Although the reasons or timing may vary, every business will at some time need to consider replacing its current phone system. If you currently find yourself in this situation, don’t worry – you have plenty of company.
For most businesses, the need to replace a phone system is driven by a specific event. Although for a small percentage of companies this may take the form of an unrepairable system failure, the majority of businesses find themselves facing a replacement decision for one of five main reasons:
This trigger is one that most owners would welcome – the business is expanding and the existing phone system has simply run out of capacity, with no clear or affordable upgrade path. Whether the underlying driver is the addition of new employees, the opening of a branch office, or the integration of an acquisition, your phone system simply can’t support your current business needs.
You probably have enjoyed years of dependable service from your phone system, but the vendor and local support provider have alerted you that they are no longer able to provide service or replacement parts. Since your business absolutely depends on reliable, “always-on” communications with your customers, the possibility of system failure and resulting business disruption is a risk you can’t afford to take.
When you talk with peers or your technology-savvy employees, you realize that while the system has delivered faithful service, there have been many advancements in technology that can help your employees be more productive and your overall business more competitive. Since your system vendor is no longer investing the R&D dollars to provide new features for your current system, you’re intrigued to learn more about new capabilities and see if they are a good fit for your company.
Although there definitely are times when you need your local support provider to come on site, you’re tired of paying for expensive service calls to perform simple administrative tasks, such as adding a new phone or moving an employee from one part of the office to another. You find yourself thinking that there must be an easier, more affordable way to maintain your phone system.
Few industries are experiencing change at the speed and magnitude of the business communications sector. It’s rare that a month goes by that one provider hasn’t bought another (or is rumored to have done so), or a provider finds itself with declining revenues due to hyperaggressive competition. You worry that your current system vendor may increasingly be on shaky financial ground or facing an uncertain future – prospects that raise questions about their ongoing ability to provide the stability and support you require.