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View Full Version : Electronics Small Business Owners: How do you handle your phone system?


NewChief
12-28-2012, 08:29 AM
We currently have a bare bones land line in our store with an answering machine.

The thing is: my wife likes to be way more connected to her business than that, especially when she's out of town. She'd like for people to be able to dial her directly (preferably giving her the option of accepting the call or sending it to voice mail), but doesn't really want to juggle a second cell phone.

Currently we're looking at just getting an answering machine that we can actually dial into and check, but that doesn't allow her to actually take people's calls while she's not at the store.

What other options are out there? I think that Google Voice has some of the functionality we're looking for, but I'm open to cheap/elegant solutions.

Buehler445
12-28-2012, 08:35 AM
Personally I just have a cell phone. There is a land line in the office, but the only usage it gets is tool salesmen asking for dad.

But I'm not a retailer. I would guess that some form of service that could forward calls to a cell would be best.

notorious
12-28-2012, 08:35 AM
Get cell for the store. It has an option in which you can forward calls to any phone you choose.

I did this for years, and it works great. You can even have local numbers from different towns so that people feel more comfortable using you.

FAX
12-28-2012, 08:36 AM
Have you checked out phone.com, Mr. NewChief?

I seem to remember that we used them for awhile one time (start-up phase) and the features were acceptable. They gave us an 800 number, automatic forwarding (to cells or wherever), voice mail, etc. and they were inexpensive. Keep in mind that I wasn't responsible for stuff like phones but the guy who was did his research and I think that's the company he chose. I wasn't unhappy and I can't think of anyone who complained.

You might want to chat them up about what they can do for you.

FAX

NewChief
12-28-2012, 08:42 AM
Mrs. NewChief, of the famous brother, is somewhat resistant to change. She is currently objecting to having to change her phone number, so she wants to keep the existing phone number (which is the land line) as she says, "Our vendors have it, our customers have it, our planners have it, it's on all our signage, business cards, etc... what do you mean you want me to change to a 1-800 number? Are you stupid?!?!" or something along those lines.

I tried to explain that it wasn't that big of a deal, but I"m stonewalled (and probably done trying to help her until she gets in the kitchen and cooks me up some food by way of apology for her rudeness).

FAX
12-28-2012, 08:45 AM
Mrs. NewChief, of the famous brother, is somewhat resistant to change. She is currently objecting to having to change her phone number, so she wants to keep the existing phone number (which is the land line) as she says, "Our vendors have it, our customers have it, our planners have it, it's on all our signage, business cards, etc... what do you mean you want me to change to a 1-800 number? Are you stupid?!?!" or something along those lines.

I tried to explain that it wasn't that big of a deal, but I"m stonewalled (and probably done trying to help her until she gets in the kitchen and cooks me up some food by way of apology for her rudeness).

I don't know for sure, but I'll bet that phone.com will allow you to keep your existing number and forward 800 calls to that.

Honestly, it's pretty amazing what these telephony guys can do these days. It's all 1s and 0s, apparently.

FAX

notorious
12-28-2012, 08:48 AM
Mrs. NewChief, of the famous brother, is somewhat resistant to change. She is currently objecting to having to change her phone number, so she wants to keep the existing phone number (which is the land line) as she says, "Our vendors have it, our customers have it, our planners have it, it's on all our signage, business cards, etc... what do you mean you want me to change to a 1-800 number? Are you stupid?!?!" or something along those lines.

I tried to explain that it wasn't that big of a deal, but I"m stonewalled (and probably done trying to help her until she gets in the kitchen and cooks me up some food by way of apology for her rudeness).

Ask the cell company if they can transfer it. They did with mine.

threebag
12-28-2012, 08:50 AM
Have her hire a sweet ass little
Receptionist

Buehler445
12-28-2012, 08:57 AM
Mrs. NewChief, of the famous brother, is somewhat resistant to change. She is currently objecting to having to change her phone number, so she wants to keep the existing phone number (which is the land line) as she says, "Our vendors have it, our customers have it, our planners have it, it's on all our signage, business cards, etc... what do you mean you want me to change to a 1-800 number? Are you stupid?!?!" or something along those lines.

I tried to explain that it wasn't that big of a deal, but I"m stonewalled (and probably done trying to help her until she gets in the kitchen and cooks me up some food by way of apology for her rudeness).

Almost all businesses around here have both. And a couple of them have 800-XXX-XXXX instead of (area code)-XXX-XXXX. Not sure what all it takes to integrate all that, but I think there are options to keep your number.

