It’s possible to reduce your operating costs and increase profitability with the right phone system. Here’s how?
Getting the task done right is always easier with the right tools. Today’s time saving phone features help staff to be more effective and less frustrated?
All these features are an advantage to your business, but shouldn’t be overwhelming to manage. Look for a system that is easy to use and can be virtually self-taught by your employees. Some phones have display windows providing step-by-step directions on how to use a feature while you’re on the phone, further reducing the need for intensive training.
Competing with other small- to medium-sized business or going up against bigger companies has a lot to do with the impression you make on potential new customers. Professionalism and efficiency must mix with the personal touch that gives you an edge. Your phone system is often your potential customer’s introduction to your company. Well-handled calls can mean business, sales, a reputation for top-notch service, or cinching a deal. With today’s affordable phone systems, designed specifically to meet the needs of small- to medium-sized business, the playing field has been leveled like never before. Your customers will be impressed with efficiently directed calls, a quick response (even from the field), and 24-hour phone service.
Growth is possible when you stay on top of your day-to-day business and free your staff from repetitive and time-consuming tasks. Use their time more efficiently by having them look for new business instead. Giving them the infrastructure to work efficiently is half the battle and your phone system is crucial. From automating simple tasks like a receptionist’s duties to creating your first formal call center to handling real-time orders and service, today’s business phone systems offer entrepreneurs the choices and flexibility they need to drive new opportunities and expand their business.
First consider your current phone use?
Your phone system is your company’s lifeline – you can’t afford to miss calls or lose data while your system is down. Ask your vendor to discuss the reliability of their solution – and back it up with a guarantee. Trouble-free use of your system, day in and day out, should be a minimum expectation.
A huge measure of the frustration staff experience is directly related to the technology they must face in their day-to-day work lives. A phone system can have all the bells and whistles but won’t save time or money if it’s too confusing to fully use. Nor do you want to spend valuable time in lengthy training sessions. Look for features such as a display window that provides instructions while you are using your phone. Programmable buttons let each user customize their phone to their needs. Life can be made even simpler with phones offering high quality built-in speakers and headset jacks. Some systems have a labeling feature allowing for quick, professional looking labels to quickly accommodate new staff and office changes.
With today’s phone systems, you can have big company features with a small company budget. The right phone system should provide a measurable return on your investment. As well as simplifying phone use, special software can save you money by tracking billable activities and generating reports on incoming and outgoing calls. Some systems even have tools to reduce the need for external system maintenance. You don’t want your phone system to become obsolete in a year or two either. Make sure you protect your investment by buying a system that can be easily upgraded as your needs change or new features become available.
A flexible phone system will protect your investment as your business grows or changes. Flexibility allows you to easily make system modifications, as you need them. Add a call center for a product launch or try a wireless solution that allows the key members of your team to remain available as they move around your premises. Flexibility can also include the capability to quickly and easily change the way your system is programmed. With some phone systems, programming can be done using a PC in your office. This cuts down the need for costly programming administration and allows the users of the system to make changes to optimize available features.
You want to be able to take advantage of today’s quickly changing technology without scrapping your whole system. As your business grows you want a phone system that can grow with you. Look for a phone system with an open architecture that allows for easy upgrading of both hardware and software.
When selecting your phone system, application availability is a key consideration. Some popular applications to consider ?
Voice messaging systems are designed to take messages but can do so much more?
When there are several people answering similar kinds of telephone calls (at an order desk or reservations office, in a customer service department or technical support center) a call center is the answer. Call centers systematically hold calls in a queue and efficiently route them to your staff. A call center can organize and manage call distribution for as few as two agents to as many as 100+. Systems may have flexible routing and can be customized. For example, you can send VIP callers to special agents automatically, by-passing any hold time or unnecessary prompting for them to have their account information available. Before a call is transferred to an agent, you can have a recorded announcement about a special promotion or new product. (Research has shown that up to 34 per cent of callers will ask about a product or service advertised while on hold.) A call center will help you answer more calls with the same number of staff, cut long ringing and hold time, increase revenues, reduce costs and improve customer service. Ask about call center reporting software as well to help you manage the peaks and troughs in call traffic.
