DIY Network

Assessing Your Phone Needs From "Home Office" episode HOF-103

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Despite advances in communication technology on multiple fronts, the phone remains the standby for business communication. Phone lines now carry more than just voice signals. They also provide the infrastructure for the information highway. Figure A Figure B Figure C Not long ago, phone options pretty much came down to "standard or princess model." Today the world of phones has undergone an explosion. As a home-based professional, there are numerous options that you'll want to consider -- including answering systems, caller i.d., multiple-line capability, and conference calling, to name just a few. Figure D

In most areas of contemporary business, efficient use of communication technology is critical. For several years one of the most often-heard business buzzwords has been "wired," a term that refers to having the necessary technology and connectivity to communicate with others through various electronic means: phone, fax, e-mail, Web sites, etc. The greater and more diverse your capabilities for transferring information rapidly and efficiently, the more "wired" you are.

Despite the advent of fiber-optic, wireless and even satellite-based transmission of information, the most fundamental element of the wired world remains the telephone. Whether you're a home-based professional or a casual home-office user, it's important to assess your phone needs in order to find the phone hardware, features and calling plan that work best for you.


Find a Phone to Fit Your Needs

Having a system that keeps pace with your needs begins with selecting the right phone, and the choices keep growing. It was once the case that aside from a few variations in appearance, all phones were basically the same. Today there are numerous styles and feature sets to choose from. Simply by visiting an office-supply store, or even a discount department store, you're likely to find one-line phones, two-line and multiline phones, cordless and headset phones (figure A), models with built-in answering machines, caller i.d. (figure B), hold and mute features -- and the list continues. Prices vary considerably according to the type of phone and the number of features it has. Multifeature models (figure C) are available that have many of the capabilities listed above built into a single phone device.

Before you make a phone purchase, consider the following:

• How you'll use the phone. For example, will your usage be in a casual home-office situation, or are you a telecommuter working for a corporation? Will an ordinary phone suffice, or will you also need professional types of features such as a hold button, speakerphone or conference-call capability?

• How many phone lines you'll need. Will you want to be able to use the same phone to answer calls from your personal (home-phone) line as well as a separate business line?

• What options will help you most. Some common features include answering machine, call waiting and caller i.d. Ask your sales rep to explain some of the features available on different models. Avoid paying for expensive options that you're unlikely ever to use.

• How much you're willing to spend. Prices range from around $20 up to hundreds of dollars, depending on features. Expect to pay in the $50 range for a basic phone with simple features such as caller i.d. and call waiting. Phones costing upward of $100 generally include features like built-in answering machine, speakerphone and optional lines. Some have separate mailboxes so that messages can be taken for more than one individual and directed into the appropriate stored-messages folder. In terms of longevity, the average phone can be expected to last at least three to four years, assuming normal use.
  
  
  

There are differences among phones in terms of sound quality, and those differences often vary in proportion with price. When selecting a phone, how do you know if you're getting what you pay for in terms of quality? If possible, try taking the two-phone test (figure D). If you're deciding between two phones with similar features -- but one of them costs more -- it may be that the more expensive model has more sophisticated electronics and can deliver sound with more clarity and accuracy. Set up a simple test to see whether there is a discernible difference in the quality of the voice signal. Hook up the less expensive phone first and make a call to a friend. During the course of a short conversation, note the sound quality, and ask your friend whether your voice sounds clear and distinct. Next, hang up and connect the more expensive phone. Call back and conduct the same test to see whether the difference in sound is discernible, and whether you think it's worth the extra expense.

Note: Before taking home two phones in order to compare quality, first check with your retailer to ensure that you'll be able to return the unwanted phone.