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Options for Law Office Phone Systems

Whether you are looking to add more remote capabilities, add business texting to your communications mix, incorporate video conferencing or just know that your phone system is running on fumes, there are a lot of choices for phone systems for law offices that can increase stability and provide lots of options. What should a firm look for in these systems?

POTS, PBX and VoIP

Like many industries, the world of telephony is full of acronyms. The early telephone system, POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) worked on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PTSN). Business telephone systems, which allow for routing and advanced features beyond what a home phone will do, run on PBX (Private Branch Exchange). PBX systems emerged in the 1970s and became “hybrid” when they started to run on VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and no longer relied on analog phone lines. Further evolution saw the emergence of cloud PBX, a fully managed business phone system deployment that includes features like text, HD video conferencing, and more.

For law firms that are still using traditional or hybrid PBX systems it is time to think about upgrading to a cloud-based PBX. The wired systems are old, vulnerable, and lack the features that give your firm a competitive advantage. A cloud-based PBX is not reliant on a physical infrastructure, so it is good for disaster preparedness when you consider fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters that threaten your firm’s facility. It gives you more options for remote practice and working on the go.  You may be able to save money by consolidating or eliminating services or equipment. If you are thinking of making a move, what will you need to consider?

VoIP Features

What does your current phone system do now? What do you need for it to do? What would you like for it to do? Your phone system already has many features like auto-attendant, call forwarding, voicemail, etc. Of course, you will not want to lose any of these functions, but what else could you get with a new system? The Lawyerist has a list of features that any VoIP provider should provide. What other options are available? Depending on the vendor and the plan, you can also look for features like:

  • Business texting (SMS/MMS)
  • HD video conferencing
  • Electronic faxing
  • Team chat
  • Desktop and Mobile Apps
  • Visual voicemail (voicemail transcribed and sent via email)
  • Virtual voicemail (check voicemail from an app instead of dialing a number or retrieving it from your phone)
  • Screen sharing
  • Call flows and call routing schedules
  • Analytics
  • Large file document sharing
  • Integrations
  • Business intelligence (call history, past interactions)

Try It Out

Most cloud-based PBX vendors provide a free trial or offer a way to do a test run of the system. You will absolutely want to put the potential system through its paces and make sure it functions as desired, including the apps. When taking a call on your phone through the app you may drop the call if you are using Wi-Fi instead of your data plan if you are on the go.

Also, think about the client experience. It isn’t enough that the new phone system works for you and your team, it needs to work well for your callers. Make sure to test the inbound call experience including ease of use, good sound quality, and consistency. The system should be easy to navigate and not force a caller to listen to an overly long message or wade through a lot of menus before either getting their call answered or leaving a message. Attorney Dan Jaffe, CEO of LawLytics, writes about choosing a good law firm phone system, including considerations for the auto-attendant. Think about all the things that irritate you when you call a business and try to reduce or eliminate those frustrations for your clients and potential clients.

Decisions Decisions

When deciding about which service to choose, in addition to features and user experience, there are some other factors to weigh. Most providers offer number porting, but if your firm has a lot of numbers and extensions this may take some time. Find out how long. Similarly, if you are replacing a fax machine see if that number can be ported.  You may want to check for any available integrations, including SSO (Single Sign On), your office suite (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365), and/or your virtual receptionist.

You may already have a lot of hardware – desktop phones, conference phones, video conferencing equipment like speakers, displays and controls – that you will need to determine whether they will work with the new system or not. Many of the cloud-based PBX systems work with modern conferencing equipment from Logitech and Poly, but you will likely need to replace your old desk phones.

Time To Buy

If you like your current phone service, you may inquire whether they resell any of the popular business VoIP systems. Since they already know your firm’s needs, they may be the easiest route for upgrading and roll out. If you want to go in a different direction, there are plenty of options. There are full-service resellers, many local, who can get you switched over and hooked up and be available to help when needed.  Or you can go directly to the vendor and either DIY (do it yourself) or see if they have set up assistance.

Popular services include NextivaRingCentral, Ooma, GoToConnect, 8×8, and VoiPly. You may sacrifice a few features to get a lower price point, and some offer a lot of additional premiums. It depends on the size and needs of the firm. Corvum, which integrates with Clio, is a VoIP phone service designed specifically for law firms and integrates with Clio.

Another even newer option that sprang from the COVID-19 pandemic is video conferencing tools adding cloud PBX options. Two big names that are offering these systems are Microsoft and Zoom. Microsoft has Microsoft 365 Business Voice (also called Microsoft Teams Calling) as an add on to the MS 365 Business Plan for $15 per user/per month (annual commitment). This product runs through MS Teams, is limited to 300 users and is not available as a stand-alone. The Enterprise plan for over 300 users is $57 per user. Zoom is offering ZoomPhone. ZoomPhone is $180 per user per year for the Unlimited Regional (US and Canada) plan. They have add-ons like “hardware as a service” for desk phones and conference room setup.

Security Concerns

Is VoIP secure? Yes, with a caveat – nothing is 100% secure. Since the phone will be using your internet gateway make sure to protect it, keep your apps updated and follow all security best practices. Your phone has always had some vulnerabilities. Landlines were susceptible to interception and tapping, smartphones to SIM swapping and other concerns. While Nextiva is one of the big VoIP vendors, they have an excellent guide to security issues with VoIP .  Work with the vendor/reseller/installer/your IT team to make sure to follow security best practices.

Conclusion

It is obvious, but to be a suitable candidate for cloud-based PBX systems your firm must have reliable internet with good speeds. You may be able to save money through consolidation, getting rid of fax machines, video conferencing platforms, leased phones, maintenance, and support charges for physical lines. NCBA members get a discount on RingCentral through Lightwave Consulting.