Small Office Phone System: Setup for 2 to 10 People

A good small office phone system for 2 to 10 people needs one main number, a short phone menu, calls that ring whoever is free, voicemail that arrives by email and an app so people can answer away from their desks. With a cloud phone system, all of that runs online, so there is no equipment closet and nothing to wire.

Here is how to set it up, question by question.

How Many Lines Does a Small Office Need?

Fewer than you might think, because modern systems do not work by "lines." Telonium is priced per user: each person who makes and takes calls is one user. Several calls can happen at the same time on one main number, so a busy morning does not give callers a busy signal.

Phone numbers are separate from users. One number is included for every two users. Many small offices use one main number for everyone, and give a direct number only to people clients call often.

Desk Phones or Apps?

Either, or both. The Telonium app runs on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, and calls show your business number. Desk phones are optional. If you want them, they arrive set up and ready to plug in, usually in 3 to 5 business days.

• Front desk and reception: a desk phone is easiest when you are on the phone all day.
• People who move around: the app on their cell phone.
• Hybrid staff: the app on a laptop, plus a desk phone at the office. Both ring at once.

Our cloud phone system page shows how the pieces fit together.

How Should Calls Reach the Team?

For most small offices, three pieces do the job:

• An auto attendant (the "press 1 for..." menu) with three or four options and 0 for a person.
• A call group that rings several people at once. The first person free answers. This suits a main line covered by two or three people.
• A call queue, if several calls often come in at once. Callers wait in line with hold music and go to the next person who is free, while a live board shows who is waiting.

If you are not sure whether you need a live receptionist as well, our post on virtual receptionists and auto attendants helps you decide.

What Happens After Hours?

Each number has a schedule by day and time. During your hours, calls go to the menu or the team. At all other times, they go to an after-hours greeting and voicemail. Voicemail arrives by email with the recording attached, so the first person in the next morning can sort it.

Set your holiday hours ahead of time, too. You add each holiday to the number with its dates and where calls should go, and it switches on and off by itself.

What Internet Do You Need?

If your office handles video calls smoothly, it is very likely fine for phone calls. A steady connection matters more than a fast one. Our post on whether your internet is good enough for internet phones has simple checks. Set a backup number, such as the owner's cell, so calls still reach someone if your phones cannot be reached.

How Long Does Setup Take?

You can sign up online in about ten minutes, and accounts are usually approved within one business day. After that, setup is mostly decisions: who answers what, what callers hear and where voicemail goes. Once you are approved, your team can make calls on the app the same day. If you are keeping your current number, you can start using Telonium while it moves over, which usually takes one to two weeks.

What Does It Cost for a Small Team?

Telonium is $24.95 per user per month, plus taxes and fees, with unlimited calling in the lower 48 states and parts of Canada and every core feature included:

Extra numbers are $5 a month. Someone who only needs voicemail or forwarding, without a phone, is $14.95 a month. Moving a number you already have is $10 per number, one time. See all the details on our pricing page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Several People Answer One Business Number?

Yes. A call group rings everyone at once, and the first person free picks up.

Do We Need New Desk Phones?

No. Everyone can use the app on a computer or cell phone. Desk phones are optional.

Who Helps If We Get Stuck?

Our support team in Atlanta is here Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern, at 404-566-8888, with emergency support around the clock.