The 9 Most Important Things To Consider When Upgading Your Phone System Revised Edition

The 9 Most Important Things To Consider When Purchasing a Phone System
What is Beyond the Desk Phone?
By Greg Eicke
IP Gen Pty Ltd 2012 | www.ipgen.com.au | 1300 851 411 | page 1 All Rights reserved
LEGAL NOTICE
The Publisher has strived to be as accurate and complete as possible in the creation of this report, notwithstanding the fact that he does not warrant or represent at any time that the contents within are accurate due to the rapidly changing nature of the Industry. While all attempts have been made to verify information provided in this publication, the Publisher assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein. Any perceived slights of specific persons, peoples, or organisations are unintentional. In practical advice books, like anything else in life, there are no guarantees of savings made. Readers are cautioned to rely on their own judgment about their individual circumstances to act accordingly. This book is not intended for use as a source of legal, business, accounting or financial advice. All readers are advised to seek services of competent professionals in legal, business, accounting and finance fields.
Introducing the founders of IP Gen Greg Eicke and Colin McKenzie have been working at the leading edge of voice communications for the past 29 years. In that time weve found that most companies are interested in two things when it comes to their phone technology. Firstly, how to increase their productivity with better voice and data communication and secondly, how to reduce the phone bill. we bring great news for the business owner who is looking for impressive productivity increases and equally enjoyable cost savings. Another key frustration for businesses is the sheer complexity of many phone and data solutions. The good news is that communications complexity ends with IP Gen! As do all of its painful implications. Almost three decades in this industry has enabled us to develop what we call brilliantly simple phone solutions. These solutions will make communications and collaboration second nature for your workforce. And of course they save you big dollars in ongoing phone costs another reason why they are brilliant! Now onto the 9 Most Important Things to Consider when Upgrading Your Phone System We put this document together to help people become aware of where the pitfalls are when purchasing new phone solutions and what options you have available to you. Weve been able to piece all of this together because for the better part of our careers weve installed, maintained and sold Telephone Systems. This has also allowed us to provide sound advice from Feet on the Street and Hands on Technical Experience so that our clients get the best solution and value for money
Here a the 9 Mos Impo are e st ortant Things to Co onsider r When Upgr rading Your Phone Syste g e em
grading you phone sy ur ystem can be a mine field of co e onfusion an techno nd Upg bab bble. It is so important to get this purchase right since communication is th o t s e e he life blood of an modern organisation. ny Are you confused by any of the foll y lowing?... Do ystem or a more comprehensive VoIP pho e one ? D I need a digital telephone sy system s ? W What is be eyond the d desk phone e VoIP, Unifi Commu ied unications, Web conf , ferencing a Collabo and oration ? V How can I leverage o mobile p off phones ? H How can I extend the value of m existing business investmen e my g nts ? H
are, oure not alone. This guide was develope by Greg Eicke who s s ed o If you a then yo has 29 years of f feet on the street exp perience he elping orga anisations implement the best an most cos effective telecomm nd st e munication system for their indiv r vidual need ds. Greg went on to ensure that the options t t e that were desig gned to acti ively enhan nce he provided w r xcessively s stretching our our business without ex Greg also fr reely advise without ed budget. G favour, on so olutions wh hich were o outside of h his commerc realm. cial
IP Gen Pty Ltd 201 | www.ipgen.com.au | 1300 851 411 | page 4 All Rights reserved n 12 s
The nine most important questions you need to ask before you purchase a phone system. 1. What is beyond the desk phone? We communicate in a bewildering array of ways every day, but we give little thought to the potential profit and efficiency increases of modern communications integrated into business processes. In most cases these technologies are almost always isolated Silo based, which means little or no integration and the true potential of the device or application is not realised. Here are some ideas you may not have considered. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? PC based applications Softphones, Instant Messaging, Chat, VoIP. Smart Mobile Phones Tablets such as the iPad, Samsung Galaxy, BlackBerry Playbook. Screen Sharing where others can see your desk top Conferencing Voice Mail to email Video Fax to the desk top and smart phone Instant Messaging and chat Integrated Unified Communications Platforms, not Silo based system used in isolation. Some considerations about your business processes ? Do all employees work in the office or not? ? How do employees connect when they work remotely or travel ? Can I adopt IP telephony with my existing system? Is the sales person trying to baffle you with techno babble and sell you on features that you dont really need, offer no business improvement and may rarely use? A true professional telco expert will expand your knowledge and reveal ideas where you can gain significant financial advantage from smart telephony features.
