Advice on buying a PABX system

Written by Eric Fleming

As your business grows in volume, your sales and customer service teams grow, too. This is, of course, a good thing, as it helps to increase your bottom line. And as you grow, you need to expand your infrastructure: not just desks and computers, but phone lines, as well. While this will be an added cost, it's not one that has to be hard on your finances. Integrating a PABX system into your telecommunications plans not only saves you money in the long term, but also makes your business more efficient and your customers happier.

What is a PABX system?

PABX stands for private automatic branch exchange, and is commonly referred to as a PBX system. These phone systems work by taking a set number of standard phone lines that come into your business and assigning them automatically to a pool of phones larger than the number of physical phones lines available, so that as many people as need phones can have them, up to the number of available physical lines. With proper research and purchasing, this means that you'll always have phone lines available for anyone who needs to make or receive a call, but without needing to purchase a dedicated line for every phone on the premises.

What to consider when buying a PABX system

There are different ways to set up PABX systems, from one hosted completely off-site to one housed entirely in your place of business. A hosted system will typically route incoming phone calls over a network (either a private network dedicated solely to phone communications, or one that shares the office's Internet connection). An on-site PABX phone system will usually have a dedicated piece of hardware that makes the exchange between standard phone lines and your in-house network of PBX phones.

An on-site solution has the benefit of being completely in your control, while incurring a larger up-front cost, while an off-site option will generally have a higher recurring cost, but a lower up-front cost. On the other hand, an off-site hosted PABX system will generally be more flexible and more easily upgraded. As the hardware is owned by the provider, any technological upgrades will be its responsibility and not yours.

You'll also have to know how many external phone lines and internal extensions you need. While simply counting the number of people (and equipment – don't forget faxes and credit card machines, if applicable) that need phone lines can give you a good estimate, be sure to plan for future growth so you don't get stuck with a PBX that can't expand when your business does.

How a PABX system can benefit your business

Here are the four main ways that PABX systems can benefit your business:

• Efficiency. A standard PABX phone system will include an auto attendant that automatically routes incoming calls to the correct extension. Calls are more quickly routed, and in a call center situation, priority calls are answered in a more timely a manner as well.
• Cost. Since standard phones can often (with adapters) be used in a PABX system, and the option exists to host your phone service off-site, hardware costs are can be kept low. Since you no longer need a dedicated phone line for each phone, you save even more in monthly bills.
• Features. The phone company offers a lot of features with its phone plans including call waiting, call forwarding, caller ID and more. However, those added features are often only obtained for an added cost. A PABX system will include those features, plus integration with e-mail, faxing and more, without incurring extra fees.
• Customer satisfaction. More efficient phone systems reduce on hold waiting periods, making sure customers are dealt with in a timely manner. Also, for businesses in the financial and hospitality arena, customers can often (with the help of an auto attendant) help themselves by accessing account information and making appointments on their own.

Getting the right PABX phone system for your business depends on finding a high-quality dealer who can help you choose the right equipment and features. BuyerZone's free phone system quote service will match you to multiple installers who will compete for your business. Try it today!