| With so much new technology, including Voice over IP | | | | especially good at dealing with customers on routine |
| (VOIP), coming to the office today, small business | | | | issues either. |
| owners and managers are increasingly challenged to | | | | For the vendor's customer service person, it often |
| maintain their systems. They face the ordeal of | | | | takes finesse, or at least careful listening and gentle |
| making multiple vendors with overlapping responsibilities | | | | questioning, to respond appropriately to a customer |
| accountable for systems that must work together. | | | | with telecom issues. |
| Poor customer service from a vendor can result in an | | | | How to choose a vendor? |
| entire office being off-line or unable to receive normal | | | | In the first place, you should make it part of your |
| call volume for hours, or even days. Few companies | | | | decision criteria for purchasing equipment, a conscious |
| really specialize in providing prompt, personal solutions | | | | decision to hire a mature, service-focused vendor. |
| in this market. | | | | Choose carefully. It requires a savvy customer who |
| Large companies hire technical specialists as | | | | understands these issues to assure a wise choice of |
| permanent employees to maintain their telecom | | | | vendor. |
| equipment and carrier services. Small and medium | | | | When purchasing new equipment, most people focus |
| sized companies most likely look to their network | | | | on the feature set and initial cost. They may assume |
| administrator, office manager or other administrative | | | | the after-sales customer support is everything that the |
| person to maintain their telecommunications equipment | | | | sales executive claims it to be. |
| and service. When telecom issues arise, both large | | | | Based on experience, we know that a sales person |
| and small companies often rely upon outside vendors | | | | will always claim to have outstanding or excellent |
| and carriers to solve these problems as quickly as | | | | customer service. Whether the company actually has |
| possible. | | | | in place the organization, training, technology and culture |
| Carriers are notorious for their weak customer service, | | | | to really meet customer expectations for after-sales |
| relying on multi-level auto-attendants and remote call | | | | service is irrelevant to most telecom sales people. |
| centers to minimize their cost in responding to | | | | Their mission is to close the sale. |
| customer questions and service issues. Small carriers | | | | The Solution |
| and resellers often do not have qualified staff to | | | | How do you minimize problems with your office |
| provide good customer service. Typically very strong | | | | phones? Be selective in your choice of vendor. You |
| in their customer acquisition process - sales - carriers, | | | | are not just purchasing equipment. You are looking for |
| especially, are very weak in after-sales customer | | | | a vendor with an outstanding reputation for service. |
| service. | | | | You are hiring a vendor to install and maintain your |
| Business customers may be unaware of this | | | | telecom system. That's right; consider your purchase |
| weakness in their carrier's customer service process | | | | to be a hiring decision. |
| until they lose their telephone or data connection | | | | If you work at it, you can find vendors out there, who |
| completely or have a serious intermittent service issue. | | | | offer outstanding technical support with a highly |
| Loss of service is a rude wake-up call that makes | | | | professional approach to customer service - before |
| everyone suddenly appreciate the trade-off made in | | | | and after the sale. |
| selecting the lowest cost provider or vendor. | | | | Help is Available |
| Telecom equipment vendors may leave customers in | | | | Most everyone knows the frustration of dealing with |
| a similar predicament. In order to capture new business, | | | | telecom carriers and vendors. A good equipment |
| a vendor must be very competitive in pricing | | | | vendor should work to alleviate this frustration by |
| equipment. As compared to selling, post-sale service is | | | | helping to solve customer telecom problems - both |
| another challenge altogether. | | | | hardware and carrier related. In this way customers |
| Some equipment vendors may be technically | | | | really benefit from the vendor expertise and |
| competent but not have a customer service | | | | experience, and feel "cared for" in a more personal |
| orientation or friendly personality. You may discover | | | | way. |
| when calling on your vendor, that they are | | | | Telecom customer service should be a pleasurable |
| non-responsive to your "emergency" and not | | | | experience! |