Choosing a telecommunications provider that meets both your production and budget needs is a daunting task
Before Convergent makes recommendations, we perform a thorough audit of existing communications services and we assess your business needs. We evaluate for each of our customers on a case-by-case basis, considering each of the following factors:
Geography
Start by looking at providers’ footprints. Businesses should consider local and regional service providers over national carriers since they built the network. The decision for a local provider could mean better network reliability and service.
Breadth of Services
Does the provider offer a comprehensive suite of services? Many offer not only traditional voice, but also cloud, data and internet solutions. Does the provider do all of these well? Then, investigate services and support (i.e. installation, service, billing, account management). Who handles account management once you sign a contract?
Brand Reputation
Be certain your technology distributor has preferred relationships with the industry’s top providers. It’s important to keep in mind the largest providers can deliver stability.
Pricing
Are the providers offering competitive, negotiated quotes that meet your specific business requirements? Apply age-old wisdom that if the rates or savings seem too good to be true? They usually are.
Financial Stability
Above all other factors – service and offerings, network reliability, geography – it’s important to know the stability of the company you’ve selected. If the company falls on hard times, will your pricing increase? Will the company cut back on customer service?
Current Business
Before selecting a provider, conduct due diligence and reach out to current customers for a reference. Also, another consideration for vetting a provider is to gain a better understanding of the company’s own business goals: Are they looking to be acquired? Are they making acquisitions to expand their services? Are they a publically traded company?
Is Hosted VoIP The Right Fit?
More and more businesses are moving from traditional and analog voice systems to a secure hosted Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) platform. We have found that VoIP is a great fit for many of our customers for the reasons that follow. However, Convergent does not believe in a “one size fits all” approach. If your business is not yet ready for VoIP, Convergent has several alternate and effective solutions.
Global demand for VoIP services is expected to reach above USD 140 billion in 2021 and is ancipated to grow at a CAGR of over 9.1% between 2016 and 2021 – Market Research Store
Hosted VoIP is a solution where a carrier owns and manages all telephony networking equipment and enables you to make calls over a broadband internet connection. It’s a more cost-effective, multi-functional, and flexible alternative to analog phone lines.
Why Hosted VoIP?
Why are many businesses choosing to replace traditional voice systems with a secure Hosted VoIP platform? Convergent has compiled the top four reasons our customers are choosing Hosted VoIP:
Reduced Cost
Because hosted VoIP is a cloud-based solution that is managed virtually, the need for expensive networking equipment is drastically reduced. This provides a huge cost-saving advantage because it eliminates installation and maintenance fees. Also, because you’re sending calls over the internet, long-distance and international charges are greatly reduced.
Scalability
Predicting growth is challenging, which is why having a phone system that scales at your pace presents a great advantage. Hosted VoIP is designed to be highly scalable and easy to expand, allowing you to seamlessly add or reduce new phones and increase or decrease bandwidth requirements when needed.
Mobility
With the rise of the “work from home” and BYOD trends, a mobile phone system is becoming a business necessity. Whereas traditional phone service providers offer mobile accounts that are separate from the phone system, VoIP allows you to make mobile devices endpoints on the same system. This allows for your employees to use their mobile phones simultaneously with their work phones.
Productivity
From automated attendants to automated call forwarding, with hosted VoIP, your business never misses important calls. Additionally, it gives you the ability to add collaboration tools like video conferencing and instant messaging, strengthening communication within your organization. Since it allows for enhanced mobility, it also enables employees to take work calls out of the office.
A Summary of Benefits
- Carrier handles implementation and hosting, removing burden from your IT team.
- Transmission is sent over Internet Protocol, reducing reliance on expensive hardware.
- Long-distance and international charges are greatly reduced.
- Scales up and down easily by adding/removing phones or increasing/decreasing bandwidth.
- Increased mobility because mobile devices can be seamlessly integrated into the system.
- Ability to add unified communications applications like video chat, IM, and unified messaging.
- Users can change features, options, and services dynamically through simple interface.
- Enables rich features like click-to-call, selective call forwarding, mobile integration, and more.
- Can support old technologies like fax machines.
Customized Connectivity Services Review
How do we determine the right solution for our clients? Convergent offers a complimentary Connectivity Services Infrastructure Review to baseline current technology services. Convergent makes it easy:
- Meet with your dedicated solutions engineer and/or account manager for a thorough discovery appointment. Convergent will learn your company’s top values and priorities
- Convergent leverages its market expertise and portfolio of over 120 suppliers to design a wholistic technology road-map for your company
- Meet with your dedicated solutions engineer to review the plan and discuss company impact. Convergent will provide extensive timelines and expectations.
- Installation dates, deployment schedules, project deadlines, support and escalations: Convergent serves as your ongoing single point of contact for all business technology services.