What's the Best Phone System for Your Business?

Usually, when Starnet Data engages with a new customer prospect, that prospect is likely to come the table with a preconceived idea as to which manufacturer or particular system is the “best” for them. This preconception is usually the result of a features analysis of the different products in the market or a referral from a trusted source. Our invitation to the table is many times only for validation.

As a long time purveyor of telephony technology, we can audaciously state a case that our customers are misinformed. While that may likely be the case, it is not necessarily for the reasons we might conclude.

What ultimately defines what the best telephony system is for your business? I would argue that this question could not be answered in the present tense.

My premise is that the best telephony system is the one that, after 6-12 months of operation, is consistently meeting your expectations in areas of performance, reliability and user adoption and can continue to do so and evolve as your business evolves.

In accepting my premise as accurate, the issue of what system is the best for you really lies in the business telephony provider’s capabilities in designing, delivering, installing and maintaining its performance at an optimum level over the long haul.

Note if the business telephony provider’s key analysis lies in understanding what factors contribute most to long-term performance, reliability and user adoption. I would argue these factors have nothing to do with features or phone design or any other typical criteria on which customers likely base their decision.

In the varied situations I have encountered, I have come across a few new service customers each month who had purchased the “right” system based on features alone, yet from an “incapable” dealer, are now seeking help. My belief is, had that customer purchased any system from a dealer who was able to maintain the system and the relationship to a reasonable degree, that the customer’s overall satisfaction would be higher despite any features deficiency.

I don’t mean to discount the importance of features, but I’m basing my point on a number of factors that would seem to lessen the importance of a protracted features comparison:

1) Experience, Product and Competitive Knowledge. Starnet Data has been installing, maintaining and managing phone systems for years and is well positioned in the industry, represents leading brands if not well versed in comparative features information. The brand we represent likely has, at a minimum 95%-98% of the features of the system towards which the prospect is leaning;

2) Minimal Features Differences (really). The difference in features among leading brands today is, in reality, very few and I would venture to say in the vast majority of instances, inconsequential. The “new” features last only as long as the next release offered by the competition (the leapfrog factor). Any advanced or significant feature differentiation comes into play in only a very small number of scenarios.

Assuming that telephony provider is an expert in maintaining the value and viability of the systems it represents over the long term, that they can guarantee that your phone system requirements and related business goals can be well served by their product and service, then the answer to the question is very straightforward.

What’s the best telephony system for you? The one that is reliable, supported and evolves with your business.

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What a small business needs for affordable yet advanced business telephony.

In Starnet Data's experience, running a small business in terms of manpower size does not necessarily equate to a simpler voice communications requirement. You don’t have to employ hundreds of employees or need more than 7 phone lines in order to have access to an advanced system that contributes to your business goal of dispensing excellent customer service with a state-of-the-art telephone system, or qualify for a payment arrangement.

Often, small business telephony needs are underserved because they have been conditioned by most telephony providers to stay within a limited features phone set. The rationale given is that they can not afford any of the full features they desire to get their business on the high technology edge of voice communications. Likewise, they are convinced that it would almost be “overkill” to do so.

There is some truth to the affordability angle and the “overkill” premise just serves to rationalize it. Most vendors of telephony have plans geared for huge businesses where they sell ongoing support and upgrades separately at huge costs. The small business customer is left with acquiring a system at a simple technology level and worse, likely stays at that level in the long term.

These are some of the common problems and obstacles small businesses have either with their current systems or when considering what they actually need:
1. Old technology. Antiquated voice and data communications systems that hinder productivity and the ability to compete in a market dominated by bigger competitors;
2. “Technology Decay©” – the phenomenon of declining return on investment due to inadequate system maintenance and lack of ongoing training;
3. Capital Outlay – Cash flow impact of investing in new technology; and
4. Downtime – the potential for downtime when implementing new technology.

Starnet Data has bridged the gap between acquisition of advanced communications and cost by designing StarASSURE™. This solution ensures that small business can have access to a totally managed voice communication solution without paying a huge cost up front.

StarASSURE™ is specifically designed to help small companies that:
· Require replacement of existing voice communications technology to a modern and efficient system but can’t afford the one time investment.
· Do not have a team that can adequately support the technology to enable its full potential.
· Do not want to worry about maintaining and supporting their communications systems over time.

The suite of services provided over the life of the StarASSURE™ agreement provides assurance that a customer’s monthly investment is maximized, which is the most relevant feature of the solution. It protects and optimizes your investment by eliminating the phenomenon of “Technology Decay©” where the performance of technology systems degrade over time without an element of ongoing support and the return on the technology investment is compromised.

Most of our small business customers find the StarASSURE™ solution components --- Advanced Technology, System Design & Implementation (turnkey installation) and Ongoing Investment Protection -- very relevant to their current requirements.

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