2. Do I really need a Digital Key Telephone System or a more comprehensive Unified Communications (UC) solution? Look beyond the phone system and Telco bills. Its easy to stay put and stick with the status quo, however the world around us is changing very fast. The last big change was from Analog to Digital in the late 90s. The development of digital has long since ceased making way for IP Telephony and unified communications. The impact of smart phones places every user in easy reach with instant email, chat, Instant Message, presence, voice mail to email Just stop for a moment and think of when you didnt have a mobile phone, let alone a smart phone. How did I cope I hear you say, well lets look at telephone systems is the same light. If you need some of these features you need a DIGITAL system Low hardware costs. Ease of maintenance. Basic call handling. Low IT literacy of Staff. Analog equipment like cordless phones and fax machines. Cordless Phones for staff on the move. Traditional PSTN & ISDN lines. Simple Voice Mail.
You need to purchase a Digital Key Telephone System If you need some of these features . Multiple Branch Offices so you can appear as one to your customers. Roaming staff between branch offices simply log into your phone just like you do for your PC. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software Integration / email / voice mail Access to key staff regardless of location Teleworking Fast accurate access to contacts means you can use familiar CRM contact software to launch calls. Desktop Telephony Software for enhanced telephony features
Increased staff efficiencies and productivity Many tiny improvements make quite a difference overall result. In house administration which means lower cost of ownership. User Presence Information know whether a person is busy before you call. Advanced Call Management Conference calls so you can avoid the hefty cost incurred by carrier supplied conference bridges. Central Telephone Operator / Reception means you can potentially save thousands on staff wages. Desktop Fax Means you can send direct from your desk top and receive direct to your inbox. Perfect for sales orders, support requests and personal faxs. Instant Message across your enterprise Video conferencing So users can easily take advantage of the power of video, perfect for support sessions and when you need a face to face meeting with a colleague in another state or city. Staff Mobility So you be sure customers can reach staff with a single call no matter where they are and be able to work from anywhere. Web Collaborative Conferencing so you can easily create conference calls and share your desk top screen saving thousands on travel expenses. Call Recording So you can maintain best practices and enhance customer service.
You need to purchase a Unified Communications or IP Telephony solution What is Unified Communications? Unified communications bridges the gap between IP Telephony and other computer related communication technologies. Unified Communications is not a single product, but a set of products that provides a consistent unified user interface and user experience across multiple devices and media types. What is IP Telephony? IP (Internet protocol) telephony is a technology that supports telephone calls on your computer network. In the office you will see that your telephone can now plug into the same cable as your computer bringing both devices and their full potential closer together.
3. How can I leverage the flexibility of mobile smart phones and tablets? It takes more than a laptop and mobile phone to keep remote employees connected today Being connected means instant access no matter where and when. Many telephony manufacturers have developed applications for smart phones and tablets so users can instantly access the same information on their mobile devices just like they would on their desk top in the office. Did you know? 60% of employees say they dont need to be in an office 32% of employees globally now rely on more than one mobile device 38% of employees are most productive at home Cisco Systems Mobility Survey, 2012 The daily commute to work is stressing out Australian workers more than ever and technology is badly needed to improve things, according to a new study technological solutions include introducing greater flexibility to work from home (35%) The smart phone has revoultionised our world, here are some ideas for you to consider. Empower mobile smart phones and tablets with Telephony applications so users can be productive no matter where they are. Before you call, instantly know if a person is busy or unavailable no matter where you are. One number contact features for key employees like Find Me, Follow Me and Mobile Twinning. Leverage flexibility with dynamic call routing like Have your mobile ring at the same time as your desk phone Have your mobile or desk phone ring based on the location of your mobile phone using GPS coordinates.
4. Can I extend the value of my other business investments? You can potentially re harvest the initial investment in many other business applications enhancing business processes and employee efficiency. A small improvement in each business process amplified over each employee is a tangible and significant financial gain. Seamlessly integrating communication and collaboration tools is essential for businesses wanting to remain ahead of the competition. Mobile employees, geographically diverse customers and demanding shareholders require access to communication tools that are flexible and easy to use. By centralising and managing these capabilities provides your business with a transparent and scalable solution. Accelerated business processes and decision-making are key benefits that our customers experience because they have immediate access to people, data and applications: anytime, anywhere, on any device. Imagine beginning an email or instant message to a colleague then realising that person is on line. Instead, you decide to connect with them via video from your desktop to discuss the content of your original message ... instantly. That is the power of unified communications. Customer Relationship Management software (CRM) integration so you can click to dial, know whos calling before you answer, easily logs calls from customers. Voice Mail to email integration so you never miss an important message again. Fax integration which means you can receive fax no matter where and when. Multi party conference, collaborate with other staff easy and very cost effectively. Desk Top Screen sharing takes conferencing to the next level. Identify where integration can have a big impact. A tiny gain for each phone call or business process cannot be ignored. What are employees asking for? How can you help improve productivity? Cloud offerings increase flexibility and capability. Look beyond the phone system.
