What is a Multi-line Phone System: A Guide For Small Businesses

If you’re considering a multi-line phone system for your organization, here’s everything you need to know.

11:50 27 January 2022

Businesses can communicate internally and with their customers in more ways than ever. From emails to text-based communication platforms, blog posts, how-to videos, and social media, digital communications are bigger and more prolific than they’ve ever been.

 

However, customers and colleagues alike still rely on telephone communication. That makes a multi-line phone system one of the most important resources to integrate into your business architecture. 

 

From small businesses hoping to more easily manage incoming calls from clients, to enterprise-sized brands that want to deliver the best customer service and boost in-house collaboration, multi-line phone systems are the solution that’s often overlooked.

 

If you’re considering a multi-line phone system for your organization, here’s everything you need to know.

 

Do You Need a Multi-Line Phone System?

It’s safe to say that not every business is in desperate need of a multi-line phone system. That’s because not every business has problems with breaking down communication silos or tackles multiple incoming phone calls from a wide range of customers.

 

 

The kinds of businesses that do need a multi-line phone system of some kind are those that want to maximize their available resources. 

 

For example, an entrepreneur who is bootstrapping their latest startup may not have the funds to hire multiple customer service team members. In these instances, multi-line phone systems make it much easier to manage those incoming calls without your clients experiencing high call answering delays.

 

Solopreneurs might also adopt a multi-line phone system if they want to keep their private phone numbers and business numbers separate. A PBX multi-line phone system is often well within budgetary reach for those business models, but there are also other alternative multi-line phone systems that won’t break the bank.

 

Some brands experience high call volumes both internally and externally. Others have employees whose role demands almost constant phone use. A multi-line phone system combined with IVR solutions is being strategically deployed by growing numbers of businesses of these types. 

 

Knowing which solution is best for you means knowing a little more about the different types of multi-line phone systems that are available.

 

Understanding PBX and VoIP

Business communications are often considered a complex subject matter, and there are always plenty of acronyms to get used to. 

 

Two of the most common, when discussing communications, are PBX and VoIP. Even a quick bit of Google research shows that the two are often treated as separate and opposite options to choose from.

 

Quick Guide to PBX

A PBX is a Private Branch Exchange, which uses the same physical network to connect several office-based desk phones. With a PBX system, colleagues can easily make calls to one another and can transfer incoming calls to the right person quickly.

 

A PBX system uses extensions to manage multiple lines at once, traditionally utilizing physical phone lines and specific hardware (telephones). This form of independently managed and analog-based multi-line phone system is fast becoming obsolete, though, in the face of the Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) option. 

 

What is UCaaS? The UCaaS alternative allows for more communications options, streamlining communications coming from all directions and of all types (beyond simply phone calls).

 

Quick Guide to VoIP

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) transfers voice data through your internet connection. A VoIP multi-line phone system will turn your voice into data packets, compress the files, and then send them to be converted back into voice files on the other end of the line. It’s instantaneous and occurs in real-time. 

 

 

 

Despite the complexity of VoIP multi-line phone systems, they’re faster than a traditional analog call. And, if you optimize your router for VoIP use, then communication speeds can become even faster. However, many business owners who have been around a while will remember how ineffective early internet-based voice communications could be. 

 

The result is that they overlook the current state of VoIP technology. Now, the sound quality is better than analog, is faster, easier to use, and you can even use VoIP technology to help create a marketing strategy. It’s simply the ideal communications tool for modern business, and shouldn’t be dismissed.

 

Analyzing the Features of a Multi-Line Phone System

 

Whether you're going for VoIP, PBX, SIP-based systems, or some combination of the three, the key is understanding the advantages of each and what your business needs. What does SIP stand for? It’s another acronym and stands for Session Initiation Protocol.

 

Not every multi-line phone system is ideally suited to every business model, so what it offers needs to be considered alongside the needs of your business. The standard difference between a PBX and VoIP system is simply that the PBX will rely on hardware communication devices (a connected phone), while VoIP systems can be used on any digital device.

