Today’s modern workplace is one that requires extreme flexibility and an integrated phone system that fits the new on-the-go and always connected business environment. Some experts have even projected that within this decade, traditional landlines may already be extinct. Is your business phone network surviving this fast-paced transition? Outdated phone systems that aren’t adapting with you can be like shackles around your business’ ankles. Replacing or upgrading your old phone system is one smart way to help future proof your company.
Still not sure why you should upgrade your phones? See if any of these sentiments ring true for you as they are common signs that your business is in need of a phone system upgrade.
“I’m spending a lot on operational costs for my current phone system.”
Maintaining several separate systems is a time-consuming endeavor, not to mention, increasingly difficult, the older a system gets. The more time your IT department has to spend finding the right technician, parts or service for outdated phones, the less time they can focus on strategic projects that can help your business. Growing your business is your main focus and the last thing you want is for your business phone system to be holding you back in terms of cost and ease. If it’s too expensive and difficult to add more users, extensions and phone lines because of the old system’s limited capacity, look at making an upgrade to a new system that will scale with your company’s growth.
“I have a dispersed workforce in the field, working remotely and on business travel.”
Today’s office is everywhere from the home and airplane to a hotel lobby or coffee shop. Your company’s phone system is no longer tied to a brick and mortar place nor are your employees centralized in one location anymore. New technology allows your workforce’s mobile devices to be integrated into the business phone system so cell phones can be treated as extensions of the larger network. A new phone system can give you access from anywhere and ensure that calls from customers and clients can be automatically redirected to mobile phones so no opportunity is ever lost.
“We are experiencing higher call volumes than before.”
The more activity and success that your company experiences, the more the phones will ring and your employees will need to make outbound calls. Network congestion, busy lines and customer calls being put on hold or going to voicemail are telltale signs that it’s time to look at a more customized phone system that can be well-equipped to do what it should: connect you with your customers right away. No roadblocks. Period.
“I want more functionality and flexibility from my phone system.”
Even if your current system is working properly, it might not have enough features to keep up with the needs of your operations. New systems have a host of features that include everything from advance call routing, voicemail to email, HD voice for communications clarity and even the ability to track and monitor calls. Providing valuable data through better tracking like calls per hour, day, week or month can help you glean answers when auditing your telecom costs and making more cost-effective decisions going forward.
“My current system doesn’t have multi-office support features.”
Are satellite offices, additional branches or multiple locations in the picture at your business? If your current phone system doesn’t already support this expansion across sites, it can be a costly and tedious undertaking. A new phone system can make it easy to manage and remotely administer extensions across various locations, as seamlessly as if they were onsite. One of the best times to consider a new phone system is when your company is moving locations. Uninstalling, transporting and reinstalling an old system which can cost 20-40 per cent of a brand new system as well as take significant planning to decrease down time when it is being serviced.
