Guide to Business Phones

For most users, standard desktop business phones will suffice

Whether you have five employees for 500, most will need only the business phone functionality they already understand: calling, voicemail, speaker phones and transfer-to-extension business telephone functions. Office telephones can be more complex, but why?

I recommend: Some of the larger vendors of business telephone systems include Avaya, Cisco, Nortel, Vertical (which owns the Comdial and Vodavi brands), and NEC.

Multi-line business telephones make your team more productive

Your sales people will be taking calls in all directions, more often than not. Having enough multi-line business telephones (capable of ringing through two or more calls) can make a difference. They'll need a second or third line, too, to do simple conference calls from their desks.

I recommend: Price multi-line business telephones at Bizrate and PriceGrabber. If you are buying an entire system from a major vendor, they should offer you a discount for purchasing more office phones.

Wireless systems will change your choice in office phones

If your company is running a wireless network for Internet, it is now possible to add lots of new phones to your operation quickly, should your business telephone needs expand. Adding office telephones is becoming less of a chore.

I recommend: Siemens and Mitel make phones or add-ons to business phones that allow the additional of multiple handsets using wireless communications. No wires, just plug and play.

Do business meetings better with quality speaker phones

In conference rooms and in executive offices, conference calls go easier with speaker phones that allow team members to take part in the conversation without straining to hear or be heard.

I recommend: Most desk phones come with speaker phone capabilities, but for the best quality take a look at real speaker phones at vendors like Polycom, ClearOne and Panasonic.

Some users of your office telephones will need headsets

Receptionists, salespeople, technical support, billing -- many modern office workers are on the phone constantly as part of the job. Do their necks and backs a favor and invest in headset systems for their business telephones.

I recommend: Consider headsets made for business telephone use by Plantronics and Logitech.