Don’t Choose A Telecoms Provider Until You Read This
It’s a jungle out there. Businesses pop up faster than you can say “competition” and a whole lot of them are doing what you do and vying for the same customers. In the world of entrepreneurs and SMEs, innovation is now the norm, not the differentiator. Everyone’s got good ideas and ways to monetise them. Yesterday’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP) becomes tomorrow’s old news. To succeed in this highly spirited environment, you need to get the jump on your competitors. One of the best ways to do this is to have better telecoms than anyone else. And one of the best ways to do that is to choose the right telecoms provider.
As a small business owner, the success of your company could very well hinge on your choice of telecoms provider. How many sales are lost because of an undelivered email, a missed voicemail, a dropped call or no line at all? Improving your communications channels is one of the best things you can ever do for your business but knowing just how to do that isn’t always easy.
Choosing the Right Telecoms Provider
Telecommunications is a big, complex industry with a multitude of systems and providers all claiming the same thing. How do you know whom to trust with your business? It’s a good question, and one we hope these pointers will help you answer:
Price
Now, we’re the first ones to say that cost is not, or at least, should not be, the most important consideration when selecting your telecoms provider. However, we get that money talks, and you have bills to pay, so price is obviously a consideration. However, don’t just compare bottom lines. Because here’s the thing: having good telecoms is not about what it’s going to cost you to have them. It is, however, all about what it will cost you if you don’t.
Look at what you risk losing if your system fails or glitches. What is the Rand amount in wasted time, lost productivity, frustrated employees and, most costly of all, lost customers? Having that number in front of you helps to put into perspective the cost of your telecoms package.
What Do You Actually Need?
No matter how big or small your business, getting the right telecoms system is a big thing, so it’s important that you get it right. To do this, you need to work out just what it is you actually want. A good telecoms provider will assist you with this process which in turn will enable them to provide you with an accurate quote to meet your requirements. Look for a provider who will engage directly with you in order to understand your present set up and future requirements. All businesses are different, so don’t be tempted to pick a provider with a one-size-fits-all approach simply because he’s the cheapest. You need a solution that best meets your particular needs – which may mean you don’t actually need all the extra frills and services available from a cookie cutter package.
Contracts
Look for a telecoms provider who doesn’t insist on tying you into long-term contracts without committing to service delivery. If you are unsure as to whether a telecoms provider can commit to service delivery, then insist on a month to month contract. Should they then not perform to expectations, move to an alternate telecoms provider.
SLA’s (Service Level Agreements)
Downtime costs money. Period. You need to know your telecoms provider can resolve any issues that occur, effectively and efficiently. Make sure they offer failover solutions ensuring that downtime – and the resultant lost productivity – is simply not a problem you have to deal with.
Customer Support
We all know how annoying it is to spend the first two minutes of a phone call to a service provider dealing with an automated routing system that has you listening to a recording and telling you to press one or two. Choose a provider who values your business and takes the time to speak to you personally whenever you need their help and is prepared to do on-site maintenance when required.
Scalability
It’s very important to choose a telecoms provider whose systems are constantly updated and that offers the latest available technology. They must offer a service that is flexible enough to adapt their solutions to meet your changing requirements. Making changes to your telecoms solution should be smooth and hassle-free and you should not be charged a penalty when upgrading.
Huge Connect is South Africa’s premier provider of telecommunications connectivity solutions. We offer a full range of managed services that incorporate quality, reliability and service excellence. So, trust us to handle your mission-critical voice and Internet requirements.
