OPINION 49
OPINION 49
The main questions to ask are : have you kept pace with the times ? And are you ready for the challenges for tomorrow ? If you see your business reflected in one or more of the warning signs below , chances are your current communications solution isn ’ t up to the job .
Escalating Expenses Have you noticed any changes in your phone bill lately ? We ’ re not using our phones in the same way that we did 20 years ago , with mobile calling , mobile data and international roaming all as integral as the desk phone for office communication . It ’ s important to analyse the precise communication needs of your workplace and make sure that you ’ re not paying for services , lines or features you do not need or use . However , it isn ’ t just the phone bill itself that ’ s affected by an ineffective phone system . You may be paying increased energy bills to power equipment or maintain temperatures , and your growing requirements may have resulted in having to depend on multiple vendors , which do not integrate well with each other .
Admin taking over Simple tasks should not take too much time to complete , right ? Unfortunately , when it comes to phone systems , this is often not the case . When it ’ s necessary to bring in outside support every time something goes wrong , or if your IT team is spending a huge amount of time solving problems with the system , it probably isn ’ t a good fit for your business . Other warning signs are if you have constant compliance concerns , and if you have little potential to expand your analytics reporting , as this is something you are likely to need more of in the future .
Reduced productivity Does a phone issue bring the whole office grinding to a halt ? It ’ s surprising how many companies are willing to ensure flawed systems and accept it as part and parcel of modern communications , when actually there is no reason for there to be multiple issues every week . Phone systems that don ’ t integrate well with other business processes in the office also damage productivity levels , as it is difficult for staff to quickly and effortlessly switch between communication methods . And as more and more workers become reliant on their smart phones and tablets , facilitating bring your own device ( BYOD ) has become a necessity for a productive office rather than a luxury .
Poor customer service You would expect that an outmoded phone system would affect your staff , but the impact it has on customers will be reflected on the bottom line . Dropped calls , long hold times , inaccurate routing : all these are signs that your customer service teams are unable to do their job properly because of the phone system . It is also worth considering if other channels are available apart from the phone itself , for example email , web chat or text , which might suit the customer better . These need to be integrated into the phone system to guarantee a seamless customer journey .
You ’ re being outpaced Does your competition look ( and sound ) better than you ? Your phone system could be the thing that is letting you down ! Luckily , there are a huge variety of different options on the market for businesses that need to invest in unified communications ( UC ). UC technology takes telephony to the next level by seamlessly integrating applications so they can be used easily wherever and whenever they ’ re needed . UC improves collaboration , productivity and performance – but the best place to start is identifying the issues in the workplace . With the problems clearly understood , you will be in a great position to find a phone system that will leave you with true peace of mind . n
IT INFRASTRUCTURE SOFTWARE & SERVICES www . rittal . co . uk