Choosing a Communications Integrator – Do Your Homework

  

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Choosing the right solution provider or integrator for your communications needs is critical. Businesses are looking for good service and quality products, but in today’s slow economy, businesses are seriously weighing the total cost of upgrading or implementing a new voice and data solution and whether they will get a return on their investment down the road.Choosing the wrong provider orintegrator can be a costly mistake.

What should a business look for when they are in the market for a communications upgrade or a new solution?

• Look at the longevity and stability of the provider orintegrator you are considering. How long have they been in business? How many and what type of customers do they service? Do they have a range of partners that will provide any and all of the technologies you need now and in the future?

• Ask for customer references to find out about the provider’s track record of service. How satisfied are current customers with the level of service, including pre-sale interaction and post-sale support?  What customer service programs are in place? A good provider will have a broad range of support options. Are there regular training sessions, demonstrations and support forums?

• Carefully review the provider’s product portfolio. Do they offer a complete portfolio of voice and data products that will meet your business needs for reliability, functionality and future growth? Data networking is critical. What level of experience does integrator have in this area? On the voice side, does the recommended VoIP Phone System have a failover capability, and is it flexible enough to easily add users in the future?

• Mobility, visual communications (video technology)and hosted services arefast growing trends that are quickly becoming necessities in every business. How does the provider or integrator address these? Review your current functionality and feature set and think about additional features that would improve your business. Is the functionality you require and desire already available, and if not, is it on the near-term roadmap?

• Determine the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). A good integrator will help you assess the overall cost of the equipment acquisition, the installation and the ongoing maintenance (operation).And, once the new communications solution is deployed, find out if there is a Return on Investment (ROI), a financial gain. In the long-run, will the new solution help streamline your operation, improve employee productivity and result in better customer service that translates into more revenue?

So, look for a stable company that excels in customer support and service and which offers a breadth of products that will meet your long-term needs. And, have them help you do the math, assessing the TCO and demonstrating the ROI of an upgrade or new solution. There are plenty of providers and integrators ready and willing to win you over, but if you do your homework, you will find the right one.