5 Key Reasons to Upgrade Your Business Phone System

Your phone system is much like any other form of technology. As the technology ages the chance of failure slowly increases as well. Fortunately for business owners, phone systems tend to have a longer lifespan than your average laptop, cell phone, or digital camera. With that being said, environmental factors do play a role in the life of your phone system and can speed up the aging process.

The Panasonic TD1232 is no longer manufactured. Finding replacement parts or telephones can be challenging or impossible.

Even if your phone system is running perfectly, you may still want to consider upgrading for a few reasons. As phone systems get older and newer products are released to replace older systems, you will begin to find that replacement parts and telephone sets become more difficult or impossible to source. You may even find yourself having to pay a premium for antiquated refurbished technology. This becomes especially evident with phone systems that are more than ten to fifteen years old.

Toshiba DK424 Telephone System. If you have a Toshiba phone system and it is made of metal it may be time to upgrade

Below we have listed five key reasons to upgrade your business phone system:

• Peace of Mind: Many new phone systems are designed to be modular so that if a piece of equipment fails you only need to replace that component, not the entire phone system!

• New technology: New phone systems are loaded with the latest technology which can open up new possibilities for you and your business. Whether it is VoIP, Unified Messaging, or Self-Labelling Telephones; these new technologies can increase your productivity while saving you money.

• Greater Flexibility: Similar to how you gain peace of mind from having a modular system, you also gain the ability to be flexible in your design. The system is designed to meet your needs, not the other way around.

• Increased Support: Always receive support if something goes wrong. By using new phone systems it is easier for your telephone equipment supplier and the manufacturer to provide support when needed.

• Manufacturer Warranties & Extended Warranties: Every new phone system comes with a manufacturer warranty and often an extended warranty is available. Protect your investment and know that if something goes wrong you will be covered.

The Nortel CICS was a popular phone system at one time; however, in 2009 Nortel filed for bankruptcy. Avoid paying premiums for antiquated refurbished technology.

Avoid costly downtime or added expenses by upgrading your phone system. Not sure how old your system is? Contact an Instatel Communications’ account executive at 1-877-689-1300 or visit our website to schedule a free on-site assessment of your current communications system. Our trained staff will evaluate your current equipment and work with you to determine the best possible solution for your business needs.

Headsets: Avoid Back and Neck Pain while Improving Productivity

As business demands increase, we are finding ourselves tied to our phone and computers more than ever before.  Anyone who simultaneously uses the phone and computer has no doubt at one point engaged in the awkward balancing act of cradling the phone between your head and shoulder.  This act can lead to serious health issues which can affect your bottom line and would drive any ergonomist insane.  “Ergonomics is employed to fulfill the two goals of health and productivity…  Proper ergonomic design is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries, which can develop over time and can lead to long-term disability.” By utilizing a headset you can eliminate this balancing act, improve your overall health, and improve efficiency and productivity within the workplace.

Ergonomics is primarily concerned with the ‘fit’ between a person and the technology they use.  With many of us participating in the balancing act mentioned above, we create bad ergonomics, and this can have a negative impact on business and the human body.  A study in Britain by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy determined that work related neck and body pain results in an estimated 1.2 million working days lost every year.  That is a lot of potential lost work that can be easily reduced by adding headsets to your office space.

By cradling the phone you risk neck and back pain

So what effect does that lost work have on your business?  It can create lags in tasks or projects, affect revenue, and cause money to be paid out for worker’s compensation.  By using a headset you can eliminate back, neck, and shoulder pain and increase your energy levels.  “Research has shown that the use of headsets reduces neck pain, fatigue, and headaches in subjects who simultaneously use the phone and computer for a minimum of two hours a day.”  With increased energy and less pain it is no surprise that studies have found up to a 43% increase in efficiency and productivity by using headsets. Dr. Michael Whitley explains that; “by using a headset, the spine aligns itself ergonomically thereby reducing the pain, fatigue, and physical stress associated with excessive telephone use.”  Despite all the benefits of using a headset, the act of selecting the right headset can seem so overwhelming that you don’t know where to begin.

Plantronics CS70 Wireless Headset

When it comes to selecting a headset for your office the options can seem endless; however, by answering a few simple questions below you can narrow down exactly what you are looking for.

