PBX Systems to Buy with the Best ROI

By Ryan Ayers
Updated: July 18, 2011

Virtual Private Branch Exchange (PBX) phone systems, also referred to as Internet Protocol (IP) PBX’s, offer businesses of all sizes a phone system solution that is at once cost effective and efficient. These systems can be tailored to fit any business type or model and allow your business the freedom from having to purchase and maintain expensive networking equipment and telephone hardware that may become obsolete in a short time.

Bang for Your Buck – Getting the Greatest ROI

By their very nature, IP PBX solutions are more cost effective and generally more adaptable and efficient than their hardware-heavy premise based counterparts of the past. IP PBX’s are designed to be a unified communications (UC) solution for your business and to help you route voice and data more effectively. That being said as a general description of an IP PBX system, there are widely differing levels of sophistication and complexity available. Determining the appropriate solution for your business is often dependent on the answers to a few simple questions.

  • What degree of flexibility does your business need?
  • What level of sophistication should your system have?
  • How important a role does budget play in the decision?
  • Is it possible to begin with a scaled down version of your new IP PBX and gradually ramp up to a more complex and/or comprehensive system?
  • Are sufficient IT resources available to administrate an in-house network?

Answering these simple questions honestly will help direct you toward the vendors and products that will give your business the greatest return on your initial investment.

Industry Leaders

If your business is currently assessing the benefits and drawbacks of specific vendors and service providers for IP PBX systems, here are a few that offer different solutions to fit different categories of need and budgets. Keeping in mind the specific attributes that your business has listed as priorities in a PBX system, these vendors may have the solution that you have been searching for.

Cisco – Offering comprehensive UC solutions for all sizes of business, Cisco’s PBX systems are scalable, versatile, and easily deployed. With specialized PBX solutions for small businesses, and more complex offerings for medium and larger businesses, Cisco has a solution that will likely fit both your needs and price point. Cisco offers businesses the ability to create a customized telephone solution to fit their every need.

Talkswitch – Billing itself as the “original small business phone system”, Talkswitch provides IP PBX systems that are adaptable and affordable. With a greater focus on smaller businesses that have need of feature-rich solutions without adopting large or cumbersome telephone systems, Talkswitch provides all inclusive packages that can help solve communications issues without adding monumental service charges. Talkswitch may be the ideal partner for a small business that is looking for the features and add-ons of larger business telephone systems at a lower rate.

Virtual PBX – Virtual PBX offers business users the option of either flat rate or usage-based pricing plans for their hosted PBX service. With little in the way of service charges or maintenance/change fees, Virtual PBX maintains a focus on providing businesses of all sizes with feature laden plans that will save overall cost on their phone service. A hosted IP PBX solution, Virtual PBX maintains all of the hardware and switching equipment and will allow their customers to use their own phone hardware as well. Virtual PBX may be the right solution for your business if cost is a primary motivator.

Finding the right vendor for your business telephone needs is largely dependent on how your employees might utilize the features involved, and what your business’ expectations are with regard to the initial and ongoing expenses. To find the right fit for your business, and to maximize your investment and ensure the greatest ROI, be sure that you first have an accurate and realistic assessment of your needs and expectations.
 

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