Which Telephone Exchange to Choose for a Company? 

Running a company involves numerous challenges, particularly when creating a well-organized workplace and providing customer service. One of the key challenges in modern business is ensuring seamless communication between employees, customers, and business partners. The variety of telecommunication systems available on the market can be overwhelming, especially if one is not familiar with new technologies and lacks knowledge in this area. Therefore, making an informed decision on which telephone exchange to choose is best done after understanding the capabilities of modern telecommunication systems. 

What is a Telephone Exchange? 

By definition, a telephone exchange is a device that serves as the main component of a telecommunication network for an organization or business entity (regardless of size, including public institutions). It connects the internal network with telephone exchanges or servers of service providers. This solution enables internal communication between employees and external communication (incoming and outgoing calls) without the need for a dedicated line for each employee. 

The first telephone exchanges were operated manually. Later, analog exchanges appeared, where connections were made using cables and landline phones. Users had access to features such as caller ID, voicemail, call forwarding, and call blocking. 

Currently, modern IP PBX systems are available, offering additional functionalities like creating internal numbering, voice announcements, voicemail, call queuing, call recording and archiving, and even building automated customer service. These systems significantly improve communication within a company. IP PBX systems can be categorized into two types: on-premises and virtual, which are described below. 

On-Premises IP PBX (Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange) 

In the past, companies used analog PBX exchanges and digital ISDN (PRA/BRA). Modern IP PBX systems are advanced on-premises devices that provide users with many additional features (voice announcements, call queuing, call forwarding, internal numbering, etc.), enabling full use of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephony. 

An on-premises IP PBX system, with appropriate software (e.g., Asterisk), allows the use of VoIP technology. Internal calls are completely free, and international calls are much cheaper than with traditional operators. Implementing an IP PBX system reduces maintenance and expansion costs while maximizing work efficiency. Moreover, it eliminates the need for dedicated operator lines required by digital exchanges (ISDN PRA/BRA). 

An on-premises PBX system requires installation in the office, with costs associated not only with purchase but also with maintenance and potential servicing. To use the exchange, an appropriate access from a telecom operator is required. For an IP exchange, this would be a SIP TRUNK, while older exchanges would require a digital ISDN line. The number of simultaneous connections depends on the type of access provided by the telecom operator. EasyCall typically offers SIP TRUNKs with thirty simultaneous connections. With a SIP TRUNK solution compatible with an IP PBX exchange, it is possible to present one number for the entire group of external numbers provided by the operator or internal numbers created in the exchange configuration. 

Popular manufacturers of on-premises IP PBX systems include Slican, Platan, Grandstream, and Panasonic. The price of an on-premises PBX typically ranges around several thousand zlotys. 

Virtual Exchange – VPBX (Virtual Private Branch Exchange) 

The quality of internet connections and telecommunication infrastructure in Poland is improving year by year. Gigabit speeds are becoming commonplace, allowing for the transmission of vast amounts of data without loss and delay. This has opened the door to offering IP PBX systems in the cloud, where the company no longer installs physical equipment in its office but uses resources from a provider’s server. The company only has IP phones directly connected to the internet, with their numbers placed in the IVR tree of the virtual telephone exchange, accessible typically via a web browser. 

In this setup, the same functionalities as in an on-premises exchange can be utilized, such as call queuing, loading an mp3 file with an announcement, using a speech generator to read entered text, or setting tone-dialed paths for the caller. Virtual telephone exchanges often have additional options, such as setting up email or SMS notifications for missed calls. 

EasyCall’s virtual exchange is advanced enough to build schemes that collect information from the caller and refer to the company’s internal database to obtain, for example, the client’s ID or order amount, enabling caller verification or self-service information retrieval. 

The EasyCall virtual exchange is provided as a platform accessible via a web browser in the cloud. The platform interface allows remote management and expansion of the call routing scheme using an intuitive drag-and-drop method. 

Below is the management panel of the EasyCall virtual exchange. 

The ability to intuitively manage the exchange and its flexibility translates into time savings for employees. For example, setting up call forwarding or assigning consultants to a queue takes a few minutes, including appropriate voice announcements read by speech synthesis. Implementing a virtual PBX exchange instead of an on-premises one results in significant savings not only in purchase costs but also in maintenance and service costs, which can amount to several thousand PLN annually. 

On-Premises or Cloud-Based? 

Which type of telephone exchange should you choose? On-premises or virtual? One advantage of an on-premises exchange installed at the company’s headquarters is constant access to it, allowing for data security and confidential conversations. However, the lack of external service means that all repairs must be done independently. Maintenance, malfunctions, and issues require knowledge of software and components, often leading to financial and time losses. 

A virtual telephone exchange avoids these problems, eliminating the need for server purchases and additional technical staff. Unlike on-premises exchanges, with a virtual exchange, the company has support from specialists of the provider in case of any issues. 

An on-premises exchange requires IP phones to be connected to the same local network. In contrast, a cloud service allows employees to access work numbers from anywhere with internet access, using various devices like laptops or smartphones. Below is a comparison of virtual and on-premises exchanges. 

Looking to the Future 

A modern company needs modern solutions, so we believe a virtual PBX exchange is an excellent tool for organizing work and customer service. The benefits of choosing it are decisive: 

• Professional voice announcements that can be input as text read by speech synthesis or recorded by a voice-over artist, managed through the IVR panel or uploaded as a ready file. 
• Call queuing with position information and background music. 
• Recording and storing calls in the cloud. 
• Creating a structure of internal numbers with tone dialing options. 
• Centralization of incoming traffic, connecting all branches or departments regardless of their physical location. 

Once rare, remote contact centers or call centers are becoming more common examples of well-organized companies. A virtual telephone exchange allows remote work for all employees, including those in customer service. 

Other advantages of using a virtual exchange include scalability, the ability to expand functions, and adding users practically without limits and without the need for additional equipment and infrastructure. 

On-premises exchanges offer almost the same functionalities as virtual ones, allowing for independent security and maintenance of the entire telecommunication infrastructure within the company. However, this maintenance is costly, requiring the purchase and upkeep of equipment, consuming time, which also has a cost. 

Virtual exchanges lack these disadvantages and are very flexible, enabling the creation of advanced organizational call structures. Such conveniences were once reserved only for large corporations that could afford them. Today, the costs are so low that even micro-enterprises can afford them, thereby building trust in their company and enhancing customer service prestige and reliability. 

Conclusion 

Implementing EasyCall’s virtual telephone exchange in your company will allow you to take full advantage of modern telephony and solve many existing problems and barriers to growth. It will significantly reduce telecommunication costs and eliminate the need for dedicated telecommunication lines. Your modern communication system, based on EasyCall’s virtual exchange and VoIP telephony, will be scalable, flexible, and constantly accessible via the internet.