Businesses that invest in the latest technologies are seen in a positive light by their employees, while organisations that lag behind with tech spread negativity throughout their workforce.
Giving employees access to the latest technologies will help improve satisfaction and increase productivity.
The right communications system will help accelerate and enhance your business. It will provide employees with the right tools to be highly effective and the applications necessary to improve internal collaboration and offer a superior customer experience.
A survey of UK employees carried out by Unisys revealed the importance of providing employees with the right technology if firms want to retain them and get the most out of them.
The research, part of a global survey of more than 12,000 workers, found that 87% of staff at companies that are considered leaders in technology adoption are positive about their employer, while 70% at “technology laggards” are negative about their employer. And 14% of staff at businesses that are slow to adopt the latest technology even said inadequate technology makes then want to go and work elsewhere.
Outdated devices cause negativity from 56% of employees at laggard businesses, with 24% unhappy that they do not have the devices to enable them to work on the move.
And its not just staff retention that becomes a problem when businesses fail to invest in the right technology. According to the survey report, worker negativity will reduce productivity.
“Workers are looking for agile, modern solutions that support their need to work in different locations or when on the move” it said. “Failure to provide mobility-fuelled productivity has big consequences for employee satisfaction and motiviation - which are driving factors in productivity.
The big question is where do businesses start in terms of knowing the right technology required to support their employees? Fundamentally important is taking time to fully understand your business needs as investing in the wrong technology could prove hughly detrimental.
So, what do you need to consider when prospecting for a new business phone system?
Finding the right telecom partner
When purchasing a business telephone system there are many considerations to be made, and one that’s very important is selecting who to work with.
Find a telecom provider who really understands the market, one that can offer the right technology to future-proof your business. Select a company with dedicated account management and a dedicated in-house technical team, so you can rely on their support for when you need help.
Business objectives
The next step is to find out the current challenges your organisation is experiencing. What are the problems a new business phone system can solve? And what type of phone system can be potentially installed.
Sometimes it’s about cost - old on-premises systems are more expensive to maintain. Or maybe, it’s about keeping business continuity between different offices and remote staff. So, a traditional landline might not be the best option.
However, it might be exactly the opposite - you have one small office, with just a few people, and a traditional phone system could actually be the best option.
Perhaps a business objective is to invest in scalable technology that grows with the business and offers more features?
Upgrading existing systems
If you already have a system in place, it might be a good idea to check how much you can make use of it. Sometimes, existing systems can be upgraded, for example a landline can be integrated with VOIP with minimal disruption to your business and clients. This can potentially save the cost of replacing all handsets.
A problem may appear when your old equipment isn’t compatible with newer systems, such as cloud-based phones, so you may have to replace your office phones.
The positive side of this is, cloud phones are future-proof and they’re likely to be used for many years without spending a lot of your company budget.
It’s a logical step, as eventually traditional phone lines will be phased out by 2025 as ISDN will be switched off.
Keeping up with your staff’s needs
Technological developments and emerging trends usually influence buying decisions. And this applies to businesses, which shouldn’t really be a surprise.
The rising popularity of flexible working has driven the need for easier communication between teams. Every business today has a responsibility to provide its people with the tools and devices they need to do their job.
Hot desking in a large company should be seamless, and remote workers need to have the means to communicate with colleagues. We all know how awkward conference calls can be when something doesn’t go your way, be it microphone not working, or sound quality is going bad. Listen to your company staff and implement suggested changes that will just make your workplace more efficient.
A solution that grows with your business
The requirements of a smaller, single-office, company defers to what a large enterprise would need. That goes without saying.
For a large company, the initial investment can be large, especially if they have multiple locations. That’s why when looking for a phone system it’s essential to choose one that isn’t going to slow down future potential growth. Many modern hybrid or cloud-based systems offer easy scalability and are cost-effective in the long run.
Smaller businesses which expect exponential growth in the future too can benefit from a VoIP system as they’re flexible and don’t require expensive ongoing maintenance.
Other key factors to consider
Here’s a list of other key factors that need to be taken into consideration when choosing a business phone system:
- What telecom solution does your business currently have
- Decide to upgrade, or completely switch to a new system
- Budget for the new system and see how it compares to current costs
- Make a note of the current problems and potential solutions needed from a new phone system
- Consider how much time will be needed to train existing IT staff to maintain the new system
Once you have a good idea of your telecom needs, it’s worth keeping in mind the following questions for when you speak to a potential telecom provider:
- Can they meet your budget?
- How long would the installation take?
- How accessible is the system and what platforms does it run on?
- How scalable is the system of choice?
- Is it possible to demo the system before buying?
- What maintenance is offered and how much is the ongoing cost post-purchase?
Having the right communication tools in place is vital to any company wanting to provide the best customer service possible, at all times. To discuss your company’s requirements and how Exchange Communications can help, visit www.exchangecommunications.co.uk or call us on 0800 008 7600
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