Telephone Instruments

The selection of individual telephones is often a highly personal decision.  Here are some criteria which may help you choose the types of telephones you need.  Generally features expand from the Basic Telephone up through the Executive Telephone.  Of course, so does the price.  Verify the sum of the telephone quantities you enter is the same as the number of telephones you need. 

• Basic Telephones have 8 programmable speed dial/feature buttons, 8 programmable line/feature buttons and may be appropriate where:

  • Telephone use is occasional such as with guest, lobby, lunchroom, factory floor locations.

  • Call center applications where there is need neither for a speaker nor broad feature use.

  • Economics require expense to be kept to a minimum.

• Speakphones have 8 programmable speed dial/feature buttons, 16 programmable line/feature buttons, a built in speakerphone and may be appropriate where:

  • Speakerphone use is required such as in a conference room or  a private office.

  • Users require more than 8 programmable feature buttons or line appearances.

• At least one Displayphone is required in the system.  Displayphones have 8 programmable speed dial/feature buttons, 16 programmable line/feature buttons, a built in speakerphone, a single line display and may be appropriate where:

  • It is useful to know the elapsed time of the call such as if you are billing or being billed for your time on the telephone.

  • It is useful to know the source of the call you are answering.  For internal calls, the display will show which extension is calling.  For outside calls, the display will show which line the call is on and the calling party's identification (optional).

• Executive Telephones have 8 programmable speed dial/feature buttons, 16 programmable line/feature buttons, a built in speakerphone, a four line display, 8 "fuzzy logic" feature keys and may be appropriate where:

  • Prestige is importance such as in executive offices.

  • Feature use is vast and immediate help is required.  The function of the "fuzzy logic" buttons changes as a call progresses and the display acts as a help screen to access features.

• Secretarial Telephones are a Displayphone with additional buttons for rapid call transfer, placing the system in night mode, rerouting calls to a backup telephone and may be appropriate where:

  • A large number of calls are received and transferred and the number of telephones usually transferred to is 15 or less.  This is usually a central answering position for a department such as a sales secretary.

• Operator Consoles are adjunct units which match up to Displayphones to provide an efficient central answering position.  They are often essential to the receptionist position.

  • Each operator console covers a combination of sixty lines and stations and each position can have three consoles.  To determine the number of operator consoles you need for one operator position, add up the number of telephone lines and telephones in your system.  Divide that by 60 and round up.  So, if you have 28 telephone lines and 85 telephones (for a total of 113), you will need two Operator Consoles per operator position (113/60=1.8; rounded up = 2).

  • Multiply the number of operator consoles per operator position times the number of operator positions you need to determine how many total operator consoles you need.  For example, if you need 2 operator consoles per operator position (as in the above example) and you need two operator positions, you need four operator consoles (2 consoles per position times 2 positions).

• Generic Telephones: The system supports "plain old telephones" you buy at discount office supply stores such as Cosco, Staples, Radio Shack and many others.  This may be appropriate where:

  • You need cordless telephones such as in a warehouse or factory floor situation.

  • Environmental conditions are such that you don't want to expose electronic telephones to the elements.

  • You already have generic telephones and want to reuse them.

  • You have an outbound telemarketing or collection department which exclusively uses headphones and never needs the features of an electronic telephone.

  • Economics dictate you must keep expenses to a minimum.

  Enter the number of generic telephones you will provide. 

  NOTE:  Electronic "proprietary" telephones used with other telephones systems will not work.  However, "analog" standard telephones might.

Telephone Lines

Identify the maximum number of outside calls in progress at any one time.

• If your present console has all lines appearing on it, determine the most  number of lines lit (in use) during your busiest time.

• If there is no where you can observe all lines and you now have an operator console with a busy lamp field, observe it during your busiest period and count the maximum number of lights lit (users on the telephone).

• If you have more than one "group" of lines (i.e. separate lines for the order department), separately determine the number lines needed for each group and then add them together. 

Add one line (for each group) to assure callers never receive a busy (there should always be one line free).

Add one line for each "private" (lines for a particular person's private use) line you desire.

Do not count modem, fax, internet or data lines.  They will generally not be routed through the telephone system.  If you want them to be routed through the system, then add them to the line count and also count them as a generic telephone so there will be a circuit for them.

Contact Information

• Email Address:  Enter a complete email address (ie. sales@nbts.com) where you want our quote sent.  Required.
• Telephone Number: Enter the telephone number where you can be reached in the daytime.
• First and Last Name: Enter your first and last name.
• Zip Code:  Enter the zip code where the equipment will be shipped.  This helps us determine the shipping charges. 
• Existing system: Select the manufacturer of the system you now have.  This may may indicate what parts and pieces you may be able to reuse in your new system.
• Installation Date:  Enter the date you plan to place the system into service.  This may alert us as to whether there may be difficulty meeting deadlines.

• Word Processor Format:  Select the version and maker of your word processor.  We will email you a quote you can open and print out in your word processor. Our default format is MSWord 2000 which is consistent with MSWord 97.  If this format is wrong, you may not be able to read the quote document. 

To determine what your word processor is, open your word processor and click on Help|About.

If you have a different word processor, include the name and version in the comments section.

Comments

• Other Requirements

  • Use this like the body of an email message. 

  • Include any miscellaneous information that may be useful.

  • Ask any question you have about the system.

    • The system has many options and many features which are not listed on the System Price Request.