When was the last time you honestly evaluated the usefulness of your current business phone system? Most people don't think twice about changing phone systems until they break. But if you wait for an outage to think about switching to a new phone system, it is already too late.

Or maybe your phone system is working fine, but it costs you sales with its limited feature sets and complicated call routing. Before making any decisions, check out these six key questions that you should ask yourself about your current phone system. From feature sets to software updates, maintenance to mobile work capabilities. By the end of this listicle, you'll know if your phone system is beneficial or burdensome.

Before making any decisions, check out these six key questions that you should ask yourself about your current phone system.

From feature sets to software updates, maintenance to mobile work capabilities. By the end of this listicle, you'll know if your phone system is beneficial or burdensome.

1. Does your current business phone system have the right features?

Today's business world is more complicated than it was just a few years ago. It would be best if your companies communications were dynamic and flexible to meet new challenges as they arise. Can your current phone system quickly change Daytime & after-hours greetings/announcements? Are you able to automatically forward calls if an employee is out sick? Can the receptionist see whose already on a call before transferring?

2. How old is your current phone system?

The average lifespan of a premise-based phone system is 7-8 years. That's an eternity in tech years.

3. What does it cost you for software updates & maintenance?

Maintaining an in-house phone system, also known as a PBX, can be costly to maintain, and upgrades can sometimes be more expensive than just replacing the entire system. Did you have to hire someone only manage the phone system? Are you locked into a maintenance plan with your current provider? These are just a few of the costs associated with managing your business phone system.

4. Does your business phone system allow you to be mobile?

Companies of all sizes are revamping their business around the fact that employees are now mostly mobile. Studies repeatedly show that people are away from their desk 50-60% of the time. Mobile devices are increasingly becoming the primary device for work and play. Professionals (especially millennials) expect to be able to do their job as seamlessly while they're mobile as when they're in the office – and from any device they choose. Does your current phone system allow you to take calls in and out of the office?

5. What happens to your phones during an outage?

Businesses depend on reliable communications to talk to customers, vendors, and partners. We don't like to think about it but imagine your company's phone system fails during peak business hours and your customers can't reach you. The consequences of just a few minutes of downtime could result in a significant impact on your business's bottom line and your company's reputation.

6. How easy is it to upgrade your business phone system?

Your hiring rockstars and your business is booming. Can your phone system keep up? In-house phone systems can place restrictions on the number of phone lines you can have. Or let's say your business has recently launched an advertising campaign for a new product. You're expecting a significant spike in call volumes and need to more phones right away to handle all the calls. Is your current system plug-and-play, or will you be slowed down by call to your IT person?