Category: Phone

8 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Phone System

Posted on by cwdadmin

Purchasing a new phone system is a big decision that can affect your entire business.  Not only is it a big investment, but it can also directly effect your employees productivity levels as well as customer service and satisfaction.  There are many factors to consider when making a decision on a phone system.  Below are 8 questions we think should be answered before making that decision:

  1. What solutions do we currently have in place?  – When are your current contracts set to expire? Where is your equipment in the depreciation cycle? Do you have current systems in place that will need to be integrated with the new phone system?
  2. What are our current costs and what is our budget? – Make sure you consider the costs of future upgrades and support on the new system.
  3. How much are we expecting our business to change and/or grow? – Can you add remote or mobile workers as needed? Can you add new sites that are fully integrated and managed as a single system?
  4. Do we prefer a CapEx model or a monthly subscription OpEx model for our communications? – Do you prefer cloud, onsite, or a hybrid deployment with applications delivered from the cloud?
  5. What pain points do we have with our current system? – What aspects of it do you like/dislike?  What features do you wish you had?
  6. What service and support level is offered by the vendor we are considering? – Who do you call when there is an issue?  What is their response time? Do they provide end-user training during the installation process?
  7. Do we have specific compliance measures we must meet? – For example, PCI, HIPAA, etc.
  8. What features are essential for our business to have and why? – What features are included and what features incur additional charges?

Communications are the lifeblood of any business, which is why choosing the right vendor and communications platform are so important.  Look for providers that focus on customer service and training and ask for customer references.  Choose a system that is reliable, feature-rich but still easy to use and manage, and that will grow with your business in the future.

Fostering Communications Between IT and Non-Tech Employees

Posted on by cwdadmin

Across all job titles, regions, and industries, the communication happening between IT and their non-IT coworkers is often described as insufficient. And according to a recent Executive Council benchmark survey, only four out of 100 IT leaders believe they are effectively communicating with their non-IT coworkers.

The reason for this issue is due to an absence of effective communication, trust and a cohesive vision within the organization. Reports show that many IT departments are unsatisfied with executive leadership decisions regarding the company’s digital strategies and innovation processes.

Clearly there is a major communication problem within business information technology, but what exactly can companies do to fix it? Some communication tips to battle the problem include:

#1: Train them on the ENTIRE business

Don’t let IT leaders become isolated “techies” within the organization. They should have a true understanding of the perspective of all roles and parts of the business. Having a cohesive understanding helps them to gain an understanding of why certain business decisions are made so they can effectively implement the changes needed. Allow IT professionals to job shadow in the various departments of the business, and if needed, rearrange the teams or floor plans to establish convergence.

#2: Educate About Stakeholders

IT decisions made during projects are often the result of the needs of the stakeholders rather than some leadership positions or other departments. If you educate your IT leaders on who these people are as well as why their decisions are important or needed, they will likely respond more effectively to why certain changes are happening.

#3 Encourage Normal Language

IT professionals seem to unintentionally create their own language that’s cluttered with technical jargon and acronyms that other departments simply don’t understand. IT leaders need to make a continuous effort to simplify their conversations and eliminate the use of confusing acronyms.

#4 Insert Metrics into Discussions

IT leaders love metrics, so it’s a great tool to use to drive a conversation with someone with a more technical brain. During the right time, this can be a powerful tool to help make conversations easier and more effective.

#5 Outsource When Needed

If communication issues are holding your IT department back, don’t be afraid to look for some help from an expert. Outsourcing the help of an IT Communications Director can implement processes and tools to enhance the business information technology communication. Using an expert can also help to identify the nuances that are hindering your specific organization’s communication process and provide realistic suggestions on how to improve on it.

IT leaders of today simply must be willing to work through and discuss the complexities of the digital world with effective communication. Doing so helps the organization solidify strategies, expand abilities and ultimately, encourages growth.  Additionally, improving the communication between IT and the rest of the business helps the entire organization understand their digital processes, growth goals and the future plans of the business, which is beneficial for all.