When is the right time to switch?
If you’re not prepared to modernise your business phone system, you could be left behind.
Doing nothing is not the best option
It’s very easy to make a case for updating your organisation’s IT system. The latest operating systems will be faster and smarter. Updating your IT network will make it more efficient, while the latest software will bring new features. Moving forwards is usually the best direction, but often the business phone system is left overlooked.
Various reasons are often cited for this reluctance:
• Updating to a new phone system will be expensive
• Changing will cause widespread disruption to the business
• It will add complexity to existing processes
• Time will need to be invested in considerable staff training
• Employees are familiar with existing phone systems
• Adopting new technology is a leap in the dark
• The organisation is managing well with the current phone system
But remaining with an outdated phone system could mean that your organisation is missing out on efficiency gains. It could also be restricting employee productivity and having an adverse impact on customer service. It could also be costing you more than is necessary.
The warning signs
• Is it getting increasingly expensive to maintain?
• Are you reliant on a third party to make necessary changes to the system?
• Can an issue take hours or days to resolve resulting in considerable downtime?
• Are you using disparate phone systems across your organisation, resulting in inconsistent business
processes? For example, is customer service being handled differently across the enterprise?
• Are you using bolt-on solutions to get your phone system to interface with key business applications?
• Is your phone system struggling to cope with increasing call volumes or seasonal spikes?
• Has your phone system stopped offering all the functionality your organisation now requires?
• Does your phone system make it easy to roll out new sites or is it always challenging to get new lines installed and integrate these sites with the rest of the business?
If your phone system is showing any of these warning signs, then it’s time to consider updating to a modern system. Updating your business telecoms system can make it easier to gain maximum ROI through improved efficiencies, increased productivity and reduced call costs. Employees can do more with less time. Customer service can be enhanced and the downtime caused by a disaster at a site can be greatly reduced or even eliminated.
The benefits of embracing modern phone technology
VoIP connectivity is less expensive than ISDN, with lower call costs
Internal calls between extensions and sites are often free
Line rental cost is also lower
If calls need to be rerouted due to a disaster, there are
no call forwarding charges
Main Points:
• Carry out an audit of your existing phone system – how much is it costing you to manage and maintain?
• VoIPcan save you money and boost productivity
• Moving to VoIP will increase resilience and the quality of your communications