Communications Enabled Business Processes is where youll see Unified Communications on steroids. You can build on your telephony solution investment gaining in many other areas of your business. Very Efficient. Very Productive. Improved investment value. Enhanced strategic value. Server and Cloud based Sales Force.com, Netsuite and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Microsoft Outlook 5. Have you considered all available options? What are the latest innovations? ? ? ? ? ? ? Cloud based solutions Proven, Flexible and very capable Whats going on beyond the desk phone Mobility Smart Phones and Tablets SIP trunking for lower call costs Unified Communications Presence Beyond conventional telephony Instant Message Chat Text Video Availability Make only one call No Telephone Tag More Efficient Excellent Strategic Value
? Desk top Video Beyond conference rooms, collaborate with staff and customers. ? Live video presentations and web seminars. ? High Definition Audio and Video lots more value Changing, upgrading or modifying one communication component can potentially impact your other communication means. So have you considered all aspects and potential implications? Will your Telephone System keep up with the changing world? Is your telephone system capable and flexible?
If you are buying a complex s e solution like we were, e you need to unders d stand what youre get t tting. Greg g was the one who m made sure we understood which h gave us the confide ence to mo ahead. ove
If nt t st one, it as a part of a 6. I it doesn fit dont force it Its not jus a telepho powerful su of business tools p uite s. you ng Build mobility into y plannin u our next level Allow you to take yo business to the n Telephon System should wo with you not again you ne ork u, nst Dont sta with limit feature ay ted es Staying c connected should be easy Unified C Communica ations Prese ence Instant Messag ge Text e Voice Mail What works for you? t Must be e easy to deploy Must wor the way you want t rk to Enjoys th latest ap he pplications and capab bilities Potential telco cost reductions s g eeds Scale up and down according to your ne Support r remote workers Business Continuity and recov s y very Redunda ancy Cost cert tainty Tot cost of o tal ownership
As a larg medical clinic, we are used to spending a ge o g lot on telep phone acc counts, how wever we a saving are between 5 to 60 pe 50 ercent off o monthly bill . It i our y is good to kn now that th system s he should pay for itself y f within two wo-and-a-ha years. alf
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7. Scalable - Dont under estimate and overestimate growth. Your customer needs may change over time and new competitors with better technology will certainly come your way. Dont get stuck with massive hardware investments. Long term contracts should be avoided and dont get cornered into an expensive forklift upgrade. Due diligence is key here. 8. Your phone system is not a commodity Telephones are critical to the success of any business, dont base your decision on price. Telephone calls may be a commodity, dont get caught in the fatal trap of bundling your calls with the purchase of your phone system. The rule of thumb is bundle and beware, this is where telcos are only interested in your monthly spend not how to improve your business. Telephone systems cannot be purchased anywhere; it must be specifically designed and engineered for your business needs. A correctly designed telephony system will return your investment faster through more efficient business processes so you can lead your competition and gain more market share. Its not just about the phone calls. Understand the value a good system can provide. Empower your business with advanced features like Follow me and Find Me. Make sure it supports every part of your business. Leverage its capabilities with other business processes.
Cost Verses Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Beware of hidden costs. The phone bill is only part of the real cost. Here are some things to consider. Upfront Investment for hardware and phones Installation and cabling Ongoing administration and maintenance Upgrades and enhancements Remote access and diagnostics Adds moves and changes IT personnel involvement during deployment Eco friendly Training
Customer experienc Dont discount the custo r ce t omer experience 9. C P yourse in your c Put elf customer sh erstand exa actly how y your hoes; unde c customer c calls are ha andled. Mo onitor this re egularly; dont wait fo a custom or mer c complaint. Test the calls. t How did the sy w ystem hand your ca dle all? Was it easy to navigate? s ? Call during and after hou so you k d urs know for su how yo custom ure our mers ceive your company. perc Hav a clear id on wha will happ for eac incoming call. ve dea at pen ch g Kno where th call has been befo you ans ow he ore swer with h history note es and call traces s. nk mplications of a negat tive custom experie mer ence. Thin about im Thin about the impact o adding in nk of ntelligence to your calls with integ gration with CRM sof h ftware. This is often o s overlooked or treated as a toy y.
