There comes a time when every business must reconsider its phone system. Maybe the current equipment is too old or faulty or maintenance fees are adding up— or maybe the system simply isn’t meeting the needs of staff and clients. Whatever the reason, upgrading a legacy phone system can be an intimidating process.

If you’re evaluating your phone system, you may be wary of the potential hassles, costs, and time spent on making the switch to a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solution. And you’re not alone.

Here are common fears about upgrading a legacy phone system and how to overcome the stress:

Installing and implementing a new system is a hassle

You may be afraid that adopting VoIP will require a lengthy installation and expensive upgrades. But it’s not always necessary to do a complete overhaul of your system.

With gateways and SIP trunking services, you can peer your legacy phone system to a modern VoIP solution, allowing it to operate using your Internet connection. In fact, this option is very cost-effective. SIP trunking reduces cost by eliminating the need for traditional phone lines, while gateways allow you to continue using your current legacy hardware.

And if you’re worried about future expansion, scalability doesn’t have to be costly. With Switchvox, you can choose from three deployment options: on-premise, cloud, and virtual. And regardless of your selection, you can switch from one deployment to the other with minimal hassle— because Switchvox offers the same installation, support, and training with all three.

Upgrading a legacy system is too expensive

If you’re looking for a new phone system in the wrong places, costs can add up quickly. Many companies will offer a baseline price for their system, without including indispensable modern features like voicemail to email, call routing, chat, etc. Rather, you may find that you’ll have to pay to add extensions or buy individual features when you need them.

But with Switchvox’s “All Features Included” pricing model, your quote includes all the advanced call center features available. You won’t find yourself paying to add a feature, or trying to persuade your supervisor to buy a system upgrade. Once you’ve paid for the system, you’re all set.

And, in the long run, investing in a new phone system can reduce costs by removing the need to outsource technical support, reducing maintenance fees and providing a lower total cost of ownership.

I don’t know enough to choose a new phone system

With a variety of deployment options, services, and products, researching a new phone system can feel impossible. There’s a lot of information out there, and you don’t have the time to drudge through it all.

The extensive collection of resources we offer, which includes case studies, industry-specific guides, and a selection of expert-led webinars, will help you gain a better understanding of the UC features, VoIP solutions, and products that can improve your customer service and communications across the office.

There’s a lot to consider when you’re looking for a new phone system. But it doesn’t have to be a stressful and expensive process. With the right resources, support, and product, upgrading your legacy phone system can be a cost-effective and exciting process that produces positive results among customers and around the office.

Now that you’ve conquered your fear of upgrading a legacy phone system, take the next step and learn more about UC’s role in boosting workplace productivity and simplifying phone system management.

Source: Laura Jane Good, Campaign & Content Specialist - Sangoma