Why Is It Important to Schedule a Phone System Check Up or Routine Maintenance?
June 25th, 2013 by admin
Routine maintenance should be a part of every business’ plan. It is performed on everything from humans to cars; doctor visits and car inspections have a purpose. Check ups on phone systems similarly provide insight into how everything is working, if any maintenance is needed, or whether any upgrades are available.
Phone system check-ups and maintenance are available from Business Phones Direct and other providers, yet many enterprise customers are not aware of them. The necessity for such service is often not communicated among stakeholders or business owners and IT Departments. Letting hidden problems go, ignoring important backups, patches and upgrades, and not addressing compatibility with evolving systems, networks and computers, can lead to avoidable downtime and loss of business. Reliance on the Internet has presented a new challenge for phone system owners. The need to address patches, monitor for upgrades, and manage compatibility issues has a direct impact on the system’s efficiency and longevity.
Establishing a Maintenance Plan
What many business users don’t know is that automated phone system maintenance can be set up with Business Phones Direct. Routine upgrades and system checks are part of many phone systems, Internet/Network, and IP service plans. Such service plans can incorporate a number of options, depending on the provider. Being proactive about maintaining backups, and administering patches and upgrades, is just part of the plan. A number of services may be included, while system restores may be conducted on the provider’s end, saving your enterprise time and money when there are indeed bumps in the road.
- Avaya, a leading enterprise network and phone system services provider, is an example of one which takes phone system maintenance seriously. Its support plan includes several beneficial aspects to customers, including:
- Software upgrades every six months. Software releases and service packs are made available on a regular basis, each pertaining to the individual phone system. Business Phones Direct can usually download these directly from the company’s website.
- Service Bulletins. On the support section of the Avaya website, visitors can find bulletins and notices concerning available upgrades and patches to their phone systems. These are beneficial because customers know exactly when such items become available, and are directed to the appropriate download page or relevant resources.
- Product Support Notices. Support notifications on the Avaya Support page provide customers with information on pressing issues, updates, maintenance releases, service availability, and more.
- Automatic Scheduled Backups on phone system and voicemail programming. Business Phones Direct can implement and maintain a backup schedule that runs at night or after regular business hours as not to cause any problems with normal operation of equipment.
- Allworx, another leader in business phone systems, recently unveiled version 7.5 of its flagship Allworx Business Phone System. It has been updated to include Mobile Reach. Customers receive one free reach upgrade, allowing them to get direct extension calls to their mobile phone. It also lets users place calls showing their office number via a mobile phone app. The product is an all-in-one communication system that meets the constantly changing needs of a large enterprise. Ideal for upgrading an outdated phone system, it is designed to support up to 60 employees per site and to meet the unified communications needs of any business. This type of upgrade could be available at no additional cost.
Importance of Maintenance
Service providers recognize the importance of phone maintenance for the enterprise. Extensive repairs can involve downtime that place a burden on day-to-day operations, interfering with employees and important business transactions. There are a few key aspects to every routine maintenance plan, and ensuring your provider includes these is important to guaranteeing future business continuity.
- Call Flow Review: The provider conducts a review of your current call flow. Similar to network traffic monitoring, this review includes an analysis of all of the calls going through the system, gauging volume, efficiency, and where bottlenecks are occurring or could present problems in the future.
- Connectivity Review: By using a set of protocols and routines, Business Phones Direct can look at performance as it pertains to connectivity. If there are segments slowing down the call flow or access points which can benefit from an upgrade, these will be found and the provider can make the appropriate recommendations. Internet connectivity is often slowed down because of hidden connection issues. The problem can lie within a specific device or wire set, but in any case, the issue should be fixed before it leads to greater concerns.
- Connection Analysis: Every business has needs specific to itself and a particular point in time. As a company grows, its requirements change. Your connection has to be sufficient to address all the calls and functionality demanded of the system. All phone system connections have to be as secure and operational as any network connection to maximize their suitability for your business. Connection to the Public and where your company places calls to will let Business Phones Direct know what can help.
Risks of Not Having Maintenance
- System Failure – By not addressing maintenance on a regular basis, a phone system becomes at risk of becoming outdated, falling victim to strain because of plaguing connection problems, or simply shutting down altogether. One part of the system can have a drastic effect on everything else. A car needs oil to run; should the lubricating oil drain from the engine, catastrophic damage can occur, leaving the car inoperable. Leaving maintenance out of your telecommunication plan puts the well-being of the entire company at risk
- Labor Expenses – Routine maintenance is typically offered at reasonably low prices, if it is not already a part of your service plan. More often than not, emergency service and labor costs much more, and you do not have any choice but to pay for the work done. These costs can be a significant drain on your IT budget, something that can be avoided by maintaining the phone system at regular time intervals.
- Loss of Competitiveness – A state-of-the-art phone system is something that provides your enterprise with capabilities which maximize competitiveness. In other words, it can keep up with the speed and knowledge possessed by top businesses in the industry. Being knowledgeable about the phone system is an important aspect of reaching this goal. A lack of understanding, plus dealing with the problems which result from lapsing on maintenance, will cause your enterprise to fall behind and lose its competitive edge. Company growth can at the very least stall if not go completely in reverse, threatening its very existence.
The risks of avoiding phone maintenance, as they have been outlined here, can be detrimental to your company. It is therefore extremely important to schedule your next phone system check up and address routine maintenance before it is too late. Call TOLL FREE: 866-777-7466 now to receive a quote on a Business Phones Direct Partner Plan to stay up to date on service and routine maintenance.
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