Take Stock of Existing Equipment – Can any of your existing equipment or phones be used in tandem with a new system? For example, many business phones can be adapted for a VoIP system using a simple adapter.

What Are your Current Business Needs? – Determine what your business needs are and what you’re looking for in an office phone system. Do you need several extensions with voicemail for each employee? Do you need mobile solutions for remote, traveling employees?  Assessing your current needs will allow you to narrow down your options to systems that will meet those needs.

Consider Optional Features – Some businesses opt out of additional features simply because of the price but such features can give you a competitive edge and may very well be worth the extra cost. These may include auto-attendant, call conferencing, of call hunt, which automatically forwards unanswered c alls to another person instead of going straight to voicemail. Carefully consider each feature while keeping your situation in mind.

Look for Scalability – If you anticipate expanding your business in the near future, look for phone systems that offer scalability so you aren’t forced to spend the money on an entirely new system when you do grow. You should be able to easily add additional extensions without any hassle or exorbitant cost.

Decide What Type of Service is Apt for your Office – There are a handful of different types of phone services available, including VoIP, private branch exchange (PBX), key system units (KSU), and KSU-less systems. Each has a unique offering and there is a type of system apt for businesses of all sizes and budgets.

People are talking – constantly. About a myriad of companies, products, and services; and chances are yours in one of them. The impact of consumer-generated reviews and customer ratings continues to grow as more and more shoppers hop online to peruse the latest product and service reviews posted by their peers. Consumer reviews (from home improvement to weight loss products) can be a powerful tool for any company - but how should you respond to particularly harmful reviews?

1. Embrace the review no matter how damaging you may perceive it. It will not only strengthen the validity of your company and product or service, but will demonstrate to consumers (and potential customers) that you are open and invite honest discussions.
2. Open a line of communication with the reviewer by posting an honest reply on their review. Be constructive, positive, and polite. If the reviewer has legitimate reason to be dissatisfied, be apologetic and validate their concerns.
3. If the review is inappropriate or abusive in any way, contact site administrators to see what the policies regarding review are and what can be done about it. Keep in mind, just because it’s not very nice doesn’t mean it’s inappropriate or not suitable for the site.