Today's Business Phone Systems Aren’t One-Size-Fits-All

By: Chris Kadoun
January 31, 2018

When it comes to your business, there are certain things that set your company and its workforce apart from the competition and the rest of your industry as a whole. Perhaps you proudly boast a mobile workforce that is always on the go. Or maybe you revel in conducting most of your work from your office space. Whatever it is, your business is unique and deserving of a business phone system that matches it.

This means that it's important to realize your business phone system cannot be a one-size-fits-all solution. How do you shop for new phone systems when you need to find the best fit for your business? The simple answer is to work with a proven provider that uses a reliable process to find the right business phone system for your unique company.

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Discovery Stage

The first step in the process is to compare the phone systems you use today with the operational requirements of your business. What do you need from your phone system? Does your present system meet those needs? More importantly, what would you like a business phone system to do that your current system isn't doing?

A good telecom provider is one that's willing to sit down with you and discuss your business objectives and growth plans to better assess your current operations, as well as your future operational goals. This includes determining how many employees need phone access, how many rooms need conferencing phone service and so on.

Demonstrate Possible Business Phone Systems

One of the toughest factors in the phone-buying process is selecting the right phone system for your business. Do you choose a traditional IP phone or go with a more advanced IP soft phone?

If your business boasts a mobile workforce, for example, IP soft phones are a great option. Soft phones operate like web applications, allowing mobile workers to access all the features of a physical IP phone from a PC desktop or laptop, as well as providing unified communication features such as instant messaging, visual voicemail and personalized USB configurations.

The only way to truly discover which business phone systems are the best fit is to experience firsthand what different systems offer in terms of features and functionality. Voice technology changes rapidly, and if you haven't upgraded systems in a while you may feel overwhelmed. A great telecom provider should offer demonstrations that highlight the features and functionality of new phone system options, helping you make an informed decision.

Unique Situations Require Unique Solutions

Once your requirements for a business phone system have been analyzed and you've gotten hands-on time with some of the potential new phone options your company could invest in, it's time to design a unique solution to meet your operational goals. Working with a telecom provider offers you the benefit of a solution that is tailored to suit your specific business.

A good telecom provider won't stop at telling you what works for your business and what doesn't. They'll also take into consideration your needs, preferences and budget before recommending a new business phone system.

Agree to a Statement

After all of the legwork is done, it's time to sit down and go over an outline of all the details covered in the previous steps. Your telecom provider should be able to provide you with a proposal of the phone system details covered in previous discussions, highlight the features, services and equipment agreed to earlier and provide a game plan to follow moving forward.

You'll want to keep a sharp focus on the responsibilities of both parties in implementing your new system. The statement of work and implementation agreement should define your company's responsibilities as the process moves forward, as well as those of the telecom provider you're working with.

Buying a new business phone system can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. Working with an experienced telecom provider helps avoid critical errors, such as underestimating the size of a new system to accommodate your future growth, and ensures you implement the right phone system for your business.

 

Create a telephone system that meets your business communication needs. Contact a Marco Rep

 

Topics: Phone & Collaboration