In many ways, technology is something of a double-edged sword in terms of the modern business environment. On the one hand, it is absolutely a necessity in the digital era - you need telecom services and other solutions to empower your team, giving them the tools they need to collaborate, communicate and work on their own terms.
On the other hand, technology is inherently malleable - which can make it difficult to pick the right tool for the right job at the right time. There is truly no "one size fits all" approach to acquiring telecom solutions. When your business chooses to invest in something like VoIP, you shouldn't do it just because it's "state-of-the-art" or because it's what your competitors are doing. You should do so because it legitimately makes your life easier, allowing you to solve specific challenges in a way that aligns technology with your long-term goals.
This is why working with a telecom agency or consultant to acquire your telecom solutions is so important. Instead of making this important series of decisions on your own, you're leveraging the full power of a professional's experience to your advantage. By bringing an objective (and knowledgeable) third party into the fold, you'll get a better understanding of the options that are available to you in a way that you'd be unlikely to match in any other way.
You Can't Put a Price on Objectivity
The biggest benefit of working with a telecom agency to acquire telecom solutions for your business can be summed up in a single word: objectivity. Agencies and consultants represent many different providers and technologies, versus a single rep from a single provider. Because of this, you're getting more information about a more diverse range of solutions at once.
Telecom agencies and consultants take the time to learn about how their clients operate and what they're trying to accomplish, which allows them to present the widest array of solutions to help meet those needs. With this type of variety also comes choice, particularly in terms of factors like cost. Instead of taking a micro approach to telecom solutions like you would if you worked directly with a provider, you're getting a much clearer look at the bigger picture.
Think of it a bit like the process of buying a car. When you walk onto a car dealership, it is obviously in the car salesman's best interest to sell you the fanciest, most expensive vehicle on the lot - even if it comes loaded with features that you don't really need. There's nothing wrong with this, necessarily - it's just the way business works.
When you work with a telecom agency or consultant, it's like taking a friend who is a car aficionado with you when you walk onto the lot. They know everything there is no know about all of this year's latest models, but more importantly they know you, too. They know how you drive, where you go, how big your family is, etc. This puts them in the best position to go over your options with you in a way that is both easy to understand and that puts you in a better position to align your purchase with your actual, tangible goals.
Keep in mind that this isn't just how things are "supposed to work." In addition to being thought leaders in the industry, telecom agents and consultants have a strict code of ethics that they must adhere to to guarantee that they work for the client benefit ONLY.
You truly cannot put a price on the benefits that you receive from an objective opinion in such an important decision. Luckily, you also don't have to - working with a telecom agency or consultant comes with NO additional cost to your organization. They are paid directly by providers, allowing them to truly look out for your own best interests when matching the right clients up with the right solutions, no exceptions.
It's an Ongoing Relationship
Because telecom agencies and consultants take the time to learn more about your organization and what your long-term goals are, they have a vested interest in seeing you succeed. This ongoing relationship doesn't end once an initial purchase has been made - they will continue to work with you on product management, infrastructure creation and deployment, too.
Although many telecom solutions like VoIP are easy to install with little-to-no advanced technical knowledge being required, you're still getting access to a level of care and attention-to-detail that you wouldn't have on your own. If you run into a problem adding new software for those new employees you just hired, your telecom agent or consultant will be by your side every step of the way to take care of issues on an ongoing basis.
If you need to add or modify services in the future as your goals change or as your business continues to grow and expand, you don't have to do so blindly. Your agent or consultant will continue to stand by your side every step of the way, essentially offering the same services they always have. When something new comes along, they will continue to go over your options with you and make sure that this is a step worth taking given the state of your business as it stands today. In turn, you get the benefit of invaluable, actionable information that you can use to make the best decisions possible at all times with regards to your technology.
Telecom Agencies: The Partners You've Been Searching For
The previous factors directly lead into what is perhaps the most important benefit of working with a telecom agency. You're finding more than just a solutions provider, you're getting a true partner in every sense of the word. Nobody knows your business and what you're trying to accomplish better than you do. Yet at the same time, nobody knows the underlying technology better than an agency or consultant.
When you bring these two forces together, you put yourself in the best position to make the right decisions with your money and position your entire business for the next ten years and beyond. You get a much deeper, more organic overview of a wide range of solutions and how each one fits in with what you're trying to accomplish. A telecom agent or consultant won't just handle the procurement of your technology, they'll handle ongoing care and issue resolution with the selected provider, too.
All of this comes together to generate what is perhaps the most important benefit of all: the peace-of-mind that only comes with knowing your organizations technological foundation is as stable as it can be.
About Simplicity
Simplicity VoIP, based in Richmond, VA, provides hosted PBX, VoIP and business telephone solutions nationally to small, medium, and enterprise-level businesses for a comprehensive unified communications experience. Two distinct Class 5 geo-redundant VoIP platforms are offered in addition to fax-to-email, phones and equipment, and managed services. Named as Richmond’s 11th fastest growing company by Richmond BizSense, Simplicity VoIP’s key to success is its on-site service, installation and training supported 24/7/365 by a world-class client services team.