There are some key factors you should consider when choosing a phone system for your car dealership or car garage
Phone Connection - Hosting Options - Cost - Calling Features - Collaboration tools – Business Mobility
There are three types of phone systems; Hosted (sometimes referred to as VoIP), IP and Hybrid.
When you choose a hosted phone system for your business, you are effectively renting a cloud-based phone system and use your internet connection to utilise it.
Should you opt for an IP Phone System, you use your internet connection to use the phone system but instead of renting the phone system, you purchase the phone system for your own use; and you choose where to host it. An IP Phone system can be hosted on-premise (or in a data centre) or you can have it hosted on your own private cloud.
Lastly, a Hybrid Phone System; it combines the different types of connection technology (ISDN, Analogue, Digital and IP) into a single modern and flexible phone system. Most car dealerships and car garages opt for a Hybrid Phone System when they have ISDN, Analogue or Digital infrastructure but want the advantages that IP brings to the table. It is worth noting that a Hybrid Phone System is an on-site phone system and isn’t available as a fully cloud hosted system.
Ideal Phone System for your Car Dealership
For a small car dealership where you have a need of less than, say 30 extensions, we would recommend a hosted phone system. This is due to the fact that the hosted phone system offers you the scalability and flexibility that you need and the pay-per-user model makes it much more cost effective.
Should you have a chain of car dealerships, we would recommend an IP Phone system, however if you have existing infrastructure that can be used, then we’d recommend a Hybrid Phone System.
Ideal Phone System for your Car Service and Repair Garage
For a car service and repair garage, the best phone system would most likely be a hosted phone system. This is due to the fact that you wouldn’t need very many extensions, certainly less than 20 for most car garages. The hosted phone system offers you the scalability you need and the pay-per-user model makes it much more cost effective.
Should you have a chain of car garages, we would recommend an IP Phone system, however if you have existing infrastructure that can be used, then we’d recommend a Hybrid Phone System.
Pros and Cons of a Hosted Phone System
- Flexibility as if you need to move to another office your phone system will simply plug-in.
- Scalability as adding and removing users is simple.
- Variety of Features such as video conferencing, call routing, voicemail recording sent to email etc.
- Automatic upgrades are distributed to all users.
- Phone system Management is in your hands as you have access to change any settings such as opening times or we can do that for you.
- Business continuity is covered with hosted telephony, as your calls can be instantly rerouted in the event of an outage.
- Minimal set-up costs as there is no hardware unless you want a phone handset.
- Pay-per-user monthly cost.
- No physical hardware to host on-site or remotely.
- Speedy installation unless you need cabling for your internet connection.
- Maintenance is included within your monthly subscription.
- The only “limitation” of a Hosted Phone system is that you are using IP technology which means you need a reliable internet connection as it determines the reliability and voice quality of your phone system.
Pros and Cons of an IP Phone System
- You own the system.
- You can choose where to host it, whether that be on your own server/ on-premise/ hosted in your own private cloud via a data centre; it gives you ownership on the maintenance of the system.
- No long-term contracts (unless you purchase using finance.)
- Scalability as adding and removing users is simple.
- Variety of Features such as video conferencing, call routing, voicemail recording sent to email etc.
- Phone system Management is within your control as you have access to change any settings such as opening times.
- Business continuity is covered as your calls can be instantly rerouted in the event of an outage.
- There will be up-front costs to purchase however, it can be financed or leased.
- You will need to choose somewhere to host it, whether it be on-premise or hosted externally which may incur additional costs.
- Maintenance will be your responsibility unless you outsource this aspect or it can be included in the lease.
- Your voice quality is determined by internet connection so you need to have a strong, reliable internet connection.
- Any upgrades are at your expense.