As you can imagine, there are many mistakes that you can make when selecting a business telephone system for your company.
When you choose the wrong system, it can do the complete opposite of what you originally intended it to do. You can end up paying far too much for what are essentially unnecessary ‘bells and whistles’ and ongoing maintenance.
Not to mention getting snagged into a complicated system that no one can figure out in-house and you cannot expand this system without huge upgrade costs. Be very wary of these 10 common pitfalls when choosing a phone system.
#1: Deciding on a telephone system based on price alone
The most common mistakes business owners make, is that they think all business telephone systems are alike, so they choose one based on price alone. The communications of your company are an operational necessity, so not only does it need to work—but it needs to be comprised of the best possible benefits and features. Cheaper equipment and low cost installations may seem like a good idea, but it rarely is.
#2: Not leaving room for expansion
Any telephone system that you invest in, needs to be able to grow along with your business. You certainly cannot afford the ridiculous upgrade costs every year, as your business grows. Be careful to look to the future (five years or more), and try to plan accordingly. Adding features is possible later on, if you select the right system!
#3: Not training your employees to use your system
An important part of installing a new telephone system means that you will have to train your staff to use it properly. Otherwise, how will it ever work? Invest in the right system, AND invest in training from your phone system vendor.
#4: Paying for continuous tech support
Bottom line, you do not need it. Make sure your telephone system vendor stipulates in your contract that you get free support via phone and email when you need it.
#5: Not choosing the right telephone system vendor
Before any benefits can be reaped, you need to find a vendor that will be able to give you great equipment, great installation, better pricing and limitless support. They need to be there for your company when things go wrong!
#6: Not including your employees in the process
Granted, you are the boss, the business owner. But there are people more qualified to know what you need in terms of telephone systems for your business. Your staff of course! Ask them to contribute a list of what your business needs to have, so that you are sure to get all necessary functionality early. It will save you money instantly.
#7: Neglecting next generation features and capabilities
Business owners with vision will understand that next generation technology is the key to efficient business practices now and in the future. For example, save money by channeling your communications through your computer network utilizing Unified Communications. If you do not have these features now, make a plan to integrate them soon.
#8: If you are a small business go for the easy option
Small business owners often do not want to learn new things. So, they stick to what is cheap and simple to learn. Make sure that you do not just go for what is easy—go for what you NEED.
#9: Ignoring business continuity and recovery
Should your system fail, a plan for recovery should be implemented. Your equipment vendor will help design a plan of action in the event of an outage. Telephone systems can have built in redundancies and failovers.
#10: Not understanding the technology
You would be surprised how trusting business owners can be when buying expensive telephone systems for their company. If you are not informed, then how will you be able to decide which features you need, and which you absolutely do not need?
Take time to understand your business telephone system options. A good first step was buying this book. But when it comes down to choosing your vendor, review these issues and really try to understand the ‘why’ behind your technology.