So, why was I so reluctant to recommend a Hosted Phone System eight years ago? And what’s changed since to alter my responses these days?
The answer to that, and many other questions related to the dilemma so many companies face when deciding which technology and set-up to go with, can be found by reading on…
The quick answer is Yes, but in order to get to that answer, business owners need to answer a number of questions themselves.
One of the first questions I ask is ‘What’s important?’. It would be fair to say that the answer to the question ‘What’s important’ to most businesses operating in 2020, has seen a shift, one that implies the modern business world is transforming, and only the fittest will survive these changing times. When I say the ‘fittest’, I’m not talking about the most financially agile. I’m talking about the businesses that are set up to embrace and welcome the changes that are coming. Enterprises that will thrive because of the way they’ve adapted to the way the business world is moving.
When comparing the cost of two quite different technologies, it’s important not to miss the bigger picture. Choosing the right communication system for your business is a decision not to be taken lightly, as it could have extremely positive, and equally negative impacts on the day to day running, growth and ultimate success or failure of the company.
Everything from installation, support, training and existing system integration will need to be carefully considered. Be in no doubt that cost is one of, if not the concern highest on the agenda for almost all businesses.
But is cost just about figures on a quote? Or could it be more about the wider and more impactive ‘unseen’ costs that the company faces by not selecting the solution that really suits them best? After all, cost can be about money, time, employees, and customers – but the truth is it all leads back to money itself in the end, and even more so, success or failure.
It seems that what’s most important here isn’t necessarily the business owner or decision maker choosing the right system for the company, completely off their own back. Of course, the decision maker knows the business extremely well and should shoulder the choices made, however, what is key is that a business that puts themselves in front of a provider that has a process to identify what system would be ideal and why is surely onto a good thing. Being able to demonstrate cost savings, operational enhancements, and future proofing ticks some of the most business critical boxes for many firms across Hampshire and the South.
In addition to cost, another key component of the decision-making process for a new phone system is functionality. This can become less important than cost if the business is for example, not going to use most of the bells and whistles that are available on the new system, so it’s key to find a provider that can ask the right questions to be able to recommend the most beneficial route.
It leads us to the question that if the system you choose will do what you want it to today, do you need to worry about investing more money to take care of tomorrow’s demands? That’s a decision that’s well worth talking over with your potential provider, who should have their finger on the pulse of new technological innovations and ought to be able to advise on the best solution for your needs not just now, but in the future – and align the advice with the goals you’ve set for your enterprise.
Just because you hear a dial tone when you pick up your business phone, doesn’t mean the system is running at it’s optimum.
One particular point I’d like to cover are the many clients I speak to that tell me they are ‘happy’ with their current provider. It’s normally because they are yet to ‘test’ the quality of service, so nothing has happened to constitute a support call. My question is, is that a fair thing to say? No news is good news? My opinion is that it depends on your expectations as a customer.
Me? I would expect the provider I’m with to do the following things as part of their Service Excellence model (yes, they need to have one of those for me to want to do business with them):
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