We regularly receive questions relating to business telecoms with emphasis on solutions for smaller businesses such as doctors, vets, schools and colleges etc.
Here are some responses that you may find useful.
Should we buy the cheapest possible business telecoms system?
Any systems we supply will be ones we know meet certain minimum standards of quality and reliability.
We do supply what we call entry-level economic solutions but without sacrificing the above objective.
It may be possible to find extremely low-priced solutions but a little caution may be advisable. If those systems don’t conform to accepted international standards for telecoms and quality, you may find yourself having difficulties in future – both in terms of integration with other technologies and the reliability of your system.
What can a small business telecoms system connect to?
Over the past decade or so, people have made huge progress in enabling various technology systems to connect with each other.
It is now possible to connect a small business system to the much wider telecoms world including the internet etc, however, it would be necessary to examine your precise requirements in order to give a specific answer.
What facilities do such systems provide?
There are a very large number of facilities available – depending upon a combination of your requirements and budget of course.
Examples may include;
- video calls;
- follow me call re-routing;
- conference calling;
- multiple line numbers
- etc.
A typical small business may not need all of these facilities but if you select a solution from a major supplier, it should typically be possible to add functionality to your system relatively easily, should you need it in future.
What happens if my business phone system develops a fault?
Professional providers of telecoms solutions will typically undertake fault resolution within a specified time period. Individual components should, typically, be under manufacturer’s warranty if you select a quality solution.
Once the warranty has expired, it may be possible to take out a phone maintenance and support contract with the solution providers. It is highly advisable to do so, thereby avoiding the need to engage in panic calls trying to find someone to help you in the event you develop a fault.
What does future-proofing mean?
Little is more annoying that investing in a new piece of technology only to find that shortly afterwards it becomes obsolete due to other developments.
In some cases, such as perhaps music or TV systems, this is more a question of style and marginal functionality, however, in the case of phone systems it may seriously affect your ability to link to or communicate with others.
Future proofing simply means taking steps to avoid your business telecoms becoming rapidly outdated by other events, to the extent that it can no longer support your business. It is typically a justification for using major technology suppliers such as Siemens that are using fully internationally compliant systems.
The auto-pilot eating at a desk has become the norm and I am also told that food is often centrally available in offices. It’s cake Wednesday or a Birthday or a Reward! Food is within a few steps or arms reach all day long. So you can literally eat your way through your day and this of course means that food as a coping mechanism has become deeply engrained at work. Clients discover they reach for food to create a break, a distraction or to deal with a difficult moment in their day.