Greg went on to ensure that the options t t e that were desig gned to acti ively enhan nce he provided w r xcessively s stretching our our business without ex Greg also fr reely advise without ed budget. G favour, on so olutions wh hich were o outside of h his commerc realm. cial
Bon questions to ask vendors nus k s ? Were the availa e able voice t technologie explaine in layman terms to es ed make an informed decision? e ? Did th offer ta hey angible and proven co reductio strategies? d ost on ? Do they sell and support recognised brands C d Certified by y ufacturer? manu ? Does the offer in nclude lon term Te ng elco contra acts for you loyalty? ur or nials - how recent are the testim e monials? ? Ask fo testimon ? What is their de epth of expe erience in my industr or specif business ry fic s s? needs ? What technical a trainin support is available and ng e? While the financial b benefits are e g great, the t thing that i impressed me m most was t way Gr the reg r responded to my call The d ls F Follow up s service wa excellen as nt Peter Rushmore, Practic Manage Terrace Eye Centre. r ce er. e ? Can I access su upport and training ou utside of no ormal busin ness hours s? ? My bu usiness is A Australia w wide can I be suppo orted? ? Ask fo an exam or mple of how a difficult / extraordinary custo w t omer servic ce issue was resolv Prov ved vide a testim monial
I have dealt with Greg Eick for many years and he alway e ke y d ys takes th time to u he understand our needs and conc d s cerns. Greg is g easy to talk to, esp pecially wh it come to expla hen es aining in ow phone sys stem will op perate. laymans terms ho the telep ? Laurice Woods, C e CEO. Janitor Suppli ies
other key fr rustration f busines for sses is the sheer com mplexity of m many phon ne Ano and data solutions. The good new is that co d e ws ommunicat tions comp plexity ends s with Greg Eick As do all of its pa h ke! ainful implic cations. Almost three decades in e this industry h enabled me to de s has d evelop wha I call brilliantly simp phone at ple solu utions. The solutio will make communications a collabo ese ons and oration sec cond nature for your w e workforce. And of cou urse they s save you bi dollars in ig n ong going phone costs a another rea ason why t they are br rilliant! Her res what a few peopl have sai about the way I have helped them to le id eas solve co sily ommon co ommunication problem in their businesses ms s
The combinatio of Direc Dial numbers, on ct nal o essaging an ability to nd o person voice to email me rerout calls from the field to the offic (and visa te m ce a versa) has mean that our customers are now ) nt s receiv ving enhanc levels of service at no ced additio onal cost to FITEC o Tim Is saacs, Gen neral Manager. FITE EC
Norma a sales person w tell you a ally s will anything to o make a sale h delivered on his pr he d romises. Gr reg od ng ys ce is goo at keepin an eye out for way to reduc costs we have saved about $900 a month sin e nce the ne phone s ew system was installed. s Ross Tait, CEO Ballina T O. Toyota
e ually halved the month cost of d hly we have virtu calls t mobile p to phones H advice p His proved to b be financ cially sound and we a very ha d, are appy with Gregs thorough attention t detail s h to Darry Dickson, Chief Fin yl , nancial Off ficer. Huebn Toyota ner a
As I write this, we are in t middle of flu seas and we the son e here near th number of compla he r aints from have had nowh d hrough to th clinic he patients saying they could not get th were losing more than 1,000 cal a month with our o g n lls h old We w syste em. Cath Sawyers Practice Manager Wellers Hill Medic hy s, e r. cal tre. Cent
It w clear th Gregs p was hat primary obj jective was to make s med d ble sure that I was fully inform of the details and comfortab the on aking. The other sup e ppliers with t decisio I was ma seem to be m med mainly focu used on clo osing the de eal. Marc Richard cie dson, CEO Lincoln Brokerage O e.
I was impresse with the effort that IP Gen we to in ed t ent unde erstanding a analys and sing our ne eeds. Greg g recom mmended a terrific IP Telephon system a then P ne and provi ided some wonderful recommen ndations on how to n reduc our pho bill by u to 48%. ce one up Kate Casey, M Manager Mi itchell Ogi ilvie Mens swear.

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The 9 Most Important Things To Consider When Purchasing a Phone System

What is Beyond the Desk Phone?

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