Chess Business Phones Review

Even though home landlines are no longer a given, having a phone line of some sort is a no-brainer for any business.

It gives you a dedicated phone number, and your customers receive a professional introduction to your business.

So you know, you need one, but what provider do you pick?

There is a bundle of phone providers in the UK, most offering a range of telephone technologies.

Today, we are going to focus on what Chess telecom can offer you.

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Chess Telecom has been in operation since 1993 and now has 40,000 business customers in the UK.

The company started out as a utility reseller but moved into telecoms in the late 90’s. They now offer IT infrastructure and data protection services, as well as phone and internet.

Chess is known as a dynamic business; they frequently win awards for their innovative business style.

They were number 1 in the Sunday Times “100 best companies to work for” 2018, so don’t forget to feel a bit envious of the customer service agent when you get them on the phone.

In this guide you will find:

Chess offers a “Never beaten on price” guarantee and state that their prices are 15% lower than BT.

So if you choose this provider, you can be sure that you a getting a great price.

Their list price for an analogue line is £20.99-£23.99 per line per month.

The price you will pay will depend on the telecom package that you select, as well your location.

Let’s look at your options:

Chess phone solutions

Chess can offer you a phone solution whether you are looking for a single primary line or to set up a large VoIP based call centre.

There are two leading technologies that you will be choosing between:

• Traditional phone lines with an IP PBX
• VoIP

Traditional phone lines with an IP PBX

This starts with a landline like the one you might have at home and could be an excellent simple option for small businesses.

If you have more than just a couple of people in your office, you can add a switchboard (PBX) system to increase the number of extensions you have and manage the incoming flow of calls.

Chess can offer you a cloud-hosted PBX product which gives you useful tools without any setup or maintenance challenges.

VoIP (Voice over the Internet Protocol)

Selecting an internet-based phone system means that you can quickly scale up your phone network.

VoIP systems are also cheaper than traditional phone lines, but having fast and reliable internet is essential.

Otherwise, you will experience quality issues. This option is also excellent for incorporating remote workers and those who work best from their mobiles.

So which technology is right for your business?

You might be starting up a new office, and not have any existing infrastructure or equipment.

If this is the case, then your choice is pretty easy, get a VoIP system.

As long as you have a decent internet connection, then a VoIP will offer you flexibility at the best price.

If you are changing from an existing phone system, then you have a more complicated choice.

With an IP PBX system, you can integrate most of your existing systems and likely reuse your current phone handsets.

If you pick a VoIP system, then you will probably need to buy all new equipment, but it could still work out more affordable in the long term.

Extra telephone offerings

SIP Services

SIP can be used with VoIP technology and allows you to:

• Select your business’s phone number independent if geography
• Keep your existing business phone numbers if you move offices
• Use internal communication apps to work with your colleagues

Text Communication

Chess can help you to communicate with your customers and prospects via text message.

This service is excellent for getting important messages out quickly and relating to your customers in a new way.

Other Services

Chess can also offer you a range of other products and services:

• Broadband internet options to be used with or separately from a phone service
• Chess can help you design your business network and offer support services
• Mobile contracts to suit your communication needs

Other customers don’t seem to be many issues with Chess contracts.

Also if you are a small business (10 employees or less), then there are special conditions to protect you.

For example, you can terminate your contract within ten days of signing if you change your mind, and there is a process you can follow if a complaint isn’t resolved.

If you want to terminate your contract, you will need to give Chess 30 days notice.

If you are still in your initial contract period, early termination charges will apply, as per your contract.

These charges are either based on a quoted “minimum spend” for the package you selected or else it is the average spend per month multiplied by the remaining months left in the contract.

So now that we know all about Chess phones are they your best option?

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There are plenty of business broadband providers out there; you will want to consider cost, speed and service when making your selection.

Plusnet and two common alternatives have been put head to head below:

Chess reviews are great on Trustpilot, 63% of reviewers say their experience was excellent.

Most reviewers mention the excellent customer service that they have received from Chess.

Negative reviews on Trustpilot have been actively responded to by the company.

Chess uses BT lines and maintenance engineers, so depending on your perspective, you will either be receiving a BT product at a lower price or will be going through an intermediary if you have any maintenance issues.