There are multiple voip systems in the market and the price can vary a lot depending on what you are getting with the phone systems. You don’t want to get a system that doesn’t cover the features that you want neither you want one that has a lot of features that you don’t use as you would only be paying unnecessary monthly charges.
The following are some of the factors that you could consider when buying a VOIP System:
1. Does the voip system cover your business case scenario?
This is the most important factor; you will need to make sure that the phone system supports your business requirements, some of them could be Call queuing, message on Hold, conference calls, call transfer, busy lamp field, call recordings voicemail to emails, call recordings. There are various products on the market that do support these features and there are others they don’t. You will need to make a checklist of what is the least you want and make sure the system you are getting supports it. Business Hours/Non Business hours settings is other important feature you should look into.
2. Install Lead Time
Most VOIP system install lead times are quick but make sure you know the lead time for the numbers to be moved / ported to the new voip system so that you know that you are not hampering the business needs and set the right expectations.
3. Downtime
A downtime for a business means that you are losing money, please make sure you are aware of the expected down-times when you upgrade the system , different systems work in different ways and you might need to plan it accordingly.
4. Complexity of Install / Cabling and internal Infrastructure
This is other factor that changes the cost factor, does your current office have cabling in place to support the new system? How much would an upgrade cost? Would you need to involve your IT as well when the install is happening? These things add prices on the system installation as well, so know it before to make sure you know the overall pricing.
5. Ease of use to users
You are buying a system to make it easier for employees and your customer to reach each other. See the demo of the new system or ask for demo handsets before actually signing up to see the actual end user experience.
6. Training
Do you need to spend extra on training or is getting trained to the new system easy and can be done without extra costs. Some providers may charge for call out and labour charges for training.
7. Maintenance of the Phone System
You got the new system but what happens when there is an issue with the system? Is the maintenance covered? What happens if something doesn’t work? What’s the timeline for that to get fixed? Know these things in advance before installing the new system.
8. Support to External Devices/Systems
Most business has been using internet and other application and processes a lot. Check to see if your voip system supports/integrates with the following: headsets/ mobile app, desktop apps, outlook integration, CRM integration
9. Guarantees
Check the guarantees on the system for faulty devices; this could save you a lot of money.
10. Payment Options
Some providers ask you to pay outright for the hardware, some charge you in monthly installs or others lease that you to. You should decide what is best for your business.
Well if you consider the above factors and create your own checklist when browsing with voip systems, chances are that you will be end up to save time, effort, money for the business. Best of Luck and YES we talk with all these factors when proposing solutions to our customers.
