Buying A Telephone System Doesn't Have To Be Taxing! (Part One)

by Amy Osler

With all the options available in today's telephone and voice mail systems, choosing the correct vendor is crucial. Too often a buyer may think all systems are the same. Although two separate manufacturer's brochures may state they have the same feature, the question is how does it work. The correct choice for your telecommunications solution is crucial and at the same time can be overwhelming!

Computer systems may be changed out as quickly as two to three years. The same is not true for telephone systems, which should last from five to seven years at least. Here is where the system's capabilities become especially important. There is so much new technology available today that really can increase productivity. The key is that although you may not want it today, what about in a few years? You need to explore your potential growth plans and buy a system with a platform for the future. This not only means number of phones and lines but also features. Soon you may wish to add new computer software and have it interface with your phone system. Does the system you are looking at have the capability to add that feature when you want it?

The vendor can help decipher all of this. Today you need more than just a friendly salesperson to sell you a system. You need a technology partner that will be there for the life of your system. For this venture to be successful, there are several things a vendor should offer and a buyer should demand.

1. An established company that has been in business for at least five years, with proven experience in designing, installing and maintaining systems.

One of the most important factors of your new partnership with a vendor is that they are in it for the long run. You will want to know what kind of support staff the company has. Who will be designing your new system with you? The key to today's systems is that they offer such flexibility. Your vendor has to have a good understanding of your business and how it operates everyday in order to make appropriate recommendations for the design. The vendor should have a customer service or designated department that does the design and may also do the employee trainings.

A designated department is better than having your salesperson do it. His focus is to be out selling and he may not put the required time into your setup. Here is a good question to ask their references: how did the design process go? Change is never easy, especially when it affects the telephone system. It is the most important tool in your office and people do not like it to be tampered with! This is why the vendor's installation procedures are very important. The company needs to have a detailed plan of exactly what you can expect, and offer a final sign off.

The vendor should have a detailed floor plan of your office: where each phone is located, person's name, extension number, phone type, modem/DID lines, etc. There should be a head engineer or technician assigned to your job whom you have met prior to the installation. This is important because you will want to direct your questions to one person. A detailed installation plan will give the buyer confidence and help ensure a smooth transition.

Once the system is installed, the true relationship begins. The buyer needs to know the vendor's service procedures, maintenance options, number of technicians and whether they are employees or subcontractors (employees seem to have more of a vested interest in your success), emergency procedures, etc. Here again, ask for references that have been with the company more than five years.

Part Two will deal with warranties, education, and why the one-stop shop is important.

Amy Osler is Vice President of Marketing at Mercury Communication Services, Inc. located in Dallas, Texas. She can be contacted at (214) 637-4900 or www.mercurycomm.com.