| "body"> | | | | found out you needed to get a pacemaker, would |
| Companies have spent BIG dollars for the | | | | you go out looking for the cheapest one you |
| telephone equipment that some vendor wanted | | | | could find? Of course not. You would want the |
| to sell them - not necessarily for what they | | | | best doctor and the best pacemaker money |
| wanted or needed. | | | | could buy. |
| If you are in the market now or will be soon to | | | | Your business telephone system is the heart of |
| update your telephone equipment this report may | | | | your business communication to YOUR customers. |
| contain answers to the questions you need to | | | | Don't you value them as much as you do your |
| know before you make that capital expenditure. | | | | health? OK, almost as much. Remember your |
| Armed with this knowledge you might just save | | | | telephone is the heart of your business. |
| thousands of dollars. | | | | There was a small city government that was |
| Paying Too Little or Too Much | | | | looking at two different telephone systems. One |
| To start with, what should a new telephone | | | | was a cheap system, the other a more |
| system cost? In general, you should plan on | | | | expensive more reliable system. Of course the |
| spending somewhere between $450.00 and | | | | reliable system was almost twice the price of the |
| $850.00 per station installed. If you spend less | | | | other cheaper system. When the customer asked |
| than that, you're probably buying something that | | | | if the vendor offering the cheaper system could |
| you don't want. Cheap never lasts. The pleasure | | | | offer a 5-year warranty like the more expensive |
| of low price is often long forgotten after the pain | | | | system she was told that his cheaper system |
| of poor quality hangs on for many years. If the | | | | would probably have to be replaced in five years. |
| price is higher, you are probably buying something | | | | So the longer warranty was out of the question. |
| you don't need. | | | | Now can you see that the higher priced system is |
| These numbers do not include specialty add on | | | | actually less costly because it would last much |
| items like caller I.D., paging or voice mail. Those | | | | longer? |
| would increase the price. But this should give you | | | | "Could you be missing an important part of the |
| an idea of what you'll be spending. If you think | | | | equation?" |
| you're going to buy an 8 phone system for under | | | | There is another part of the telephone equation |
| $2,000.00 don't fool yourself. If you find someone | | | | that most equipment vendors will never even |
| to sell it to you, I guarantee you won't be happy | | | | address. The network side. Let me explain. Lets |
| because you'll have bought an inexpensive, cheap | | | | say your looking at a telephone system that has |
| problem waiting to happen. | | | | 8 telephones. Earlier you heard me say you can |
| All too often the customer will say " I need 3 lines | | | | expect your telephone equipment to cost you |
| and 8 phones and the vendor is more than happy | | | | somewhere between $450.00 and $850.00 per |
| to provide a bid of just that. Some will even go | | | | station. If you have an 8-phone system that's a |
| to the length to fax you your proposal. Why do | | | | bottom end figure of about $3600.00 and a top |
| they work soooooo... hard? | | | | end figure of about $6000.00. That's pretty much |
| If you're in the manufacturing business or | | | | agiven. Well if your business has 4 telephone lines |
| accounting business you probably know that | | | | you probably spend about $30 to $35 per line or |
| business very well but how much can you know | | | | $140.00 in reoccurring monthly charges on your |
| about telephones? It's a shame that a business is | | | | telephone bill. If you have long distance bill of say |
| sold what they asked for when that really isn't | | | | $125.00 per month that's a total reoccurring |
| necessarily what they need. | | | | monthly bill of $265.00 or $3,180.00 per year. If |
| So how do you figure out what you need? | | | | you think you will keep you telephone system 10 |
| First and most simply ... How many telephones will | | | | years, okay let's be conservative and say 5 years |
| you need? Start with a floor plan of you facility. It | | | | or 60 months, that means you have a network |
| can be a simple sketch of the rooms. Don't have | | | | cost of $15,900.00. |
| one? Some businesses have a fire escape plan, | | | | Don't you think that the network side of your |
| which is a good place to start, and it will serve for | | | | equation at least deserves a look? Wouldn't it be |
| this purpose as well. Or you could just draw that | | | | a good idea to see if there is anything that can |
| sketch. It doesn't need to be anything fancy. Just | | | | be done there to reduce some of the monthly |
