Article from the Business Journal
featuring Ralph E. Evans
How to Select A Telephone System
"Time was, setting up a telephone system for your business was a pretty simple affair. About all you needed to do was get a telephone - usually rented from the same folks who provided telephone service - and have the telephone company plug it in."Time was, setting up a telephone system for your business was a pretty simple affair. About all you needed to do was get a telephone - usually rented from the same folks who provided telephone service - and have the telephone company plug it in.
These days, however, with an explosion in the number of telephone features and the growing number of companies offering to set up the gear, selecting a telephone system can be downright dizzying.
Still, it need not be so scary...
The first step should be to tap into that most important of information sources: your customers.
Ask them what they like and dislike about dealing with your company over the telephone.
For example, do they prefer being dished off to your voice mail when you're busy or out of the office? Or would they rather be forwarded to another person with the company?
Also ask your employees for input. What features would make it easier for them to do their jobs and to better serve customers?
... The increasing convergence of communications will result in the integration of many services such as desktop computers, fax machines, e-mail and video mail, and telephones.
"It's not just a telephone system anymore. It's a complete message system," said Ralph Evans, president of Evans Associates, a telecommunications consulting firm in Milwaukee.
"So many businesses look at the telephone system as a substandard means of communications. It should be the most important system, especially because soon, all modes of communication will be done on the personal computer."
Whatever system you buy should be upgradeable to accomodate such potential needs, he said.
Getting the right telephone system also means finding the right company to help you set it up - and getting the best price.
How to Select a Wireless/Cellular Phone Service
New competition in the cellular phone and wireless communication business has generated lower prices and various new services.
But with this growth has also come confusion over the many features and pricing plans available.
Advertisements for competing carriers try to tell consumers what they need. But according to experts, every individual's cell phone needs are different.
How exactly are you going to use the phone? Where will you be calling? Who will be calling you?
... The first point to ponder is how exactly the phone will be used. Do you plan on using the phone on an everyday basis to conduct business? Or will the phone be used only in case of emergencies?
"A cellular dealer will not tell you which plan is best for you, so have your information ready when you speak to them," said Ralph Evans, president of Evans Associates, a telecommunications consulting firm in Milwaukee ...
... In other words, if you expect to use the phone only 30 minutes a month, don't sign up for a plan that offers 100 minutes a month. You are charged whether you use the time or not.
The next step is choosing between the two types of phones - digital and analog ..."
... However, before deciding on purchasing a digital phone, it is important to note the differences between the digital systems. According to a recent study done by TRAC of the three digital systems - Global System for Mobile (GSM), Time Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) - CDMA is expected to be the most available system in the country. GSM will be offered primarily in major cities and TDMA coverage is expected to exclude some western states. "Time was, setting up a telephone system for your business was a pretty simple affair. About all you needed to do was get a telephone - usually rented from the same folks who provided telephone service - and have the telephone company plug it in.
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For more information please contact:
Evans Associates
210 South Main Street
Thiensville, Wisconsin 53092
(262)242-6000
fax: (262)242-6045
http://www.evansassoc.com
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