A Beginner’s Guide To PBX Systems

When starting a small business, having just a single phone line for most contact purposes is common. You provide a phone number that your customers can ring, and you’ll typically answer it yourself or dedicate a receptionist to help you take calls. It’s probably not the phone that you give clients and business partners (for that, you might provide your mobile number), but it’s still a public contact number that anyone can call.

Now imagine that you’re expanding your business. You have ten times the staff and customers, and your single phone line can no longer keep up. Customers are unable to phone you, and they aren’t even put on hold because it’s just a regular telephone line. If you don’t do anything about it, they will get frustrated and may stop supporting your company.

So how do large companies handle it? If you’ve ever called a bank or a large business, then there’s a good chance you’ve been forced to listen to waiting music and made to wait in line. This is likely because they’re using a Private Branch Exchange system, also known as a PBX. It’s an enterprise-level telephone network system that businesses use to offer multiple customers support simultaneously.

In this short guide, we’ll be explaining how they work and give you a few reasons why you should have one!

How do PBX systems work?

There are actually a number of different PBX systems. These are usually described as analog, digital, or cloud-hosted.

Analog PBX systems use multiple landlines to handle simultaneous incoming calls. These systems are rare nowadays since they’re relatively difficult to manage, costly to set up, and not very easy for staff to use.

A digital PBX doesn’t use a landline. Instead, it makes use of internet connections and voice calling. This offers more bandwidth and can even offer features such as transcription services, call recording, auto-routing, and even mobile monitoring. It is also sometimes referred to as a voice-over internet protocol or VoIP system.

The last option is a cloud PBX. This is essentially the same as a digital PBX, except that it’s hosted over the internet instead of using hardware in your office. This is functionally the same as a digital PBX, but it typically has cheaper start-up costs since you don’t need to manage the hardware yourself. This also makes it easier to scale and gives more flexibility to a growing business.

Why do you need a PBX system?

A PBX system is essential for growing businesses. This is because multiple customers may attempt to call you for support, and you’ll need to have a sophisticated calls system to provide assistance to multiple people at once. There are a plethora of additional beneficial features that you can take advantage of with a PBX system.

Automated responses and menus to route calls

A PBX system can be used to create an automated attendant system that helps to route calls to the right person or department. When a customer calls, they’ll be greeted with a pre-recorded message that you can set, and they’ll be given different extensions that can help them reach the right person. You may worry that these systems can get complicated and frustrate your customers, but know that proper design can prevent frustration!

A single number for all of your company’s services and departments

With a PBX system, you can provide multiple layers of support through a single landline number. Your customer calls it and will be able to choose what kind of support they want or what department they need to speak to. This makes it highly convenient for your customers and ensures they always get through to the right person.

Efficient internal communications to improve productivity

A PBX isn’t just for external communications. It can also be used to improve productivity by making it easy for different departments to contact each other internally. This is especially useful when you have multiple teams working on projects at different corners of the office.

Inexpensive method of providing support

Businesses are responsible for providing multiple different support options such as live chat, email, and even social media. However, many people still prefer getting in touch with a real human being over the phone. PBX systems are an inexpensive and efficient way for businesses to offer multiple forms of support that can be scaled to their needs. They also provide a plethora of cost monitoring features to help you see exactly how much you’re paying for calls, giving you an accurate return on investment value.

Millennia Technologies

A PBX system is essential for any business that offers phone support! Get in touch with Millennia Technologies today to learn how our PBX systems can help your business grow by providing a more elegant support solution.