| something that shows the different rooms and | | | | reoccurring expense? Many vendors won't even |
| the basic structure of your facility. Now mark the | | | | look at this side of the equation. |
| location of each phone you will need so you can | | | | "Company gets sued because of their telephone |
| get an accurate count of the number of | | | | system" |
| telephones. Don't forget things like faxes, | | | | How could it happen? Isn't it almost always true |
| modems and credit card terminals. These could be | | | | that if something couldhappen, wouldn't it happen |
| noted by marking an "F" for fax, "CC" for credit | | | | at the most inopportune time? |
| card terminal or an "M" for modem. | | | | A delivery truck looses control and crashes into |
| Now you know you need "X" number of | | | | your building. Thankfully no one is hurt but the |
| telephones and "Y" number of peripheral devises | | | | impact does two things. The point of impact |
| (those faxes etc.). | | | | causes your power to go off and in the |
| The next step is to figure out what type of | | | | excitement of the loud crash a customer in you |
| telephones you want to have at each location. To | | | | building collapses. You pick up your telephone to |
| be candid, there are as many different types of | | | | dial 911 to get emergency help and guess what, |
| telephones as there are type of cars. So how do | | | | your phone doesn't work. If you lose critical time |
| you get a handle on which type of telephones | | | | this could result in a liability position for your |
| you need at each location? You need to identify | | | | company. |
| what the job of the telephone is at that spot. | | | | You see, at your house the telephones are |
| "Some basic information on which to base your | | | | powered by the phone cord plugged into the jack. |
| decision. " | | | | But on a telephone system you basically have a |
| Does the phone need to show each line on it; or | | | | computer device that runs the individual |
| can you get by with one button with all the lines | | | | telephones and without electricity your telephones |
| located under it? This depends on if you need to | | | | won't work. Therefore, isn't it critical to have |
| be able to go to a phone other than the one that | | | | battery back-up on that system? Battery back-up |
| was answered to see the lines and take a call off | | | | is a way to keep your phones running even when |
| hold. | | | | you don't have electrical power. This is often an |
| Speaker telephone (this might be used by | | | | overlooked part of a telephone proposal. |
| someone who would review large or several | | | | OK, my story is a little stretch. So let me ask a |
| papers while on the phone to keep their hands | | | | more realistic question. If your power goes off |
| free. Another use may be for a conference room | | | | and a customer calls your business what do they |
| where multiple people might need to listen or talk | | | | hear? Nine out of ten people asked that question |
| as a group. | | | | say; " The customer hears a busy signal." Well, |
| Does the person use the telephone a lot and need | | | | that does sound like a logical answer but losing |
| to have a one-touch button on it for other | | | | power to your telephone system is the equivalent |
| individuals in the office? If so, how many? For | | | | of unplugging all you phones at home and then |
| example, an officer of the company might need a | | | | having some one call you. What would they hear? |
| phone with a button for his / her secretary that | | | | ... That's right unending ringing. It would appear to |
| would enable them to see if that staff member | | | | them your business is closed. What if they then |
| was on the line. It would also allow for one touch | | | | called one of your competitors and made a |
| access to call that individual. A receptionist would | | | | purchase from them? You could lose that |
| need to have buttons for all the other people so | | | | customer for life. Can you afford to lose even |
| they could transfer calls with the touch of one | | | | one revenue call due to a short power outage? |
| button. This might be in the form of a console | | | | Caution: The Trunker |
| with many buttons on it, or a manager or | | | | There is yet another area that can be hazardous |
| executive secretary might need a smaller version | | | | to your telecommunication health. The one-man |
| of the console with a few extra buttons for a | | | | shop or trunker. There are telephone equipment |
| smaller group of personnel. | | | | sales companies that are run totally by one |
| Is there a phone in a break or storage room | | | | person. That's right, one person who sells and |
| where you want a way to communicate but that | | | | installs telephone systems. Some of these guys |
| won't be used a lot? This could be a less | | | | drive up in their car and operate out of the trunk, |
