Your company’s telecommunications system is probably one of the most important parts of the overall operations because it is among the top ways people get in touch to ask questions, place orders, and get other forms of support. To keep up with changing technologies and the growing demands of customers, you might be seriously considering upgrading the businesses’ existing phone system. Before going through with that decision, there are several things that should be done to improve the chances of a hassle-free upgrade.
Inform Customers of Possible Downtime
Many of today’s leading phone systems are so advanced and user-friendly that they offer various ways to minimize costs and delays. If you are worried about the potential backlash from customers who get upset because there are short periods of time during which they cannot reach you due to phone system upgrades, think ahead and let customers know about your plans through email, physical letters, and phone calls.
It’s also ideal to let customers know you have chosen a technological solution that causes a very small amount of downtime, so try not to inform customers about the telephone switch over until you have most or all the details ironed out. All or most of the techniques used to keep customers in the loop during planned outages can also be depended upon to communicate with them during unplanned downtime, so even if you haven’t had such an incident yet, it’s smart to practice how you’d respond if one occurs.
Be Aware of Your Options
It’s sometimes easy to get overwhelmed when studying all the available choices related to business phone systems and the pros and cons associated with them and thinking about the questions you need to answer before making informed choices. For example, maybe you are interested in cloud business phone service and want to talk to a specialist before making any major decisions. During a consultation, you can talk about the current state of your business and whether it might change in major ways within the next few years.
When you take the time to understand the various possibilities that exist in the business telephone industry, it’ll be easier to choose one that’s most appropriate for your needs now and whatever they may be in the future. The more aware you are of options, the simpler it’ll be to find a solution that has significant advantages for your business immediately and over time.
Tell Employees What to Expect
The productivity level your employees demonstrate while using a phone system tends to be directly related to the familiarity they have with the technology. With that in mind, some employees who offer phone-based assistance to customers may feel unsettled by the mere idea of upgrading to a new system because they’re afraid they won’t be able to get the hang of new features and that their overall outputs may go down.
Do what you can to help employees feel well-prepared for what’s ahead by giving them periodic details about the transition to the new setup. Ideally, you don’t want to overload them with all the information you have at once because that could make them too stressed. Instead, give information in stages only after finalizing certain parts of the process. Also, make it clear you are ready and willing to answer any questions they have.
If your business operates under a call speed or quota system for call center team members, it may be a good idea to temporarily waive the minimum requirements to help everyone feel more relaxed. Generally, today’s phone systems are very easy to learn but if people don’t feel their jobs are at risk while they grasp the new features, stress levels will be lower overall.
Be Prepared to Explain Reasons
Perhaps you’ve chosen one of the leading hosted voice providers in North America or decided that you’ll go with a system that allows you to gradually migrate over to new technology. Regardless of details, make sure you’re ready to have discussions with stakeholders and talk at length about why you made certain choices and how those conclusions are good for business.
When you do these four things, the likelihood is much higher that you’ll have a terrific transition to a new phone system. Implement them into your plans soon for best results.
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