I recently replaced my business phone system to accommodate an increase in the volume of calls I was receiving. I own a car rental franchise and needed to have new lines and new phones installed to go along with the new customer service representative I needed to hire. By taking care of my customers and keeping my vehicles clean and available, I was able to build my business and force the closure of one of my two nearby competitors. The resulting influx of customers meant I needed to act fast in order to capitalize on my good fortune. Like most people would, I gave little thought to my phone system and just decided to go with the cheapest solution I could find.
I purchased a new system that I was told would handle my volume. At first, I was more than satisfied as everything was working great and I had no problems. Shortly after I put the new phone system in place, I reduced our rental rates in order to try and get as many customers to switch over to my company from my now defunct competition instead of to my one remaining competitor. Even though I was operating at a loss for two months, my strategy was successful and my business increased yet again. The problem was that the phone system I purchased was designed to only handle a small amount of lines, and I was already at full capacity. While it was an improvement over my first system, it had limitations that I hadn't considered. I ended up having to replace it all over again, but this time I had the sense to go with a system that could grow with my business. Luckily, I was able to get some credit for returning the second phone system, which went toward the newest system.
Still, I lost money, and had I only been less concerned with the bottom line and more concerned with getting what I really needed, I would have been better off. When buying a phone system for your company, make sure you purchase one that you won't outgrow if business starts booming. I wish someone had told me that before I made the mistake of trying to save a few bucks.
New Business Phone System
As a purchasing manager, it's my job to make sure that the items purchased for my company will not only meet our present and future needs, but that they will do so in a cost effective manner. With some items I am charged with obtaining, it's simply a matter of price. I look for the lowest price at the highest level of quality. I am often put in a position to make qualitative judgments on the merits of different items, including things as trivial as the adhesive used on the back of sticky pads. I researched and purchased the hardware we use in our current client - server system as well as the software used to run it.
A few months ago, we had new carpet installed in our office, which I also researched (we went from a well worn frieze to an industrial Berber). My most recent purchase, however, was our new business phone system. We had a key system that had already been expanded to its maximum capability. Since we are a growing company, we had to move to a PBX system to accommodate more lines. Knowing this made purchasing the right system that much easier.
So, how do I know so much about phone systems? I wish I could tell you it was research, but as with any major purchase, I rely on professionals to give me the information I need to make an informed decision. In this case, I utilized the expertise of my business phone supplier. Since this person is someone I trust and have dealt with before, I was confident that he could steer me in the right direction. Still, even if I had no regular supplier, I could have contacted several suppliers and asked for their advice in addition to asking for the help of my phone service provider. Purchasing a business phone system can be easy if you know where to go for professional advice. Part of the research necessary for making a purchasing decision involves talking to people in the industry and using their knowledge to help you make the most qualified decision. Put a professional's knowledge to work for you. You'll be glad you did.
Both Todd Lokken & Kingston Amadan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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