Rising To Meet Your Telecommunications Needs

How do I choose a phone system?

Define your needs

First, consider your current phone use:

• The number of phone sets and users.
• Types of users - ranging from users with minimal phone set usage requirements and low call volumes to busy call answering positions with comprehensive feature needs.
• Number and length of incoming and outgoing calls per day - both long distance and local.
• Frequently called locations.
• Peak time for phone use.
• Frequently used features.
• Common frustrations with the existing system.
• Phone line needs for voice, fax and computers.

Next, think about future requirements:

• What changes or increases in phone use might occur over the next year or two?
• Are you adding branch offices?
• What are your staff's needs and highest priority phone features?
• Ask customers and suppliers for input.

Review what you have learned and identify:

• Number of sets you'll need including special requirements such as voice conferencing units in meeting rooms and wireless solutions to support warehouse activities.
• High-priority voice features and capabilities you'll want available on each set.
• The amount of growth capacity you will need to support your business plan.
• The availability of additional applications to support changing or evolving business needs.

Reliability

Your communications system is your company's lifeline - you can't afford to miss calls or lose data while your system is down. Trouble-free use of your system, day in and day out, should be a minimum expectation. Any system you purchase should come backed by a guarantee.

Ease of use

A large percentage of the frustration staff experience is directly related to the technology they use in their jobs. A communications system can have all the latest bells and whistles, but won't save time or money if it's confusing to use. Look for features such as a display window that provides instructions while you are using your phone. Programmable buttons let each user customize his or her phone to specific user needs. You should also consider phones that offer high-quality built-in speakers and headset jacks.

Cost-effectiveness

With today's communications systems, you can have big-company features with a small-company budget. The right communications system should provide a measurable return on your investment. As well as simplifying phone use, special software can save you money by tracking billable activities and generating reports on incoming and outgoing calls. Some systems even have tools to reduce the need for external system maintenance. Protect your investment by buying a system that can be easily upgraded as your needs change or new features become available.

Flexibility

A flexible system allows you to easily make modifications, as you need them. Add a call center for a product launch or a wireless solution that allows the key members of your team to remain available as they move around your office. Flexibility can also include the capability to quickly and easily change the way your system is programmed. With some phone systems, programming can be done using a PC in your office. This cuts down the need for costly programming administration and allows the users of the system to make changes to optimize available features.

Easily upgraded for growth

You want to be able to take advantage of today's quickly changing technology without scrapping your whole system. As your business grows you want a communications system that can grow with you. Look for a communications system with an open architecture that allows for easy upgrading of both hardware and software.

Applications

When selecting your communications system, application availability is a key consideration. Some popular applications to consider:

Voice messaging

Voice messaging systems are designed to take messages but can do so much more:

• Auto attendant directs incoming calls by providing callers with a list of options, which can include reaching an individual, a mailbox or a receptionist. Auto attendant can answer calls when the receptionist is busy or provide information, such as office hours, when the business is closed.
• Visual message waiting indication can be provided locally on your phone set or you can be notified of a message at another location or on your cell phone.
• Voice messages can be seamlessly exchanged with other users at different networked sites or broadcast messages can be sent to specific departments or the entire company to keep your employees informed of business issues or highlights.
• Unified messaging lets you manage voice, e-mail and faxes from your computer or laptop, locally or remotely.

Call centers

When there are several people answering similar kinds of telephone calls (at an order desk or reservations office, in a customer service department or technical support center) a call center is the best choice. Call centers systematically hold calls in a queue and efficiently route them to your staff. A call center can organize and manage call distribution for as few as two agents to as many as 100+. Systems may have flexible routing and can be customized. You can send VIP callers to special agents automatically, bypassing any hold time or unnecessary prompting to access their account information. Before a call is transferred to an agent, you can broadcast a recorded announcement about a special promotion or new product. (Research has shown that up to 34 percent of callers will ask about a product or service advertised while they are on hold.) A call center will help you:

• Answer more calls with the same number of staff.
• Cut long ringing and hold times.
• Increase revenues.
• Reduce costs.
• Improve customer service.
• Manage the peaks and troughs in call traffic with call center reporting software.

Integrated voice and data solutions

All voice and data traffic will eventually run on a unified network because of the cost savings involved. Reduced operating costs, improved customer service with advanced applications and simplified local or remote network management are all possible today. Combining the potentially numerous pieces of voice and data communications equipment into a single, fully integrated communications platform can mean faster response times and a lower total cost of ownership.

Enhanced features and capabilities

You can choose from a range of enhanced features such as:

• Unified messaging - combine your voice messages, e-mail and faxes into one in-box on your PC.
• Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) - combine the intelligence of your phone system with the power of your PC to enable applications such as point-and-click dialing or automatic file retrieval based on your customers' incoming calling line identification.
• Branch-to-branch networking - to enable four-digit dialing between locations, the ability to transfer voicemail messages to anyone on the network or the option to have voice traffic carried over an existing data network.
• IVR - Interactive Voice Response, a technology in which a customer uses a touch-tone telephone to access a database to acquire information from or enter data. IVR technology can be both touchtone and voice activated but does not require a live operator. The customer's interaction with the database is predetermined by what the IVR system will allow.

Call Sunrise Solutions at 1-877-226-0164 and we will help you design a system that is right for you.