Communication is very important in todays business world. So a business phone system is considered to be one of the most important purchases for a business. While you reach your customers, clients and partners easily through the telephone, it has to also be the easiest way for them to reach you. They are sure to get irritated if routed incorrectly, disconnected or faced with a bewildering array of automated options.

Key systems, Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems and KSU-less phones are the three types of commercial phone systems available on the market today. You have to choose your system depending on how many extensions and features you need. If your company has more than 40 employees, PBX systems are the best solution. If there are only 5 to 40 employees, then key systems are better. There is some technical difference between these two, but both require professional installation and maintenance. For companies with less than 10 employees, then a KSU-less system meets your needs. These systems are not permanently wired to your office, and can be easily unplugged, moved to a new location or sold. However, make sure that this system is compatible with the telephone wiring in your office. These systems, though inexpensive, are not usually sold or supported by telecom vendors and so you have to do the shopping, installation, programming and maintenance on your own.

When buying your business phone system, make sure that the system is the right size for your office and that it has enough capacity for your current needs while planning for growth. You also have to check the compatibility of the system with other equipment you may already own, like voicemail, messaging on-hold, conferencing equipment and headsets. Two other factors that determine the size of your business phone system are lines, which indicate the total number of outside lines used by the company, and extensions, which refer to the devices in the company that are connected to the phone system: telephones, fax machines, modems, credit-card terminals and modems. Other features you can think of adding to your phone system are the auto attendant, which is a recorded message that answers your phone and instructs callers on reaching specific people in the company. Conferencing features vary on the use of conference calls by the staff, and how many people need to call in. Music on hold is easy, as you just have to plug in a source of music to the business phone system.