| expensive type of telephone. Do you need to | | | | thus the term trunker. Their overhead is lower |
| have a courtesy phone in a lobby or counter area | | | | because it's just them. If you purchase a bargain |
| for customers to use? | | | | telephone system from a company that is run by |
| How many telephone lines (telephone numbers) | | | | an individual like this, what is your service like if |
| does your business need? How many outside | | | | something happens to him. What if he goes on |
| telephone calls do you want to have going on at | | | | vacation and you need immediate attention? What |
| once? It's been proven that many businesses are | | | | if he's installing a new system for someone else |
| over lined. If you have 10 telephone lines and | | | | and your system goes down? It's mind boggling |
| really only need 9 that could be costing your | | | | that a business would risk their communications to |
| company as much as an extra $400.00 a year. | | | | purchase a telephone system from one person. |
| This is an area that you should discuss at length | | | | Oh you might save a little on the front side, but |
| with a prospective telephone vendor. One time I | | | | the loss you could have down the road far out |
| was designing a telephone system for a doctor | | | | way the few pennies you kept. You need the |
| and she told me she wanted to have five phone | | | | assurance that your service needs will be met if |
| lines for her new start up business. When I asked | | | | something happens to your telephones. |
| her how many people she was starting with she | | | | Comparing Apples to Oranges |
| told me three. "How can three people answer five | | | | Once you have all your bids in, how do you |
| phone lines?" I asked. And that didn't account for | | | | decipher what is what? There are only a few |
| anyone being with patients. I informed her that if | | | | things that will relate across from one system to |
| she had too many lines no one would ever call in | | | | the next. The number of phones and lines is an |
| and say, "Doctor Smith, you know when I call in I | | | | easy one. You need to be careful about the |
| never have any trouble getting through." People | | | | types of phones and what they do. The only |
| expect their call to be answered. In other words | | | | other thing that at a glance makes comparing |
| if she was over lined she would never know. She | | | | easy is price and we've already discussed the |
| would just pay too much month after month. | | | | draw back to using that as a major factor. One |
| However, on the other hand if she didn't have | | | | suggestion is to take your proposals; cover the |
| enough lines, people would complain about her lines | | | | prices up on them and then copy them and let a |
| always being busy and she could simply add more | | | | vendor or two that you trust tell you what the |
| lines as needed. | | | | differences are in the bill of material. A way to |
| Typically, if I were designing lines for a new | | | | eliminate this problem is to hire a consultant to |
| business the ratio is one line for every two or | | | | draw up a request for proposal. Usually for a |
| three people. Ten people; five lines. Twenty | | | | percentage of the purchase price a set of |
| people; ten lines. However, that isn't always the | | | | standards can be drawn up so all the vendors are |
| case. In a factory, most people will be in the shop | | | | quoting apples or oranges not both. This fee can |
| and not need to use the phone. But in a | | | | be somewhere between 5 and 10% of the |
| telemarketing firm almost everyone need to have | | | | awarded bid price. But this can be money well |
| a line. You can't afford to have staff sitting | | | | spent if it keeps you from making a costly |
| around waiting to use the phone. But these are | | | | mistake in the purchase of equipment you will |
| the exception, not the rule. | | | | have to use for years. |
| Price vs. Cost | | | | As you can see there are many areas to |
| Often a business will use the bottom line price to | | | | examine when getting ready to purchase a |
| make the final decision. This could be a costly | | | | telephone system for your office. Can you afford |
| mistake. Let's be realistic. If price is the ultimate | | | | to over look any of them? As a matter of fact, |
| deciding fact, we'd all be driving cheap, unreliable, | | | | you should actually go through what is called a |
| unsafe cars. But you and I know, there are a lot | | | | telephone interview with a potential telephone |
| of fine luxury automobiles sold in this country. And | | | | equipment vendor. Spend time having all your |
| there is a good reason why. | | | | questions answered so you understand exactly |
| We are all very aware of the massive amount of | | | | what it is you need and so will your prospective |
| information we're bombarded with about the | | | | vendors. |
| importance of taking care of our hearts. So if you | | | | |