On the other hand, there are growing pains with all this. I'd imagine the scope of her business in the future will not be limited to just Mrs. NewChief. If you add a merchandiser or shipping/receiving department or something, they will have to have a new phone number that will have to be distributed to vendors, suppliers, customers, etc. Growing pains happen with business, particularly successful ones. Grand scheme, this probably isn't a big deal. Think about Cabela's. It started in Dick Cabela's garage. People aren't calling Dick Cabela's house to place an order.

If I were you, I'd suggest that if she's in this for the long term, that she finds the optimal way she could do it, and get as close as she can within the confines of cost. At that point, any change should be advertised as an "easier to contact us" or something similar. Stuff like this can be offset pretty easily by facebook/webpages, so long as she is diligent about contacting her suppliers and stakeholder businesses.

oldman
12-28-2012, 09:25 AM
Why don't you just look at call forwarding from your landline provider? I don't remember what that costs a month, but it's pretty cheap. The other option would be to use your landline provider's voicemail. You can dial into that at any time.

dtebbe
12-28-2012, 09:38 AM
You can keep your local number and add the toll free:

http://grasshopper.com/how-it-works-and-features/

DT

rockymtnchief
12-28-2012, 09:52 AM
Why don't you just look at call forwarding from your landline provider? I don't remember what that costs a month, but it's pretty cheap. The other option would be to use your landline provider's voicemail. You can dial into that at any time.

Beat me to it. I think I pay 3.00 for my call forwarding.

CoMoChief
12-28-2012, 09:52 AM
magic jack

seclark
12-28-2012, 10:02 AM
Why don't you just look at call forwarding from your landline provider? I don't remember what that costs a month, but it's pretty cheap. The other option would be to use your landline provider's voicemail. You can dial into that at any time.

Beat me to it. I think I pay 3.00 for my call forwarding.

it can also be set up to send an email to alert you that there are msgs.
sec

TribalElder
12-28-2012, 10:15 AM
Recently I dropped sprint and started winning the game. You need to buy an ooma telo

I have this now and pay less than 5 a month for unlimited calling. Requires inner webs.Ooma premier is about 15 per month and can do multi ring andmulti line. You can also port your number.

Ooma is top dog http://www.ooma.com

Pro tip I got my telo on amazon for 129 a month or 2 ago and it kicks ass

Premier features http://www.ooma.com/products/premier

I was way skeptical at first but now I don't know why everyone doesn't use this service

ChiefsCountry
12-28-2012, 10:35 AM
Get call forwarding from the land line to cell. We have the option at the real estate office to switch it to different agents phones as well, which we do at night.

ndws
12-28-2012, 10:44 AM
look into google voice, you can get pretty creative especially if your telco can offer SIP (or like recommended earlier, magicjack). Actually, if you can get SIP, you can do alot of neat things.

You can always check with your telco, but it may get costly as you pile stuff on through them though.

digger
12-28-2012, 11:00 AM
Recently I dropped sprint and started winning the game. You need to buy an ooma telo

I have this now and pay less than 5 a month for unlimited calling. Requires inner webs.Ooma premier is about 15 per month and can do multi ring andmulti line. You can also port your number.

Ooma is top dog http://www.ooma.com

Pro tip I got my telo on amazon for 129 a month or 2 ago and it kicks ass

Premier features http://www.ooma.com/products/premier

I was way skeptical at first but now I don't know why everyone doesn't use this service

This, can not beat $5 a month, just check out all the bells and whistles.

ndws
12-28-2012, 11:09 AM
This, can not beat $5 a month, just check out all the bells and whistles.

Just know that its not an incrypted session, so anybody with wireshark could potentially capture your calls if they get access to your lan...not an issue if you don't care, but its worth knowing.

TribalElder
12-28-2012, 11:14 AM
Just know that its not an incrypted session, so anybody with wireshark could potentially capture your calls if they get access to your lan...not an issue if you don't care, but its worth knowing.

Very true. On windoze the shark will even render and playback the audio stream

KurtCobain
12-28-2012, 11:17 AM
Have her hire a sweet ass little
Receptionist

Best idea so far

ndws
12-28-2012, 11:19 AM
Very true. On windoze the shark will even render and playback the audio stream

Well, I didn't want to give too much away, but yes...I did it to a buddy who ran his business using magicjack...he wasn't happy knowing his line was so unsecure as that. It didn't affect his operations, but thats a little tidbit they overlook in the sales brochure.

