy a product or subscribe to a service, people are more likely to call than email. In addition, a phone call is infinity more efficient, there is no waiting for a response to arrive in your inbox; instead you are able to talk to a live person and get answers quickly. In the business world, this is what most consumers want, and it's how a lot of business still gets done. The converse is also true, when companies want to reach potential clients or customers quickly, they rely on a phone.

The same holds true for interoffice communication, when you pick up the phone and dial, you are able to give or receive instructions instantaneously. And, there is no lost meaning that can be chalked up to suspect interpretation by the reader. Due to how fast things can move and change, having the ability to call when needed ensures companies don't miss a beat. Phone calls also provide the solution when a meeting is necessary but it is not possible for everyone to attend: the conference call. There is no feasible way to do the equivalent of a conference call through text, and it will forever be a necessary part of the workplace.

The one downside is a lack of a paper trail that emails afford, but with today's technology, that too is quickly becoming a non-issue. Phone systems, regardless of whether they are hard or soft, are quite capable of being recorded, allowing for all calls to be databased or transcribed for any future purpose. So, now work can be done in less time than it takes to compose and read an email while still maintaining all the benefits of one.

To learn more about why Business Phone Systems are important for offices, as well as other business communication services, visit Broadcore.

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Business Phone System Review

If you're starting a new business and need a business phone system, there are a plethora of options available to you. When it comes to your business you are sure to want the maximum return on your investment, and the only way to get that is with the proper research, the right advice, and having a plan in place. Whether you are looking to get a system for your single site, or multiple facilities, there is a solution out there to meet your company's specific objectives.

Every good company that specializes in these systems has the option of IP or Digital communication system. Both options are reliable, secure, and easily scalable to your business, in terms of both size and capability. These options are both well suited to handling Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), unified messaging, wireless networks, call centers, and work groups. You can have any solution you need for your business; this will maximize your productivity by increasing your information flow.

If you're a small to medium business you should look at 3Com NBX platform. They are designed specifically for this size of business with the ability to have up to 1500 devices on the network, and can support standards based protocol, call centre software, a voice mailbox through NBX with an auto set up for every user, auto attendant, supervisory monitoring capabilities, and call reporting. The system is designed to be easy to use for any non technical employees to make changes on an individual basis, as well as system wide, with just the click of a mouse.

For a larger business there is Shoretel. This is capable of anywhere from 1 to 10 000 users on the network, and features an interface that sets the standard for ease of use in the phone system market. This system can include PBX, voicemail, and automated attendant functions. The most important feature offered is that it is purpose built with no single point of failure.

A rapidly growing business would do well looking into Nortel. It is a cost effective answer for a business on the rise. There is the Nortel Communication Server 1000, which is an IP communications system that is fully featured. It is server based, highly scalable, and can offer a large array of reliable and survivable mechanisms. This provides the benefit of a converged network, advanced application capabilities, and telephony features that are robust. The other offering from Nortel is the Business Communications Manager (BCM). The system is fully converged, which combines voice, data, and your business applications into an "all in one" system that has advanced capabilities. The can include robust telephony, voice messaging, unified messaging, IP networking, internet access, contact centers and mobile solutions.

Every efficient business needs to have top notch communications. While internet and email is becoming more and more a large part of how people do business, there is still no replacement for being able to talk with someone. Investing in a proper, well planned, and well executed, business phone system is essential to success for any size business.

On Target Solutions has been in business since 1993, providing reliable business phone systems to a variety of businesses. As experts in telecommunications, On Target specializes in telephone systems, headsets, LAN Infrastructure, computers and closed circuit televisions providing products as well as service including installation, repairs and maintenance.

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Is a Hosted PBX System Right for My Business and Phone Needs?

Should your business consider a hosted PBX solution for your corporate phone system? If your company is facing any of the challenges mentioned below you might want to consider a hosted PBX solution, rather purchasing a premise based system:

• Your company's phones are aging and needs an upgrade and replacement

• Your current system is up for lease renewal

• Your company is considering a move

• Your business has multiple location which may include mobile workers

• Your business is struggling to get lease financing

• You want to cut costs, improve redundancy and minimize the time it takes your staff to manage your phones.

If you fall into any of the above categories, there are many reasons for going with a hosted PBX solution, and here are a few of the better ones. Of course if you have questions, you should talk to a PBX expert!

Save Time and Money

Businesses are increasingly opting for an enterprise-class hosted IP phone system and hosted call centers. Why? Because not only can hosted telephony be a more cost-effective option, cloud based telephony will often reduce your monthly communications expenses while eliminating the capital required to purchase new equipment.

Outsource Management of Your System and Network

You can eliminate having to deal with service issues and the finger-pointing that often occurs when you're trying to figure out where an outage or transmission issue may be coming from. Is it your phone system? The network? The Local Exchange Carrier? With a hosted phone system, you can hand this job over to a team of network and security professionals that monitor and manage your services 24×7.

Built-in Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity

The off-premise nature of a hosted PBX means that your business keeps running regardless of what happens at your physical location. Instead of having to install a costly back up network, you can allow your hosting company to provide the high level on redundancy that your business requires.

Additional Features and Enhancements

There are many features and enhancements that can be added to your hosted phone system which, again, eliminate the need to purchase and manage equipment on site. This will both reduce cost and free up valuable staff time that is spent configuring, managing and troubleshooting these features.

A few examples include:

• Unified messaging (voice mail/fax in email)

• Automated Attendant

• Call Center Management and Recording

• Integration of Outlook, Lotus Notes, Act! etc.

