Telecommunications Solutions

Tatham-Thompson says that while IP-based telephony equipment is becoming more common in the market, understanding of its value by smaller businesses is still limited.

“A company that has only 25 employees is at the mercy of techno-speak,” Tatham-Thompson says.

Many companies are now selling hybrid IP/PABX systems that support both digital and IP-based phones, enabling companies to perform a staged migration from old to new technology.

“Some customers only need basic phone connectivity, and might find that a normal handset with two lines will suffice,” says Jerry Ng, Panasonic’s product marketing manager for business communications solutions. “The IP system is often more expensive up-front, but it all comes down to total cost of ownership. With the cost savings in call charges and improved productivity, it quickly becomes a lot cheaper than traditional systems.”

The benefits of IP telephony systems go far beyond cheap calls. For example, they can be integrated with the office computer network and linked to staff calendars, providing automated call routing based on where the person has said they will be.

Ng says in many cases businesses fall into the trap of continuing to use the same phone system for long periods without ever investigating what else is available. “They don’t know what they can do to improve productivity in their customer service operation. And that’s typical for small business–once they have something installed, they won’t look at it until it breaks.”

IP telephony systems can also be integrated with other devices such as digital video cameras, with Panasonic launching a new range of products that can be integrated into the phone system for remote monitoring. A camera can be set up near a door, and set to automatically send a live image to a user’s screen if someone presses the intercom.

But even once you’ve determined the technology and manufacturer you want, there is the question of whose network (or networks) you want to connect it to.

According to Jenney there are four basic questions a small business should ask when assessing their current provider: are they getting value for money; are problems fixed quickly; how much finger-pointing is there; and are they using the technology they have already invested in effectively.

If you do decide to change providers, it is worth considering whether you want to go with a single provider and a single invoice, or spread your needs across numerous so-called best-of-breed suppliers.

Business development manager at the telecommunications provider People Telecom, Brian Gore, believes the integrated service his business offers is strong, as People Telecom can bundle voice, mobile, data or internet services into a single bill.

Account management is something that Gore says many smaller businesses also take on. Some businesses fall into the habit of simply paying their bill each month without ever analysing whether they could get a better deal.

It’s also important that the business knows exactly what it is buying. Sometimes the provider is simply reselling someone else’s network, which can lead to headaches when things go awry.

“I have worked for a provider who used a number of different network providers for their long distance traffic and it always seemed to be a nightmare if a customer had a fault and it was on a long distance call,” Gore says.