3 Big Factors to Consider When Choosing New Office Phone Systems

If you’re in the market for new office phone systems, there are some important things to keep in mind as you go through the research and evaluation process. We’re going to highlight three big ones as a kind of kick start to push you in the right direction so you can be sure you’re asking the right questions. Every company is different, so remember to think about what’s best for your specific company and staff.

1.  Current Company Needs

Start by identifying the specific issues and challenges you have with your current office phone systems. Maybe your business has multiple locations and it’s time they were all connected by a central answering position. Maybe you only have one location, but it would be much more efficient to have an auto-attendant and direct extensions for each department instead of routing everything through the receptionist. Clearly define your needs versus your wants. Sure, it would be a nice gesture to provide your service team with a mobility option, but since they are talking to people all over the world, troubleshooting questions on how different pieces of software work, they’re able do that work from the comfort of their desk and don’t have a need to travel out into the field.

2.  Future Company Goals

You might be a small yet mighty company with your two to four unit office phone systems, but you have big plans to expand your business in the next three years. You want any new office phone systems that you purchase to be an investment that can help you now by using some of your existing infrastructure, as well and in the future as both your communication needs and technology needs change. You need to think about options you might want later on such as working remotely, video conferencing, call recording and call accounting, self-management, having an automated attendant, or mobility. You don’t have to implement them now, but you would be planning wisely for the future so they are there when you need them.

Budget

Just because determining your budget is third on the list doesn’t mean it’s least important. It just means that now it’s time to be realistic. You’ve thought about how you’d like to utilize office phone systems for your company and the features you want. Now consider how much you’d like to spend and the maximum you’re willing to spend. Knowing the budget you have to work with in advance will help save you time and give you a little wiggle room as you determine what you actually do need as part of the office phone systems and what you can do without at the current place and time. It’s important to not get caught up in all the bells and whistles of what these office phone systems can do. They are pretty amazing, but you also need to consider the training and maintenance costs that will be involved. You’ll want to consider if there is a recurring monthly maintenance charge or just a per service call when you need help troubleshooting. Depending on the agreement with the office phone systems vendor, training on how to use the system may be part of your package or an additional cost – all considerations that will have an effect on your budget

Finding a new phone system for your business is a big deal. You know your company the best and you want to find the best solution. If you meet with an office phone systems vendor having already considered the factors above, you’ll be off to a good start. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help, download our free offer below or contact us to talk to a sales professional today.

What Your Sales Team Will Love About New Office Phone Systems

For most businesses, without a good sales team there would be no business. A good sales staff is always improving their skills and abilities to convert a new customer or get that referral. Sometimes the sales staff is hard to pin down for formal training. When you get new office phone systems, training your sales staff may be a new challenge. But remember, salespeople like challenges.

Many of the basic features can help your sales staff be more productive, connect better with clients, and just make life a little simpler. The following features are sure to get the attention of your sales staff. When you send out the training announcements for the new office phone systems to the sales staff, consider adding these features into the announcement. Entice them to sit in on the class.

Mobile Extension

This is the one feature that sales LOVE. Mobile extension allows the cell phone they hold near and dear to their heart to become their office phone. No longer will they miss the call or have to give someone their cell phone number. Depending on what new office phone systems you purchase, the function might be different, but the facts remain: you turn on and off mobile extension. When you are away from your desk any call that you would normally get at your desk, would now go to your cell phone. Also, when you want to make an outbound call, you can connect to the office phone system and use the dial tone and caller-id from the office, not your cell phone.

Outlook Integration

It’s common that new office phone systems will have something called unified communication. This is really a fancy term for having all your communication come into one place. Essentially your voicemail, faxes and email all come into your Outlook. The cool thing about voicemail coming into your email is the fact they are just attached as a .WAV file. The sales staff can then listen to the .WAV file from any computer AND they can forward the file as an email to anyone. Talk about providing customer service! Think of it this way, your sales staff is about to go into a meeting that will take several hours. They see a voicemail pop up in their email on their phone asking for some basic pricing, but they need it right away. The salesperson simply forwards that message to the in-house sales team and they get the customer taken care of quickly and easily.

DID – Direct Inward Dial:

This is a private telephone line for the executives and for the sales team. Now instead of clients having to sit through an auto attendant or be screened by the front desk staff, a DID number can send the call directly to the salesperson. With most DID applications caller-id will also be passed along. With caller-id the salesperson can say “Hello Fred,” rather than just “Hello this is Sam, how can I help you?” DID numbers are local phone numbers. So if you have an office in Chico, you will get local Chico numbers.