 

Because a VoIP multi-line phone system will tend to use a cloud system to manage those calls, brands that opt for VoIP communications must ensure that their cloud system is secure. Once that’s done, a VoIP system allows for safe communications via voice, but can also integrate with other digital communication tools like video conferencing software, live chat, emails, and plenty more besides.

 

Whatever system you choose, make sure that either your telephone hardware (your desk phones) or your cloud-based VoIP tech offers the following basic features:

 

• Caller ID
• The option to put callers on hold and to then transfer them to another line
• Voicemail waiting alerts
• Standard volume controls along with mute options
• Speakerphone options
• Real-time integration with retail CRM software if needed
• Paging to multiple devices at once
• Do not disturb function for when members of your team are in meetings
• Auto-attendant options that use IVR technologies
• Texting options

 

There are always going to be ways to integrate more advanced features, although they may often come with a higher price point. These could include the option for video conferencing, or automated voice recordings that can be used for training purposes. 

 

At the top end of the scale, you will be offered a personalized softphone app that allows you to easily make and receive phone calls directly from your computer, although this is fast becoming a standard feature.

 

Which Multi-Line Phone System is the Best?

In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business landscape, business communications need to keep up. The result is that PBX systems are quickly becoming outdated. The slow introduction of the Internet of Things (IoT) has left many business owners looking for ways to take advantage of modern tech without the inherent risks of connected devices.

 

VoIP systems are the perfect solution for business communications right now. They are more low-cost than ever and have a range of applications that make them suitable for brands of all sizes, sectors, and budget limits. 

 

The switch to VoIP has never been easier, and comes with lower monthly costs, lower initial investment (especially when combined with a BYOD culture), and is simply easier to put into place.

 

 

As employees are now working more remotely than ever, VoIP is allowing those geographically separated colleagues to continue to communicate and collaborate. It’s more scalable and tends to offer a much wider range of features. 

 

Whether you're a small, localized business that relies on a smaller target audience, or you're running a global company with multiple domains, such as AE registration, VoIP multi-line phone systems are the obvious solution to all of your communication needs.

 

The final factor to consider when choosing the right multi-line phone system is how easy it is to use. The calling features of a VoIP system are, without doubt, the more user-friendly communication tools for voice. That’s because they allow for more configurations, which can be made directly from any device that’s connected to the system. 

 

A PBX system will rely on a system administrator, which can slow down communications and necessary changes. Training will need to be implemented to ensure that everyone using the PBX knows how to get the most from it.

 

With a VoIP multi-line phone system, users need very little training once the initial setup is complete. Whereas a traditional PBX system can be configured how you need it to be, it does remain limited in what it can do. A VoIP system will always be more flexible and agile, making it the obvious solution in a business world that demands speed and agility.

 

Install a Multi-Line Phone System

Using a VoIP multi-line phone system is the clear option to consider no matter the size of your business. If you have dreams of brand growth, the scalability of VoIP options alone is enough to warrant its integration into your existing communications setup. 

 

If you run a business that tackles a high volume of outgoing and/or incoming phone calls, a multi-line phone system is vital. It will allow you to dramatically improve communications between colleagues and customers, boosting collaboration and efficiency quickly and easily. 

 

A standard telephone system is no longer suitable for most business models. The larger the business, the more it's being slowed down by landlines and office desk phones. Make the switch to a faster, more agile multi-line phone system and your business can only benefit. Ignore the benefits of a multi-line phone system and you could start losing both customers and employees to your competitors.

 

Bio:

Richard Conn - Senior Director, Demand Generation, 8x8

Richard Conn is the Senior Director for Demand Generation at 8x8, a leading communication platform with integrated contact center, voice, video, VoIP installation, and chat functionality. Richard is an analytical & results-driven digital marketing leader with a track record of achieving major ROI improvements in fast-paced, competitive B2B environments. Here is his LinkedIn.