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How can our company start using an IP PBX?
This question was asked during Bil Moore's presentation "How to Calculate the Value of a Communications Upgrade For the No-Frills SMB" during the Focus Interactive Summit: All Things Small and Mid-Sized Business.
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3 Answers
There are open source IP PBXes you and I could deploy at next to no cost (Asteriks, SipExecs etc..). The major challenge would be integration with your local telephone services provider to which you would have to pay the regular recurrent bills. So if you have an extensive branch network the benefits of IP PBX is better felt.
When looking to move to an IP based telecommunications system, there are three things that I believe motivate a business owner.
Cost savings
Feature Enhancements to improve Revenue
Obsolete Products
It's easy to see if there are cost savings. Look at your cost of lines, long distance and maintenance on your existing system. IF capital is no issue, then buying an offordable system will generally lower your cost of lines, lower maintenance, provide opportunity to lower long distance. A good, reliable vendor should be able to demonstrate all of this to you in a well written quote.
New Features with VOIP can improve productivity via Unified Communications (overused words), enhanced features in the system, etc. Read through and understand the features you have never heard before, and apply them to your business to see how they can be revenue enhancing.
If you current system failed today, can you get it serviced promptly and be back up in service with a minimum of lost revenue and labor? Are parts available? Has maintenance creep caused maintenance to be too high? Remember - maintenance costs will rise 2-4% a year on equipment, after 10 years, are you paying too much?
My advice, find several qualified vendors in your area, have them come speak to you, provide a competitive proposal, and evaluate for yourself if the cost/benefit is truly there for your unique situation.
It is really very simple.
Find a reliable IP PBX provider that has been around for a couple of years and is offering all the features that your business needs, at a price that you can easily afford.
Choose from the best suitable monthly plan and features.
Make sure that your service provider offers business class voce quality. To ensure that get a free trial.
Another important thing to keep in mind is the support that you get. Don’t fall for 24X7 support talk. Test them yourself by calling or mailing them at odd hours.
Once you are satisfied with their services, all you have to do is sign up with that IP PBX provider and the rest is taken care of by them.
For more information you also visit the following links:
http://www.therealpbx.com/security-pbx.html
http://www.therealpbx.com/pbx-features.html
http://www.therealpbx.com/clients-support.html
Hope this helps.
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