I am in the process of putting an addition on to my house and as I considered options for siding, I found myself visiting the “This Old House” website for advice. This is probably because I grew up watching Bob Villa on PBS and no matter the situation, he always had everything under control.
While doing my research and watching my friend, Bob Villa, I realized that this process was not much different than buying a new business phone system.
Let me explain....
1. To upgrade or not to upgrade?
The first decision every business has to make regarding their phone system is, do I try to add on to my existing phone system or is it time to review the latest and greatest technology.
Businesses should review the latest phone system technology often as it is changing so rapidly.
2. Weigh your Options, make a list!
Where does your phone system fall short? What are your frustrations? What do you like about it? What are some wish list items that are not available on the existing phone system? Have you ever felt like your phone system has hindered the progress of your business?
3. Considering the Options
When starting the renovation process, it can be extremely overwhelming.
“Where do I begin?” pops into your head. There are different products, different styles, different warranties, different manufacturers etc etc.
This is the exact same feeling many, if not all, businesses have when starting the process of looking into a new phone system.
- What type of phone system is right for my business?
- What phone system manufacturer/provider do I go with?
- What is the phone system warranty and what, if any, support is included?
- What is Cloud? What is VOIP? What will work for my business? What is best for my business?
Breaking Down The Overwhelming
4. What is the install process?
As I wade through the seemingly endless options, there is one question that is guiding me, Who is installing?
The installation process is probably 50 % of my decision. A poorly installed business phone system, like siding for example, will determine the success or failure of the decision.
5. What am I installing?
Is my business like all the other businesses in the neighborhood?
Am I ok with being just like everyone else?
Like with any decision, you have to weigh what is best long term.
Consider siding for a moment.
Vinyl comes in predetermined colors and sizes. It is usually installed and shows seams and fades over time. When buying a business phone system you need to consider if the product fits long term and that the invesment pays off in the end.
Are you a vanilla company that can tolerate limited color options and features?
A lot of business phone systems end up being vanilla and what looks
good on day one soon fades and becomes a poor long term decision.
Then you have wood and cement board which in both cases offers more variety.
You have a choice, you just need to understand what you need
6. How much does it cost, do I want to do maintenance?
Long term maintenance and upfront costs need to be looked at carefully when making a Business phone system decision. Systems often need to be upgraded as new releases come out. New features can often require maintenance contracts to be available. So while you may install a nice wood or shingle because you think it looks the best, you have to keep in mind that with traditional siding comes all of the upkeep and maintenance expenses.
Consider that there may be new technology out there that addresses both, look and ongoing maintenance expenses.
Do I want to be spending my weekends doing this?
Do I want to pay these guys every three years?
These are all legitimate questions when considering any big decision,
including upgrading to a new business communications system.
In the end my wife and I decided on a fiber cement siding.
- It looks traditional - no sacrifice of features.
- It requires little maintenance.
- It stands up to the harshest of elements – (Disaster Recovery)
- It is easily installed – Plug and Play
Wait a second, that sounds like a Cloud-based Hosted VoIP Managed Phone System
Sounds good, right?
Thanks Bob!
You may now have a decision to make.
For more guidance before you start looking into a new phone system...
view our Infographic: Hosted VoIP the 5 questions to ask before you see a price.
Do I want to pay these guys every three years?
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