16 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Virtual PBX
Ask the right questions to find the right system
Choosing a phone system may seem like a small task when you are starting a business but it’s certainly an important one. Your customers need to be able to reach you and you need to sound like a professional business.
Here are 16 questions to ask yourself to make sure you are choosing the right virtual PBX for your business:
1. Do you currently have a phone number for your business?
If you already have a phone number for your business, you need to determine if you’d like to keep it, get rid of it or supplement it with another number. Is it on marketing materials? A website? What effort will need to go into changing it?
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2. Do you want to keep your current phone number?
If you do want to keep your current number you can have it ported into Grasshopper. Number porting, or number transferring, is relatively easy.
3. Where are your customers located?
Where your customers are located can have a big impact on the phone number or numbers you choose. Maybe you want to achieve a local presence in communities you serve but are no physically in. A toll free number may be beneficial for a business serving customers across the country or globe.
4. Do you need a toll free number?
A toll free number can help a small business appear much more professional while at the same time giving your customers an easy and free way to get in touch with you.
5. Do you need a local number?
Often businesses will use both a toll free and a local number but other times just one will do. If you want to have a local presence in a particular community, a local number may be what you need.
6. Do you want a vanity number?
We’ve all seen them before: 1-800-Flowers, 1-888-Best-Buy, 1-800-Contacts. These are vanity numbers and can give customers an easy way to remember your phone number. Are there any keywords or phrases that best represent your business?
7. Do you work out of an office, home or anywhere it pleases you?
If you work out of an office or your home it’s easy to take business calls. If work from your local coffee shop or even in your car, taking a business call can be difficult. It’s loud, you’re in line, you’re getting gas. Grasshopper can forward calls to your cell phone and allow you to hear who’s calling you before you answer, letting you decide whether to send them to voicemail or take the call.
8. Are you often on the go?
If so, you don’t want to miss important business calls. Calls are forwarded to whatever number you choose and voicemails are sent as emails to your smartphone.
9. Do you work internationally?
If you find yourself traveling outside of the US, it’s important you choose a phone system that can forward calls to international numbers.
10. How many employees do you have?
How many employees you have will dictate how large you need your phone system to be (extensions & minutes).
11. Do you plan on growing your staff in the near future?
If you plan on growing your company, you need a phone system that can grow with you. Employees will need their own voicemail boxes so it’s important to choose a phone system that allows you to set up additional extensions at no charge and a minute plan that’s affordable.
12. Do you have a support or sales team?
If so, a virtual phone system will allow you to set up departmental extensions. For example, press 1 for sales or 2 for support.
13. What type of phone are you currently using?
Whether you are using a business phone, cell phone or home phone, you can take your calls on any phone.
14. How many minutes do you use a month on business calls?
The number of minutes you need will dictate which plan you will need. We offer four plans for those who need very little minutes to those who need up to 10,000.
15. Do you see this increasing?
If you think your minute usage will increase, you can change plans at any time.
16. Do you send or receive faxes to your business?
A virtual phone number can receive faxes the same way a regular phone number can. Faxes are stored online and can be accessed at any point. If you regularly send faxes, you should select a phone system that allows to you to send outbound faxes through your number as well
Once you have answered these questions you are on your way to picking the perfect virtual pbx for your business. For more information: