Despite the fact that we live and work in an increasingly digital world, the vast majority of companies still need and use a phone system to conduct business. Some companies, however, are using phone systems that can’t keep up with the demands of modern business. That old phone system is hurting your business.
When it comes to business phone systems, many companies adopt the mindset of, “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” That may work in the short term, but the moment something does become broken, you’ve got a whole new set of issues to address. The best time to upgrade or replace your phone system is before it becomes a problem.
7 Signs You Need a New Phone System
1. You experience dropped calls.
If you have frequent system outages or regularly “lose” people when they call into your office, that’s a sign your phone system can’t keep up with demand. Poor sound quality is also a symptom of a phone system that is unreliable.
2. When phones are down, business stops.
Sometimes outages are unavoidable. If your company cannot conduct business during an outage by routing calls to staff cell phones, you are losing business.
3. It provides a poor customer experience.
Phone trees and company directories are helpful for routing calls to the right person. However, if your system routes callers through a maze of prompts without ever delivering them to a real employee, it can frustrate your customers.
4. It’s hard for employees to use.
With many older systems, employees have to consult a manual or cheat sheet to perform simple tasks like conference calls. Some systems make it difficult to transfer a call without losing it (see dropped calls, above). The harder a system is to use, the less your employees will use it.
5. Your system features are limited.
Once upon a time, the most you needed from a phone system was the ability to transfer calls and/or conduct conference calls. If your system cannot give you voice mail, sync your cell phone contacts, or hot desk you to another phone, you’re missing out on some of the best options new technology has to offer.
6. You can no longer update or repair your system.
Maintaining an older phone system can be a challenge, particularly when something breaks. Technology rapidly changes nowadays, and you may have difficulty locating parts for your outdated system.
7. You cannot scale your system.
Most companies experience periods of growth and contraction, and an outdated phone system cannot fluctuate with these changes. You may reach a limit in how many handsets you can add, or you may have to continue paying for phone seats that you no longer use. Many businesses have multiple locations or a mix of in-house and remote workers. It may be difficult to connect everyone without some serious technological gymnastics. A system that you cannot scale is a system that will cost your business in the long run.
Modern Phone Systems Are Worth the Investment
The great thing about modern phone technology is that it has made phone systems more adaptable and feature-rich than ever before. Now, instead of attempting to fit your business into the limits of an outdated system, you can choose a phone system that fits your company’s unique needs. Lieberman Technologies has extensive experience in designing and configuring phone systems that fit a variety of business demands. Don’t let your outdated phone system cost you any more time or money – contact us today!