• Am I away from my desk often? This would determine if a Corded or Cordless headset would be ideal for you.
• How do I want to wear the headset? Headsets can be worn over-the-head, behind-the-head or over-the-ear. If you are unsure, there is an option for convertible headsets that allow you to adjust the wearing style to what is most comfortable for you.
• How noisy is my environment? If you work in a noisy environment or want to avoid background sounds being picked up by your headset, then a Noise Cancelling Microphone would be ideal for you.

After narrowing down your needs, the next step is to decide what product delivers those needs.  That is where we come in.  Instatel Communications has a variety of headsets available for office and mobile use from great manufacturers like Plantronics, Jabra, Sennheiser, VXi, and Chameleon to name a few. Contact an account executive and we will help you determine which product will best suit your needs.

Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP): How Can This Technology Work for Me?

VoIP is an acronym which stands for “Voice-over-Internet Protocol.” VoIP isn’t a particularly new technology; however, it is the newest technology in the office communications environment. Most businesses are familiar with the “Public Switched Telephone System” or PSTN, which allows you to connect to people around the world by dialing a sequence of numbers. This method of calling has not changed much over the last 100 years as far as the user is concerned – we still pick up a phone, enter a sequence of numbers, and wait for us to connect to the other end. Although the method has not changed, the process behind the scenes has seen significant changes in recent years.

The Technology

VoIP’s basic principle is simple and uses much of the same technology that streaming music across the internet does. Voice sounds are picked up by a microphone and digitized by the sound card. The digitized audio is then compressed using an audio codec to remove redundant and unneeded data while still maintaining the legibility of the audio. Once the data is compressed it is sent in real time over the network to be decoded on the other end where the sounds can be played back over speakers or a headset. The only requirements are a network connection between the two computers or devices of adequate speed, and matching codecs at each end.

People will often interchange the terms IP telephony and VoIP; however, they are actually different. IP telephony has to do with digital telephony systems that use IP protocols for voice communication while VoIP is actually a subset of IP Telephony. VoIP is just a technology that is used by IP telephony to transport phone calls. So now that we know what VoIP is, how can this service work for your business?

The Solution

When it comes to your phone system VoIP can be handled in multiple ways. Two terms often used are Full-Service VoIP and In-House VoIP, but what is the difference?

In-House VoIP still relies on using PSTN technology for handling all your incoming and outgoing calls; however, all internal communication is handled over your IP network. This solution is great for businesses looking to keep the reliability of Analog Business Lines while gaining the flexibility of IP Telephones. Dedicated IP Telephones are connected via your internal IP network using wired Ethernet outlets that are connected back to your phone system. IP Telephones are often designed similar to Digital Telephones so that appearance and functionality remain the same.

Full-service VoIP handles internal communication the same way as In-House VoIP; however, Full-service VoIP utilizes your existing broadband Internet access to provide inbound and outbound phone service with Direct Inbound Dialing (DID). The inbound and outbound lines are often referred to as IP Trunks or SIP Trunks and are used in place of your standard Analog Business Lines. Many providers of IP Trunks will offer unlimited domestic calling or inexpensive long distance rates for a flat monthly subscription fee. Some businesses will combine IP Trunks and Analog Business Lines to increase reliability and ensure constant connectivity.

Because of the bandwidth efficiency and low costs that VoIP technology can provide, businesses are migrating from traditional copper-wire telephone systems to VoIP systems to reduce their monthly phone costs; however, this does not apply to all situations. The benefit is that many telephone systems are now designed to be hybrid so they can utilize a mix of In-House and Full-Service VoIP.

The Benefits

• Lowers operational costs – both voice and data communications can be run over a single network.
• Increases flexibility to remain connected when out of the office.
• Reduced infrastructure costs in new builds up to one third by only having data cables installed.
• Easy to upgrade for existing buildings when data outlets already exist.
• Increased productivity by facilitating tasks that would be impossible to implement using PSTN.
• Great for remote or home office setups – employees function as if they are working directly in the office.

Instatel Communications is an Authorized Dealer of Panasonic and Toshiba phone systems. Both manufacturers have IP solutions that can be customized to your business’ needs. Whether you are looking for a pure IP or a hybrid solution we have a product that can provide you with flexibility and reliability you are looking for. Visit our website at www.instatel.ca or contact a sales representative today to learn how VoIP can benefit your business.

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