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Phone Features - What should you look for?
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Expandability
Having a phone system that can grow with your business is an
extremely important concept to your decision making process. When
considering a new phone system, the methods, sizing and, more
importantly, the cost of upgrading & expanding your phone system is
crucial. Will this system meet your current needs AND your future
needs.
• Integration of Additional Features, such as voicemail
Integration of current or future additions is an important concept.
If you want voicemail in the future or now, it would be a wise
choice to narrow your choices to systems that have easily integrated
voice mail systems. Not only easily integrated, but a voicemail
system that is specifically designed to work with the system of your
choice. Other additional features that you may want are things like
Caller ID, addition of lines and phones, ACD, Auto Attendant, CCR
Trees.
• Preowned or Brand New
A lot of money can be saved by buying a system that was preowned. A
lot of money can be wasted if you purchase the wrong preowned
system. Our recommendation on preowned systems is to purchase the
system itself preowned (certain systems hold up very well in the not
breaking department!!) but purchase new phones to go with it. We
also recommend that you buy a used system that comes with a warranty
and that you are fully informed on what it is that you are
purchasing as well as adhering to everything else mentioned in this
series. Without a doubt, don't knock a used phone system, they can
carry on their duty on your phone room wall just as well as the last
owners phone room wall!
• Older system vs. Newer System
When considering a used phone system for cost efficiency, many
people discuss the concept of purchasing a new used phone system or
an older used phone system. Older systems can undoubtedly be made to
fit any budget, and do a fine job while installed at your office or
home. The problems that most run into with an older system is the
lack of additional items like voicemail, Caller ID, advanced
features and sometimes, breakage. We would recommend that you put
your money into a somewhat modern system to start with that still
has some useful life and parts & upgrades available to you.
• Ease of Maintenance
Ease of maintenance is an extremely important consideration. There
will be changes and upgrades to your phone system that will be out
your own technical expertise, and at that time, you will need a
technician to come in and make those changes for you. Be sure that
you purchase a system that is well known by technicians all over
your area. This way, you are not locked in with only one or two
techs that know this too and can price gouge you based on your lack
of alternatives.
• Integration with your current office wiring and installation
Buying a phone system that will work on your current office wiring
can be a huge budget saver. A lot of modern system will work with
any existing wiring....and some won't. The ones that won't, require
all kinds of new wiring and cable pulls, all at your expense.....and
expensive it is! Along those lines, it's also important that you
select a system that is easy to install, setup and be trained on.
Well known systems are usually less expensive to install as there
are a lot more tech's that know how to put it in, making the
competition stiff, driving prices down.
• Price does not equal quality
Please keep in mind, that price does not equal quality in this
industry. There are very cost efficient, very feature rich phones
systems that will not break the bank but still offer you years of
great service, expandability and tons of features. There are systems
out that cost double and triple, but offer you nothing more than
headaches, break downs, mind bending tech bills that are usually
ditched for a simpler, efficient system. |
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508-771-6744
508-771-6499
info@alliedsystemstech.com
