Moving your analog phone system to a hosted PBX provider is a big change which can deliver great improvements. When investing in new technology it is important to ensure you are getting an effective solution which suits your business both now and in the future.
To many business owners this can seem overwhelming, so we have put together the ten key questions you need to ask your service provider. We hope this will assist you with your due diligence and help you to ensure that you choose the best system and provider to meet your business requirements for cost, quality, scalability and service.
1. What are the startup/implementation costs?
While explaining set up product fees, the setup costs may not be transparently explained and can pop up as a nasty surprise later on.
Asking the next two questions will also help you to address unforeseen equipment costs
2. Is the system compatible with my fax machine?
Not all phone lines that have the VoIP feature will work with a fax machine so you need to find out if there will be extra costs incurred for this compatibility.
3. How will my pre-installed analog phone system be integrated into the new system?
It is important to understand this process and extra costs that you may face to purchase new phones and equipment if required.
4. What are the rates?
It is crucial you have a clear understanding of the features you need to use and whether or not they will incur extra charges to avoid bill shock and get a realistic idea of your ongoing charges.
5. What is the termination policy?
This needs to be clearly stated including a breakdown of exit fees and penalties if you break the contract early.
6. What is the extra cost in expansion?
As many businesses have goals to grow in the future, you need to consider scalability and ask about costs involved adding extra phones in the future.
Not all costs are measured in “dollars and sense”. It is important that you consider service and efficiency and the impact this system will have on your productivity.
7. How does the PBX work with remote and mobile workers?
A clear understanding of the user experience from a remote and mobile perspective must be considered.
8. What guarantees the quality of service?
If your team need support and assistance, you need to understand the support process and timeframes to get things up and running again. There needs to be a clear guide on who to contact for help. A long period of downtime can cost your business a considerable amount in lost revenue and give your customers a bad experience.
9. Does the company have an emergency line?
An emergency plan or call centre is something all good service providers should have in place. If this is not an area they take seriously, this could have a huge impact on your experience later on down the track.
10. Does the company have long-term goals?
You need to ask this question to find out if you are dealing with a reliable, reputable company, that will not close shop a few months after you have invested in their service.
If you would like more information about this article and the products and services we have discussed. Contact Inspired Business Service 1300 100 666 or leave a comment below and we will get back to with a solution to your question.
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Resources
Wikipedia – Business telephone system
Techopedia – What is Hosted PBX
Inspired Communications – Inspired VoIP/Hosted Voice