In Seattle there are so many options for phone systems it can be a little overwhelming. Here are some basic tips to help you stay on track to finding the right solution for your business.
One particularly big point to remember about phone systems is to get a system that has plenty of technical support in your area. In Seattle there are many brands of phone systems that may be offered by a small one or two man shop with no other support in the area. Since Seattle is an city that is known for being “techno savvy” people have a higher tolerance for experimenting by purchasing technology brands they have not heard of before. In the case of phone systems this can be a poor choice since it is not a simple matter to switch to another brand if you decide you do not like what you got the first time around.
Look for a reputable brand that has lots of dealer support on a national level. Then make sure you can find the same kind of support in your local area for that brand. Seattle offers several options that fit this criteria. The Avaya product line is one notable example. It is used throughout the world and offers plenty of high quality support in the Seattle area.
So here are the basic tips:
Tip number 1: Plan for today and for the future. Buy a system with the next 3 to 5 years in mind. Will you be adding staff? How far can the system you are looking at grow? Ask the vendor you are working with to tell you the maximum number of extensions the system can accommodate. Also some voice mail systems can only perform 2 to 4 functions at a time. Have your vendor explain to you how growth can be accomplished for the voice mail so you don’t get stuck with a system that won’t support all of the staff you have in a few years.
Phone system vendors design their systems based on the size of the business. Systems follow patterns of growth such as 4 lines and 8 extensions being the base. Then you can add expansion modules and grow the system to 8 lines and 16 extensions then 16 lines and 32 extensions and so on until the capacity of the system is met. Different manufacturers follow different models for how expansion occurs so you will want to get the vendor you are working with to explain how the phone system can grow and make sure you understand the costs associated with this process. Making the right choices at this point can save you thousands in the future when you need to expand.
Tip number 2: Basic phone system features are pretty universal now. You can put calls on hold, transfer calls, and page other phones with virtually any system. One feature to pay attention to is Automated Attendant. We have all heard the greeting that gives you routing options to get to a specific extension on the system. That is the automated attendant. You should make sure that your vendor fully understands how you want your automated attendant to function and get their assurance that it has the required levels to be able to perform the routing you desire. Some automated attendants are very limited and the price difference to move to the next level of automated attendant can be significant so you will want to know up front that it can do what you want it to do so you are not stuck with expensive upgrade costs right off the bat.
Tip number 3: Advanced features. Phone systems have more advanced features than you will actually need. VoIP is one in particular that you will want to understand. VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) is a complicated subject that really requires an article of its own. Basically VoIP is a way to transmit voice calls via the internet. This can be used in different ways. You can call a person on their phone using VoIP trunks or you can use VoIP to communicate and transfer calls between offices. Another powerful way to use VoIP is to have remote IP phones that staff members can use from any location with a high speed internet connection. In this day and age with more and more people working from home offices or remote locations this option can be a great way to stay connected and increase productivity and collaboration.
While VoIP can be powerful many businesses just don’t need it. Seattle area vendors tend to be very focused on offering VoIP applications. Don’t be drawn into the idea that because it is new that you must have VoIP.
One final thing: Remember that any system can have outages due to power loss or other flukes and your phone system is the life line of your business. Make sure you get your system from a vendor close enough (geographically) to get to you quickly in the case of an outage. In Seattle if you are located down town you may want to avoid a vendor that is located in Olympia for example but Lynnwood or Bothell would be close enough.
Well there you have some basic tips to get you started. Make sure to do your homework then pick a vendor that comes recommended and that you are comfortable with. If they are not willing to take the time to help you understand your options then find another vendor. There are plenty of them in Seattle.
Author: Ian Lombardo
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Times
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