What Is an NEC Phone System?

Many businesses are looking for new, efficient and reliable solutions to enhance and streamline their communications. The NEC phone system is a popular telecommunications solution that offers advanced features and integrates well with other systems, technologies and infrastructure.

An NEC phone system is a type of PBX system, which is a phone system used for internal and external communication within an organization.

NEC is designed to manage and enable internal and external business communications. 

NEC phone systems offer a wide array of features and communication tools such as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) capability, which allows users to make calls over the internet. Features like these can offer greater flexibility for businesses as well as cost savings.

How Do NEC Phone Systems Work?

NEC phone systems connect internal phones in an organization to an integrated communication network. This network enables people to make internal calls, transfer calls between departments, and connect to external lines for outgoing and incoming calls. These systems often include collaboration tools like voicemail, call forwarding, video conferencing, messaging, and more.

NEC phone systems work by using a central switchboard which handles both incoming and outgoing calls, directing them to the right people or departments according to set rules.

Requirements for NEC Phone Systems

There are some requirements that businesses may need to provide for an NEC to work optimally, depending on the specific system. 

A robust and reliable network infrastructure is essential for NEC phone systems, especially if a business plans to incorporate VoIP capabilities. Adequate bandwidth and a stable internet connection are crucial for clear and uninterrupted communication.

Depending on the specific NEC phone system model, organizations may need to invest in compatible hardware, including IP phones and other accessories, making sure they meet the system's requirements.

Advantages of NEC Phone Systems

NEC phone systems offer several benefits. It is known for being reliable and robust, ensuring minimal downtime. 

A key benefit is scalability; these systems are designed to scale with the growing needs of an organization. As your business expands, NEC systems can easily adapt to accommodate changes.

NEC phone systems provide many advanced features, including auto-attendants, call recording, integrating with mobile phones, and unified messaging, an integrated system for managing emails, voicemails, and other communications centrally. These increase efficiency and foster better communication.

Finally, they also significantly reduce communication costs. They enable VoIP, which in turn provides cost-effective long-distance and international calls over the internet.

Who Can Benefit Most From an NEC System?

NEC phone systems are versatile, making them an excellent choice for many businesses and organizations. However, some businesses may especially benefit.

The combination of scalability and advanced features of NEC phone systems make them ideal for medium to large enterprises with complex communication needs, or smaller ones that expect to expand in size and complexity rapidly. Also, organizations with multiple locations or branches can benefit from the enhanced, seamless communication and collaboration features these phone systems offer, helping them maintain efficient connectivity despite being split across various sites.

With their advanced call features and integration capabilities, they are well-suited for customer-centric businesses. Features like call routing and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools can enable a more personalized customer experience.

Organizations that embrace cutting-edge technology and innovation, looking to leverage its advanced features, as a means of staying competitive in a tight market, will also benefit.

Enhancing NEC Phone Systems With a UNIVERGE BLUE CONNECT Bridge 

The UNIVERGE BLUE CONNECT bridge is a hybrid solution designed for NEC systems. It enables companies to leverage the benefits of cloud-based communications while retaining their NEC systems. NEC phones can integrate seamlessly with the cloud using desktop and mobile apps to use additional features, including collaboration tools like chat, video conferencing, and more, helping to streamline, optimize and support remote work. The bridge is cost-effective with a monthly, user-based fee system. It is also highly scalable and facilitates a transition to a fully cloud-based communication system if a company decides to upgrade in the future.

Considerations 

There are some factors to consider with NEC systems. While they are cost-effective over time, there are up-front investment costs, including hardware, installation, and training costs. You need to have the right equipment in place for the system to run properly, and adequate training is essential for employees to leverage the advanced features. 

You also need to assess how it will integrate with your existing business systems, such as CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software and other communication tools.

NEC phone systems are scalable, but you should make sure your system effectively accommodates your expected future growth and changing communication needs. Businesses should also have a plan in place for system updates and troubleshooting, and to address any technical issues promptly.

NEC phone systems are reliable, efficient, cost-effective, and offer a wealth of features. While they offer many advantages, they do have some requirements and considerations to factor in. City-Com can help you implement an NEC phone system that meets your needs and will be a strong asset for your business. We can help you navigate the requirements, considerations, and available features so you get the most out of your system. We even provide training, so your employees can use your systems optimally.