Working with a proven vendor like Gaynor Telesystems allows you to speak about the challenges your sales staff are having and design new office phone systems to meet the needs of the sales staff. Once the phone system is in place, your sales staff can be trained by the vendor. Call Gaynor Telesystems, Inc. today to see how we can assist you. Learn more about the telesystems world by checking out our Glossary of Terms Ebook below!

Is My Budget Big Enough for a Business VoIP Phone System?

The end of year was good to you and this quarter is going even better. That long list of upgrades for your technology is becoming a reality. You sat down and prioritized what you need the most to grow your business. The next logical step for a major purchase is a new business VoIP system. You are not sure if you have the budget for it. Let’s look at the major pricing items that affect a capital purchase like this.

Infrastructure

Unlike a traditional phone system, the latest business VoIP technology requires working with your network. Taking stock in what your network looks like will be critical in your budget. Here are some questions to ask:

• Do you have the actual cabling needed to run a VoIP System? - You will need at least CAT5 Cable for each location.

• Do you have PoE Switches in Place? - If not, you will need to add, or have power supplies at each location.

• Do you have network support?

• Will you have to outsource your network programming? - This potentially means bringing in your IT vendor and having meetings with both your IT and communications vendors.

• Have you ever had your network tested?

• Does the current network meet the bandwidth requirements? - This can be a costly test if you have never done this before. At Gaynor we work with communications partners who can run a variety of tests, BEFORE you purchase the new business VoIP system.

Applications

Business VoIP solutions are all about applications. What are the most critical applications you need? Is recording a must have? Presence? Mobility? Remote Workers? Are you not even sure what you need? Start by looking at your problems and what you think the solution may be. Maybe mobility sounds great, but you know the sales and technical staff will not answer their phones when they are off site. So does it really make sense to invest in mobility now? You could buy the core system and know, since business VoIP is really about applications you can grow in the mobility in the future.

So you think you have a budget and you know what basics you need, but coming up with the capital might be a stretch. Here are some ways you can lesson your upfront costs.

Trade In

Many manufactures offer trade in discounts on both the older models of their office phone systems or a trade in on a competitor’s. They want their new business VoIP system installed. They then give incentives like free licenses, extra years of software assurance, or port discounts. Even ask about loyalty options. It never hurts to ask. 

Even if your communication vendor cannot give you a trade in, think about selling your system to another business, or even donating to a non-profit. There may be some tax advantages you can take. Be sure to consult your tax advisor first.

Leasing 

This is a capital purchase of course, or did you want this as an operating expense? Depending on your lease and working with your financial team, you can purchase a business VoIP system on a lease. At Gaynor Telesystems, Inc we align ourselves with several leasing companies that assist businesses with obtaining credit. Normally the only down payment is 2 advance lease payments. That sure does beat a large cash outlay.

Are you concerned the technology will change fast and in the end of the lease you will be stuck with outdated equipment? Many leasing companies today have technology buy outs. So in 5 years you can continue a lease type payment, but upgrade to the latest and greatest.

No matter what your challenges are, there is a way to get that new business VoIP system. The key is the ROI.  An experienced vendor, like Gaynor Telesystems can assist you with designing the system to your budget and helping to secure financing. Contact us today to learn more about budgeting and leasing.

Related Articles:

What is VoIP and Why Does My Business Need It?

Business, VoIP, & Office Phone Systems - Oh My!

To learn more about Gaynor Telesystems, Inc. and why we would make a good partner download our free offer below.

Worst Reasons to Buy New Office Phone Systems

If you're moving from your office or starting a new business, now is a prime time to buy an office phone system. Still sometimes though there is no good reason to buy an office phone system. Let’s face it, buying a new phone system will cost you time, money, and a small headache as you try and help your staff adjust and explain to your CPA what you just bought. So if you are trying to justify NOT buying, let me help you out.

Your Heart is Set on a Must-Have Feature

Many times clients will come and say they have to have THE FEATURE, and no matter what, they will buy a system because of that FEATURE. I had a recent client ask for the feature of Call Back During Queue. They are a small office, but insistent on getting the feature that allows callers to leave the queue and have an agent call them back. Now this is a small business with only 20 people and only 4 people that answer the phones. To get this one feature, they would have had to upgrade the entire system and spend thousands of dollars. I offered the solution of clients leaving voicemails and then the agent can call them back.

Features may be worth the price and hassle, but explore all options. Make sure the feature you are needing/getting has an ROI that meets your needs. Ask your trusted advisor if there are other options, and be open to handling your needs in a different way. As long as you are not dealing with a cookie cutter company, most should be able to find you a solution within your budget.