In the future, all voice and data traffic will run on a unified network because of the cost savings involved. The benefits of the future can easily be realized today with an integrated voice and data solution. Reduced operating costs, improved customer service with advanced applications and simplified local or remote network management are all possible today. Integrating the potentially numerous pieces of voice and data communications equipment into a single, fully integrated communications platform, can mean faster response times and a lower overall total cost of ownership. When considering an integrated solution, look for a system with the flexibility to change with your needs and a vendor with longevity, a proven record in the industry and a loyal customer base.
You can choose from a range of enhanced features such as? · Unified messaging ? combine your voice messages, e-mail and faxes into one “in-box” on your PC.
After you have defined your needs, the next step is to match these needs with the right phone system for your business. Look for a vendor who takes the time to understand your business, short- and long-term goals, your business’ competition, the requirements of staff and customers and your budget. Be sure to discuss both existing and anticipated business needs, services, technologies and security requirements. The vendor should suggest a few alternatives for your consideration and clearly explain all the pros and cons of each system.
It’s key to be able to add capacity as your business grows. Look for a flexible, modular system that can be easily expanded or modified. Some systems offer pre-installed applications that can be instantly enabled with a simple key code.
Ask if there is a free trial period for new applications. If the system is linked to your computer network, additional features can be made available in minutes by clicking on an icon on your computer screen. Also ask if the system has remote management capabilities and supports open standards.
Commonly, service, maintenance and training are part of the contract when you buy or lease a phone system. Questions to consider or ask a potential vendor ?
You will need some training on the operation, maintenance and management of the system. As well, the vendor should provide reference manuals and user guides. Confirm that there are no other manuals you will need to buy, and that you can reproduce the materials for internal use.
Reliability is critical in today’s fast-paced, technology-based marketplace. Ask about the reliability of any system you are considering and get the guarantees you need to ensure the system will do what the vendor claims it will.
If you want to upgrade to a new system, ask about what components of your old system can be incorporated, such as phone sets and cabling. Can I sell back my old system?The best way to future-proof your investment is to ensure your new phone system can be easily upgraded. You want a flexible, building block system so that you can grow and fine-tune it to respond to changes in your business. Consider integrated voice and data solutions and get a jump on your competition. Also check about what guarantees are offered. Some companies offer up to a one-year customer satisfaction guarantee, which takes the risk out of your purchase.
Ask about the number of ports – the number of incoming lines and telephone sets that the system can support. Ask about what’s involved to expand the number of ports and at what cost. Ensure that the system you might purchase does not hinder the growth of your business.
Ask about an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) so that your system continues to handle calls during a power outage. Most systems can be connected to a battery to give you back-up power ranging from a few minutes to a few hours. Ensure that programming data and call logs will not be lost in the event of a power failure.
Even the most sophisticated small- and medium-sized business phone systems will fit into the telephone closet in a typical office building. Some systems can even fit onto a table or be wall-mounted and take up as little space as a small filing cabinet.
Nobody likes surprises when the numbers come in. Ask these questions –
Look for a vendor who has been in business for a number of years and has an established reputation ?
You can buy the system, or lease to purchase. Costs for phone systems include the cost for the phone sets, central cabinet, and wiring and installation, training, programming, service and future modifications. Think about financing options and determine if your vendor can “bundle” other services to offer you a complete solution.
Prices can vary widely based on the size of your system and the applications you choose to add. Remember that lower up-front costs are no bargain if they mean ongoing repair and service fees or if upgrades mean purchasing a whole new system. Expect to pay between US $100 to $400 on average per user for the core system, plus installation and service fees. In addition to the hardware, there are additional costs for voice, video and Internet service. Voice and video services are usually about US $20- to $50-per-month, while Internet access may cost US $30 per month and upward depending on the speed of the service.
Service contract pricing varies widely depending on the access to service (normal business hours versus24/7) and the guarantees of how quickly problems will be resolved. We may also offer extended warranty or defined upgrade paths to suppo0rt your ongoing needs. Compare our rates from several solutions and take a few moments to think about the costs to your business of having your phone systemdown during business hours.
