Even with business communication advances of the last twenty years, many companies still use outdated office phone systems. They have leveraged the communication advantages of email, instant messaging and dynamic web applications and yet make their calls on archaic systems little removed from Alexander Graham Bell's original. Modern digital phone systems using VoIP are much more flexible than older PBX phone systems.

Today's Non-Traditional Worker

Communication technology allows businesses to adapt to the personal and professional needs of individual staff. Workers balancing home and work life appreciate some leeway. When home and work are in harmony the worker is happy, and happy workers are productive workers.

However a versatile office phone system isn't just about Bob in Accounting working from home when little Johnny has the flu. Companies with full-time telecommuting save money on office space, utilities and other onsite employee costs. Small business VoIP provides business-level phone service for workers in home offices. Clients and partners won't know if the person on the other end of the phone is in an office, working at a kitchen table, or sitting in a coffee shop.

A VoIP digital phone system helps traveling employees, allowing them to receive calls no matter where they are without having to leave clients a long list of numbers to try. Whether meeting with a client across town or at a conference across the country, staff are available when needed.

Digital Phone Systems Allow Employees to Be Reachable Anywhere

One key feature of a VoIP office phone system is the phone number belongs to the phone not to the geographical location. The handset is plugged in anywhere with internet access, making the employee immediately available. Callers dial the same local number but it rings through to the phone anywhere in the world.

For those who don't want to carry their IP phones around, business VoIP phone system could forward calls to any possible phone including home or cell numbers. The forwarding can ring specific phones according to a schedule, ring each phone sequentially until one is answered, or ring all at once even across multiple telephone numbers.

Do Not Disturb

The problem with being universally reachable is you are universally reachable. Even the most dedicated employee needs time away from work. The goal of a VoIP digital phone system is not to follow the worker around like some wild-eyed stalker, but to give each individual options to control availability.

During meetings or other time the worker can't answer the phone, the Do Not Disturb function makes the phone "busy" and sends incoming calls to voice mail. Caller ID allows manual screening of calls while Caller ID lists automatically filter incoming calls so a given number might always be sent to voice mail while another is always allowed through.

VoIP offer every feature of a traditional office phone system along with additional capabilities your old phone system can't match.