You Currently Have a Discontinued Product

All products get discontinued. Remember TAB Cola or the BetaMAX video player? Office phone systems come and go too. Just because a product is no longer built and distributed does not mean death. A good vendor will have resources to keep your system in working order for a few years to come. Most companies have at least 2 to 3 years past the discontinued date that they still support the products. 

So ask yourself, Is what I have meeting my office phone system needs? If so, stay put. But if you are expanding, moving or even need more features, look at the new system. But check out the options and do some research on tips for buying a phone system.

You Are a New Business

Maybe you are a new business. The first 2 months have been great and you have already hired 4 more people, but now things started to slow down. Investing in office phone systems may not be the best approach right now. Maybe you know you will have ups and downs and want to adjust your phone system needs with your staffing. So instead of buying a traditional system look at hosted or cloud based.

Many new businesses spend tons of money on getting the office ready with phone systems, copiers, office furniture etc. Instead of that capital outlay, check out hosted. Then when you settle into your business you can leverage your money and maybe the handsets and buy your own system.

At Gaynor we are here to assist you and be your advisor when purchasing office phone systems. But we have also told clients to stay where they are and not make that purchase yet. We want your business to be successful and sometimes NOT BUYING is the right way.

About Us

Gaynor Telesystems Inc. has been proudly serving the North State Communities of Chico, Yuba City, Marysville, Eureka, Arcata, Sacramento, Davis, Woodland, Redding, and Red Bluff for more than 40 years. We hope the information you found in this blog was useful. To learn more about how Gaynor Telesystems Inc. can help you install, maintain or service business communication solutions, please contact us at 877-Gaynor1.

Key Components to Consider Before Buying New Office Phone Systems

There are many reasons why you might be considering new office phone systems. Your old system is slow and inefficient. Your business is growing and your receptionist is overloaded trying to keep up with calls. Your employees are out in the field more often and are missing important calls. Just to name a few big ones. There are also many, many, things to think about when you decide it’s time for new office phones systems at your business. But before you decide on the features you want and have to choose the features you actually need, pause for a few moments and consider these key components.

Where Are You Now?

It’s easy to start thinking about all the cool office phone systems features you could get for your business – and we’ll talk about that in a moment – but first take a step back and consider what your business needs are right now. Ask yourself why you need a new office phone system. Some common reasons touched on above are:

• Your technology is just out of date. Just like any technology, there are always new and improved phone systems and features becoming available. You probably update your cell phone with the latest software every couple of months, and actually get a new cell phone every couple of years; phone systems need to be maintained and updated annually, and often replaced every 5 years or so.

• Your business is increasing. If you’ve noticed an uptick in business this is a good problem to have, but hard on your employees. You aren’t quite at the point where you can hire more resources, but you need to do something NOW. That’s where an Auto Attendant and Direct Extensions come in to help with call flow and customer service to connect your caller’s with the right department and help your receptionist with call flow in the process.

• Your employees are out in the field. Whether it’s your sales team making presentations or your service department making house calls, your staff is getting harder to keep tabs on. This is when Mobility would come in handy so that you can get a hold of your staff even when they are out in the office – and your customer’s can too.

These are just a few ways that new office phone systems can help meet the needs you have now, but it’s also important to consider what the future might hold.

Where Will You Be in the Next 5 Years?

Purchasing a new phone system for your business is an investment that you want to last. That’s why it’s crucial you consider where you see your business in the next few years. There are ways to plan for business growth and select the capabilities you want your office phone systems to have, but that you don’t actually anticipate needing for a while. For example, most basic phone systems come with:

• Voicemail for each person in your organization

• Emergency notification

• Voicemail to email integration

• Message notification

But if there are other things you anticipate needing as your business grows, you’ll want to plan ahead for those, such as:

• Auto Attendant

• Direct Dialing

• Call Accounting/Call Recording

• Mobility

• Conferencing

• Presence

• Multiple Office Locations

You may be small today, but you need to set yourself up for growth tomorrow.

Who Are You Considering Working With?

Arguably the most important thing to consider is the office phone systems vendor you choose to partner with. You want them to be aligned with your mission and able to support your vision, as well as able to offer you a customized solution that meets your needs. Read this blog to learn more about what to look for in a phone system vendor, such as cost, licensing, certifications, training, maintenance, and the special applications they provide.

To learn more about partnering with Gaynor Telesystems, Inc. download our free offer below or contact us today.

