Microsoft now does phones. The software giant, and partners, will soon offer a small business phone system that programs itself with your voice commands. And that's just one feature of a new futuristic phone system for small business that's on the way. The new business phone system is designed to be easy-to-install right from the box. It will support both VoIP and traditional phone lines and will take voice activated user commands (that's you telling it what to do).

The idea behind Microsoft Response Point (that's a code name; the system is still in beta) was to invent an expandable business phone system that small business managers can easily change and update themselves. Response Point will have a PC-based management console that lets you accomplish tasks like adding a phone for a new employee or creating a call distribution list in a couple of minutes. Here are some high points:

1. Easy programming. Just press a button and tell the phone what you want it to do.
2. Portabillity. Moving? Just pick up your phone system and take it along.
3. Easy to buy. Response Point systems will come complete with base unit, voicemail, software and desktop phones. Use as many features as you like and add phones or extensions without additional licensing fees.
4. Feature rich. Phone and service configuration wizards; one-touch voice commands; auto receptionist; built-in voicemail; voicemail to email forwarding; incoming call notification on your PC; contact integration with Outlook. Press one button on a cordless phone to access anyone in your company directory, anyone in Outlook contacts or a range of calling features with a few simple words.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Check Response Point availability

Small business phone systems based on Microsoft Response Point are scheduled for introduction in late 2007. Xuedong Huang, who headed development for Microsoft, promises a small business phone system that's radically different from anything on the market now.

I recommend: The Microsoft Response Point website will have the latest information on when and where the systems will be available. There's also an online demo, a video case history of a small business that tested the system and details of Response Point features that will be available.

Preview the system hardware

Three partner companies are building the Microsoft Response Point phone systems.

I recommend: D-Link DVX-2000, Quanta Syspine and Uniden Evolo are the three hardware systems that will be available to small business. You can see photos of the system hardware at the site.

Consider a switch to VoIP

Response Point isn't just Microsoft's first foray into phones, it's a key part of its emerging strategy toward VoIP communications.

I recommend: See Work.com's Guide to VoIP for Small Business for complete details on how voice over internet protocol technology can help your business. As Microsoft's entry into the market demonstrates, VoIP may be the future of small business communications.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Response Point phones will have a special button that you'll use to transfer, park and retreive calls by voice command.
• •  The same button lets users access co-workers by simply saying theiur name.
• •  Voicemail features include the ability to retreive, forward and archive messages from your phone or your email.
• •  You can use as many features as you like with no extra charge.