Which Small Business Phone Service?

Outsourcing the Small Business Phone Service

It has become essential for small business operators to outsource as many non-core activities as possible so they can avoid the distractions that diminish their focus on the main game. It’s as a consequence this trend that the importance of mastering the skills required to select and manage outsourced service providers has come under the spotlight.

Can there be a better example of the trend than the need to address the pain associated with the small business phone system? Phone systems have always been an achilles heel for small business owners, but the issues have become more obvious in recent years as large enterprises have upgraded to more sophisticated technology.

Historically most if not all businesses owned a premise based phone system, either a PBX or key system. The necessity to own and house a dedicated private branch exchange was a requirement that business owners assumed was part of the natural order for some thirty to forty years. The traditional PBX was hard wired, expensive, inflexible and lacked integration with other technology. While SMBs were stuck using traditional TDM based technology, large enterprises began migrating across to IP based PBXs or switches some 5-10 years ago. Big business had both the resources to manage the new technology and the ability to pay for it.

As happens with technology the IP PBX has now been scaled down in size and price. Even SMBs can afford to buy the latest in convergent IP PBX technology, but many are now questioning the logic of “owning” a phone system. They recognize that investing in technology is a two edged sword that on the one hand can increase productivity, but on the other exposes a business to risks including: obsolescence, rapid depreciation, failure to live up to expectations and the loss of that scarce commodity – time.

Technology can be seductive for many of us, but it can also be a major distraction. Small business owners with limited resources can ill afford the cost of becoming entangled in a technology briar patch.

Given the complexity of modern phone systems the options are to either hire a consultant to sort out the technology, or sign up with an external small business phone service. The latter option is almost certainly the direction in which the majority of SMBs will move over the next few years.

Steps to Selecting a Small Business Phone Service Provider

1. Needs Analysis

In this step the requirements of the new business phone system are listed. It’s essential that these requirements are not confused with a specification of how the solution will be delivered. The “How” must be owned by the service provider. Once the customer becomes party to the “How,” ownership of the solution becomes a shared responsibility and the service provider is no longer fully accountable for the success of the solution.

For example, it may seem like a good idea to specify that the new phone system be delivered using an Open Source VoIP PBX with SIP trunks, but if there is a problem with the viability of the solution the service provider will have an escape route as a consequence.

The requirements should list such things as the locations to be serviced, the number of extensions, growth requirements, whether toll free numbers are required, whether backup and resilience are required and maximum acceptable levels of down time. They may also include a list of features that are expected as a minimum, such as:

• Auto-attendant
• Follow-me-calling
• Voice and Fax mail
• Get messages anywhere
• Call transfer
• Web management
• Conferencing
• Call preview and screening
• Music / info on hold
• Scalability

2. Service Level Agreement

It’s essential to have a clearly documented service level agreement that lists the expectations and commitments made by both parties. Most reputable small business phone service providers will include a standard SLA with their quotation, but don’t assume that it covers all contingencies without carefully reading it. SLAs are no less important than the cost of the service. In fact there is usually a relationship between the cost of a service and the contents of service level agreement.

3. Service Reliability

Traditional POTS networks generally operate with 99.999 percent reliability. A commitment to provide 99.1 percent up time sounds impressive, but it’s not. It equates to more than 6.5 hours of downtime per month. It’s essential to have a realistic and acceptable level of service reliability included in the Service Level Agreement.

4. Cost

Cost is the final not the first consideration when comparing service providers. Once it is established that a provider can meet all of the requirements, it’s then time to consider cost.

The Worst Case Scenario

Despite the most thorough due diligence, it’s still possible to select the wrong service provider. It’s seldom a disaster that cannot be remedied within a day or two. Switching service providers should not be a drama. It’s one of the main benefits of this model that the small business operator is not locked into a long term financial commitment and has the flexibility to respond to changing circumstances.

Author: Chris H Green
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Pressure cooker

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