Millennials & Business Communication Solutions: The Changing Workplace

Recently, I have been reading about how the incoming millennials are changing up the workplace. When it comes to business communication solutions, some articles suggest the desk phone is going away, others think voicemail is going away, and each opinion is different.

The truth of the matter is, the millennials are changing the workplace, but just how is still to be seen. Take the modernization of the computer. When it became common place, there were many who left or took early retirement because they could not change with the times. So here are some of my thoughts on the millennials and the workplace.

They Want to Be Part of a Team

This generation grew up in teams - soccer teams, baseball teams, swim teams and so forth. They are used to being with people. They socialize and talk out the problems and issues. Having an office that supports teamwork will be critical to the success and the retention of the millennials. They also want to have fun and have fun gadgets. That’s why business communication solutions like the ShoreTel Dock are great for millennials - they are cool and they provide the ability to be part of the communications team.

They Want Their Own Schedule

Now this can be a hard one for many businesses, especially if you expect them to answer the phone for the office. But there are some positions in the company where they can be mobile, flexible and still perform at high levels. The millennials will work hard and play even harder, but in their play, they are also developing business relationships that will take them to the next level. They are also new husbands and wives and even new parents. By having practices and options like mobility, you can help them succeed on their own schedule.

They Want to Be Heard

Many times the millennials have been in the back seat, literally. They were the first generation to have car seats until the age of 8. Yes, these kept them safer, but they also were not the center of attention. In college lecture halls, they were one of 500. Now that they are in the work force they want to be heard. They want to talk to their manager and offer ideas. If you are still thinking about what phone system to get ask them for their opinion. Ask them to sit in on the demos for the VoIP system.

The key is we don’t know what we don’t know about the millennials. All we do know is that they are here in the workplace and they are the future. So let’s embrace the change of the work force and have them be part of the VoIP conversations and talk about CCTV solutions.

They understand technology. They might not understand all business communication solutions technology, but they can and are willing learn. If you are ready to talk to us, but want your team to learn more, check out our resource section for eBooks and tools.

About Us

Gaynor Telesystems Inc. has been proudly serving the North State Communities of Chico, Yuba City, Marysville, Eureka, Arcata, Sacramento, Davis, Woodland, Redding, and Red Bluff for more than 40 years. We hope the information you found in this blog was useful. To learn more about how we can help you install, maintain or service business communication solutions, please contact us at 877-Gaynor1. 

Why to Include NEC in Your Search for Phone Systems for Small Business

Small business owners have special needs and wants. Most small businesses don't have a full time IT person or department, and most outsource some of the business functions, such as payroll.

When it comes to buying a new phone system, small business owners are often left wondering what they should do. Phone systems for small business are what NEC is all about. Below is how NEC offers business communications solutions for your small business.

Grow With You

NEC has long been one to grow with clients. It believes you can buy small, and as you grow, add your licenses, parts and phones. No need to over-buy and no need to forklift when you grow. 

The NEC SV9100 is a wonderful option for phone systems for small business, providing small phone packages with 4 phones. But imagine the growth that might happen in 1 to 2 years - with this package you can grow to 20 phones. There’s no reason to change your business communications solutions in just a couple of years.

Affordable Call Center

You may think call centers are only for large companies like Amazon, but the truth is, all businesses have a mini call center. Think about how you answer your phones. Do you have the two ladies in the front answer? That can be a call center.

The benefits of a call center for phone systems for small business is the fact you get reports. These reports tell you how many calls you’re getting, how long people are waiting etc. This can help you determine when your business is growing. 

Digital Systems That Can Become VoIP Systems   

NEC knows that small business owners most likely will be replacing older phone systems that were bought in the 1980’s or 1990’s. That means the cabling is not ready for VoIP. The NEC small business packages address the need of being a digital system in a VoIP world. 

The SV9100 system comes in digital with the ability to grow to VoIP. When you want an IP phone at your house it’s possible. The system will be ready. Phone systems for small business by NEC are really just mini versions of medium to large phone systems. 

So are you ready to learn more about what NEC offers for the small business? Today’s business communications system are indeed available in size and budget for the small business. We believe the NEC is the right solution for phone systems for small business. 

Learn more by scheduling a demo with one of our experts.



About Us

Gaynor Telesystems Inc. has been proudly serving the North State Communities of Chico, Yuba City, Marysville, Eureka, Arcata, Sacramento, Davis, Woodland, Redding, and Red Bluff for more than 40 years. We hope the information you found in this blog was useful. To learn more about how we can help you install, maintain or service business communication solutions, please contact us at 877-Gaynor1.