Dartgod
12-28-2012, 11:21 AM
Just know that its not an incrypted session, so anybody with wireshark could potentially capture your calls if they get access to your lan...not an issue if you don't care, but its worth knowing.

According to their website, it is encrypted.


Encrypted calls
Ooma takes your privacy seriously. We use the same encryption technology governments use to protect classified data (which makes Ooma even safer than your old landline).

http://www.ooma.com/how-ooma-works/voice-quality

Stewie
12-28-2012, 11:25 AM
Just know that its not an incrypted session, so anybody with wireshark could potentially capture your calls if they get access to your lan...not an issue if you don't care, but its worth knowing.

That's interesting. I have MagicJack, but I doubt anyone would be interested in my phone calls. My LAN is encrypted using WPA. Would they have to hack that to get wireshark to work?

TribalElder
12-28-2012, 11:26 AM
According to their website, it is encrypted.

Nice, it does take the device a while to boot up so maybe there is some truth to that. I haven't tried sharking my calls, not enough ambition. I would suggest getting a cheap ups and throwing your Internet modem and Oma telo on it in case the power drops out you can still make a call or two if needed

ndws
12-28-2012, 11:35 AM
According to their website, it is encrypted.

Good call, I didn't read much into it, just figured it was like MagicJack and was wide open.

That's interesting. I have MagicJack, but I doubt anyone would be interested in my phone calls. My LAN is encrypted using WPA. Would they have to hack that to get wireshark to work?

That would be one way. Someone would really want to listen to your calls to go to the effort of doing it, so its pretty unlikely for any reason...but like anything else, if there's a will, there's a way.

Rain Man
12-28-2012, 01:48 PM
I need to read through this thread. We just have a normal office phone system, and we need some more features since I have two employees working out of state.

SAUTO
12-28-2012, 02:07 PM
Why don't you just look at call forwarding from your landline provider? I don't remember what that costs a month, but it's pretty cheap. The other option would be to use your landline provider's voicemail. You can dial into that at any time. this.it's exactly what I do.

Land line, forwarding, voicemail
Posted via Mobile Device

threebag
12-28-2012, 04:26 PM
Best idea so far

http://ak4.picdn.net/shutterstock/videos/1550035/preview/stock-footage-sexy-receptionist-smiling-at-camera.jpg

Chief_For_Life58
12-28-2012, 04:33 PM
messager pigeons

Demonpenz
12-28-2012, 04:35 PM
I will send over a phone representitive for an in house demonstration.

Chief_For_Life58
12-28-2012, 04:36 PM
Have her hire a sweet ass little
Receptionist

it happens

htismaqe
12-28-2012, 04:36 PM
That's interesting. I have MagicJack, but I doubt anyone would be interested in my phone calls. My LAN is encrypted using WPA. Would they have to hack that to get wireshark to work?

Yes.

WPA2 with AES encrypts the entire conversation at the network layer. They'd have to first break your wireless encryption.

Of course, then they'd have to reassemble the ENTIRE stream of packets (minus a few, there's a margin of error when it comes to VoIP packet loss) decode all of the packets, extract the voice payload, and then play it back to actually HEAR your conversation.

oldman
12-28-2012, 04:48 PM
My experience with VoIP is there's a lag. It's not a big deal, but if you're using a speaker phone, you'll notice it.
Again, landline call forwarding and voicemail. Since it's within the network, you never have to worry about access. Dial the number, punch in your code, get messages. No setting up another number, no geeks needed to encrypt.

NewChief
12-28-2012, 04:58 PM
My experience with VoIP is there's a lag. It's not a big deal, but if you're using a speaker phone, you'll notice it.
Again, landline call forwarding and voicemail. Since it's within the network, you never have to worry about access. Dial the number, punch in your code, get messages. No setting up another number, no geeks needed to encrypt.

Yeah, I'm looking into this as the easiest method for us at this point in time. Seems like it will do everything we need and be an easy transition (a phone call to the telephone company).

whoaskew
12-28-2012, 06:52 PM
We use ringcentral. Com and it is awesome

NewChief
12-28-2012, 07:31 PM
And I should add:

Since the partner is moving on (I need to update that other thread in the coming weeks as that epoch comes to a close), she has a single part-time employee that will start at the new year. As such, our needs are pretty meager as far as multiple extensions and things of that nature. Basically we need a dial-in voicemail box and call forwarding at this point.

We also have to be able to send FAXs, but that's a whole other can of worms that drives me crazy. Who in the fuck, in this day and age, doesn't take .pdfs/jpgs via email instead of a FAX machine? Evidently the companies my wife works with.