BUSINESS PHONE SYSTEMS

 

 

RingCentral is an exceptional web-based telephone and fax service. Right out of the gate, RingCentral's website is incredibly user friendly, and you can contact their 24-hour support line whenever needed. You do not have to purchase any hardware, and RingCentral offers free rollover minutes from month to month.

When you sign up at RingCentral, your account is immediately activated, and you have a variety of services available to you:

•  You can choose either a local number or a toll-free number for your business.

•  Have phonemail messages automatically sent to your email account. Never have to dial in to check messages again; just click on the attachment in your email and listen to the entire message.

•  Create multiple extensions that route to different phones. The caller answers a voice prompt with the extension of a department or name of a person and the correct phone automatically rings. Your team can be in one office or spread around the country, and the caller will never know.

•  Call forwarding. Callers into your business number can be automatically routed to any of your phones - cell, home, or office.

•  Call screening. Before connecting a call, an auto-attendant calls you first, announces the caller's name, and gives you the option to answer or send the caller to voicemail.

•  Have a professionally-recorded greeting welcome your callers.

•  Send and receive faxes quickly and easily.

•  Perhaps best of all, there is no hardware to buy or software to maintain. Ring Central takes care of all of that for you.

RingCentral also offers online tools (provided through a secure web account) that you can use to enhance your business operations. Some of these tools include detailed call logs, fax and message archives, call recording, fax to email services, one-touch dialing, Microsoft Outlook integration, user-friendly system maintenance tools, and the RingCentral call controller. RingCentral also allows you to connect your entire team (regardless of their location) with a virtual private branch exchange (PBX), and you can add extensions as needed.

Every business needs to project a professional image to their customers. Ring Central makes it easy and affordable for you to maintain that image whether your business employs one person or 100. All of these features work to make RingCentral the best business phone system in our review.

 

 

Packet 8 is a hosted iPBX system solution for small business and call centers. By combining voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) solutions with minimal hardware, Packet 8 is a low-cost phone system that can expand with the growing needs of your company.

Packet 8 uses advanced private branch exchange (PBX) functionality to route and manage multiple incoming calls for one number, and there are no expensive on-site hardware requirements. Additionally, you can use Packet 8 for unlimited nationwide or global calling with minimal start-up costs and a reduced cost of ownership.

The Packet 8 Virtual Office can meet all of your basic business needs such as voicemail, conference bridging, caller ID, and hold options. Additionally, the Packet 8 Virtual Office integrates with Microsoft Outlook, and their online billing system makes checking your records easy.

Virtual Office also has several components that can be selected to enhance your basic incoming line service such as Virtual Attendant, Unlimited Extensions, Metered Extensions, Unlimited Fax, Global Extension, and Softalk Office (a PC-based software phone, which allows for scalability as your business grows).

Although you can install many of Packet 8's services and hardware options yourself, you can use Packet 8's professional on-site and over-the-phone support for any difficulties that may arise. If you already have a current phone number or fax line, it can be integrated into the Packet 8 system as well.

Packet 8 is an effective phone system that is feature rich, versatile, and easy to use. However, Packet 8 does not quite match the many tools and services offered by the highest-rated selection.

 

 

GotVMail is an award-winning phone system that helps businesses stay connected and efficiently manage their offices. It is hosted by a private branch exchange (PBX) system and acts as a virtual attendant-allowing you to immediately access voicemail and faxes from your computer or another phone. GotVMail can be used from any location and on up to six extensions. With options such as having a toll-free number, a local number, or multiple extensions, a small business can turn itself into a professional, functioning, office on the go. GotVMail also offers live call forwarding, on-hold music, a dial-by-name directory, and a custom main line greeting option.

Each GotVMail extension can be forwarded to up to six phone numbers, enabling you to be reached on your home, office, mobile, or voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) phone. With GotVMail, you can assign extensions to individual employees or departments with the option to forward calls as needed. GotVMail also allows callers to get product information, store hours, and driving directions through a general information extension. The studio quality greetings are customized for your business and will simplify the process of forwarding and transferring incoming calls.

The GotVMail system handles an unlimited number of incoming calls, so no one will ever hear a busy signal. While on hold, callers can listen to music that you have chosen from a number of available music genres or music that you have uploaded yourself.

Finally, as a registered user of GotVMail, you can receive voicemails and faxes as online audio or picture attachments. Voicemails and faxes can also be e-mailed as MP3 or PDF attachments. While there are many benefits to GotVMail, the higher-rated selections go above and beyond GotVMail's offerings.

 

 

Pick a local or toll-free number. Create your account. Enter your billing information. Receive eVoice messages. That is all you have to do to get started with eVoice. eVoice enables small business owners, eBay auctioneers, and others to easily get a toll-free or local number for their business.

However, compared to other voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) services, eVoice does not provide the same level of functionality-it can only be used to take messages. This might be a hindrance for larger businesses. However, if you are only looking for a messaging service, you cannot beat eVoice's cost. And, if you are not sure if this product is right for you, you can make this decision while taking advantage of their 30-day, free trial.

eVoice messages are played back on a proprietary system. The messages either come in by e-mail or you can log onto their website to access them. From there you can manage them the same way you would your normal e-mail.

 

 

Kall 8 is a company that allows small businesses and self-employed individuals acquire and maintain toll-free numbers. Kall 8 uses call-forwarding technology to deliver quality service over your existing phone system. With Kall 8, you can be reached at any number of your choosing, anywhere in the world. A caller ID function is provided to help you distinguish between calls being forwarded to you with Kall 8 and those coming in from your regular phone line. In this way, you will always know whether a call is of a business or personal nature.

Kall 8 allows you to receive voicemail and/or fax messages. You can record personalized voicemail greetings and determine the number of rings before callers are connected to voicemail.

With Kall 8, you can conduct teleconferences with up to 25 people for a limitless amount of time. Additionally, you can customize the area in which you want to receive calls. For example, if you are vacationing in another state, you can block certain work-related calls based on the state in which the call was made, area code, area code + prefix, or on a number-by-number basis. Along those same lines, if you only wanted to receive work-related calls until a certain time, Kall 8 will automatically forward incoming calls to a different number based on time, day, area code, the state in which the call was made, or on a number-by-number basis. All of these options can be customized to fit your personal needs.

Kall 8 tracks and sends an instant e-mail notification every time your toll-free number is called. This e-mail includes the caller ID information, time, and call length. Finally, online management tools are included with your service, which can greatly simplify things for you.

Overall, Kall 8 provides a number of useful features. However, the services provided are not as comprehensive as the higher-rated selections.

 

 

Freedom Voice is an advanced phone system for businesses that is offered at a lower price than standard phone lines. It uses network technology and hardware to create a virtual private branch exchange (PBX) and voice messaging system.

The Freedom Lite system features include the following:

•  Nationwide, toll-free number

•  Auto attendant

•  Multiple voicemail boxes

•  Caller ID

•  Name/address capture features

•  Extension lists

•  Call transferring

•  Automated order taking

•  Hold music* Unlimited message capacity

•  Online administration

•  Operator extension

 

Freedom Voice enables you to use basic call routing and voicemail for your business-with the option to expand services when needed. The downside of this is that there are a lot of choices that need to be made, and the website does not do a good job of making these choices clear. Additionally, every option you choose can tack on an additional $5.00 to $10.00 a month,which can cause the price to rise dramatically.

Overall, the system is limited. The Lite service only allows for 5 mail boxes, and the Pro service only allows 10. Therefore, if your needs outweigh these restrictions, you should look to another provider.