Phone systems are not a one-size-fits-all solution. But Advantage Technology can help businesses determine which system is best for them.
“I think that’s probably the most important thing to answer and make clear,” account executive Brad Williams said during a recent Facebook Live chat on Advantage Technology’s page. “We’re not going to say here’s this neat little package and this is what will work for everyone. That simply is not the case.
“We like to treat our clients with the attention that they deserve. Each client is different, and we try to cater your phone systems and your networks all based around that.”
Williams, who specializes in telecommunications, said a company that is considering an upgrade to its phone system should give Advantage Technology a call.
“We come out, we take a look at your phones,” Williams told host Joe Justice. “We evaluate your network, your infrastructure. We determine what you can currently handle… what you would need to handle something bigger, and if that’s justified.
“We really try to find the best fit for you. And we sort through all of those details and explain it to you as we go. But there is no set solution that works for every company because each one is different.”
Williams said Advantage Technology can help any company because its team has seen just about every situation.
“Every company is different and provides a unique problem-solving opportunity,” he said. “We can help companies learn to do things more efficiently.”
How Important are phones?
He said most people don’t understand how important a good phone system is to a business.
“It’s easy to get underplayed, and people really don’t understand the value that your telephony equipment still plays in business today,” Williams said, noting that he previously worked for a small family business. “It’s absolutely vital to your operations. Most of the contact we had with clients (at his former business) was through telephones.”
Still, Williams said businesses shouldn’t have to think about phones after the system is put into place.
“That’s how it should be,” he said. “As long as you get them in place and working properly, your phones should be the last thing on your minds. They should just work and work consistently.”
When is it time to upgrade?
Williams said one of the surest signs you need to evaluate your phone system is if you have to deal with problems regularly.
“Is it out of date? Is it supported anymore? It might work, but what happens if something breaks,” he said. “How are you going to resolve that? If you have a dated phone system, you’re probably going to have a hard time getting that replacement equipment. What you do get is going to be used or refurbished, and you really can’t account for the quality of that.”
What about costs?
He said new phones really aren’t that expensive considering the added value they provide.
“If you have a legacy phone system, one that is 10 to 15 years old, odds are you’re probably paying more to maintain that system than it would cost you to put in a new phone system that would have additional features and probably provide some cost savings to you.”
Williams also said Advantage Technology can help businesses figure out what is going on with their phone systems, whether it’s static or echo on the line, carrier issues and even looking at carrier invoices to see if a business can save money. He mentioned one business that he and the Advantage Technology team helped save $100,000 over a five-year period simply by upgrading the phone system, evaluating its network and changing some services it was paying for from the carrier.
“A new phone system can be tough to fork out for smaller businesses,” he said, saying Advantage Technology can help a business set up a lease program for a new system or work with phone system companies to replace a failing system. “Contact us, and we’ll work… to get extremely deep discounts to replace that program with something more current.”
Williams also noted that Advantage Technology doesn’t require customers to have a monthly plan for phone systems.
“That’s something we’ve evaluated,” he said. “But with phone systems, we don’t offer that because we don’t see the value we could provide. We set it up and make sure you understand how the phone system works. As long as everything is set up properly, you shouldn’t need us.”
Justice also said businesses interested can visit Advantage Technology’s website for a free phone system evaluation. Just here or call 866-497-8060.