So there you have it, a bunch of reasons and justifications for why your business should consider a hosted PBX solution for your corporate communications.

Joan is passionate about hosted pbx phone systems, specifically how they help businesses communication needs.

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How to Enhance Your Business With Phone System?

Business phone systems - whether for a small business or for a large corporation - are an essential part of how you communicate with your employees, your customers, potential customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. Business Phones are available in a variety of configurations, off with a long list of standard as well as advanced features.

Efficient and affordable telephone communication solutions give your business a competitive edge. There are quite a few factors you will have to consider when evaluating and deciding on the business phone ideally suited to your nature and size of business. Please remember that an efficient business telephone can provide your employees the extra help they need to be more productive.

There is no denying that choosing a phone system for your business can be a bit overwhelming because of the technicalities involved when comparing one phone system to another.

KSU (Key System Unit) less Systems - These phone systems are indeed the best choice for small businesses having fewer than 10 employees. KSU-less system entail low initial investment as all that you need to purchase are only the phones. A KSU-less system is not permanently wired into your office, which makes it easy to shift to a new location. The one drawback of a KSU-less system is they are not expandable,

Key Systems - KSU (key system unit) systems are typically for businesses with 10 to 40 employees. Key systems come with a phone cabinet that houses routing software, and it uses the public switched telephone network (PTSN) or landline system to route calls.

PBX (Private Branch Exchange) Systems - These phone systems are better suited for midsize companies with more than 40 employees. PBX systems will give your organization advanced functionality, and are also highly customizable. These are fairly expensive systems and you can purchase the equipment outright and install it at your office. Alternately, you can consider hosted PBX systems where equipment is owned and managed by the provider of the system. This option can drastically cut down system costs while still offering the advanced functionality that most businesses would want from a PBX system.

Voice over IP (VoIP) - VoIP phone systems can offer significant cost savings as well as many advanced and useful features. VoIP runs over Internet lines and routes your calls over a data network. VoIP systems come in several different varieties - IP-PBX, hosted VoIP, virtual PBX, and other options. VoIP systems use some combination of internet and landline connections to route calls. The drawback in using VoIP is that you are abjectly dependent on an internet connection to receive and place calls- sometimes you may experience network outages and/or limited bandwidth that can impede your phone services.

Telephone systems are no doubt pricey but when you consider the true advantages of an office phone you will better appreciate their cost-effectiveness, an appropriate business phone structure can help your employees do things that were not possible before, and that can improve the way you conduct daily business transactions. This apart, it will also enhance employee productivity. Consult with your local service provider or supplier to ensure that your phone system's features and capabilities will meet your company's short- as well as long-term business goals.

To get more information about phone service as well as finding more information about Business VOIP, check our website for updates.

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A Virtual Phone System Is an Outrageously Affordable Communications Solution

Telephone systems and communications are a very important part of the success of any business. In fact, communications costs are often associated with as much as 25% or more of a business's overall expenditures. This can change with the use of a virtual phone system, however, as this solution is more affordable than any other.

Landlines vs. Virtual Systems

Consider the costs associated with purchasing two or more telephone numbers from a landline company. First, the business owner must pay for the installation of telephone jacks; this often costs upwards of $200.00. The national average for basic telephone service that does not include any features whatsoever is $20.00 a month. Even if this cost is discounted by half for the second line and each one after that, business owners are still expected to pay $30.00 a month plus all of the associated taxes for two telephone lines with bare minimum service. For the same price, the business owner could purchase a virtual phone system packed with features and multiple virtual telephone lines.

Auto Attendants vs. Administrative Assistants

The next thing to consider when it comes to saving money on communications is whether or not to hire an administrative assistant who has the sole duty of answering telephones and routing calls. While effective, this method is very expensive. The average salary for an administrative assistant is between $50,000 and $70,000 a year-just to answer phones and route calls! For just a few dollars per month, business owners can incorporate the auto attendant feature, which is a recorded message that callers will hear as soon as they call. The greeting is friendly and courteous, and the system allows the caller to select the required department for an immediate and seamless transfer.

Call Forwarding Costs

Even if a business is small enough that it only requires a single phone number, the costs associated with forwarding calls alone can become staggering. The call forwarding feature must be purchased from the telephone company separately-usually at a cost of between $4.00 and $5.00 per month-and pay per-minute charges for all forwarded calls on top of this. That cost alone is between $0.20 and $0.40 per minute. With a virtual phone system, business owners can forward their calls as frequently as necessary with just a few clicks of the mouse and there is no additional charge from the company for forwarded calls.

Maintaining Privacy Affordably

Finally, when saving money on communications and maintaining the privacy of the employees are of equal importance, a virtual phone system is a must. There are times when business owners and employees must be able to accept calls when they are away from the office, whether they are at home or out in the field. Since it is not feasible to provide callers with these employees' personal telephone numbers for privacy reasons and call forwarding through a landline or mobile phone company is very expensive, virtual phone systems are a great solution. This way, when callers dial into an employee's extension, they are automatically forwarded to the home or mobile number of choice; the actual number remains invisible to the caller.

Businesses who want to save money on their communications can do so with the help of a virtual phone system. With plenty of features included in the low monthly or annual price, business communications have become surprisingly and even outrageously affordable.

This article was written by Kevin John, Online Marketing Executive at iTeleCenter. He has extensive marketing experience and is extremely knowledgeable about 1800 numbers, vanity numbers, local numbers and toll free numbers in conjunction with virtual phone system. He is happy to share his knowledge with small business owners on how to protect company image.

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