If you’re like most business owners, you want to make a positive first impression when customers reach out to your company. It’s one thing to enjoy great quality service from your business phone system—it’s something else entirely to consider the lifespan of your system and ensure it will last for years as your company grows.
Let’s break down everything you need to know about this complex topic for a clearer picture of what needs to happen behind the scenes in regards to your business phone system.
How Long Do Business Phone Systems Last?
In general, business phone systems have a lifespan of 15-20 years, but this is only possible if the system is properly maintained with regular inspections and routine maintenance. However, several factors affect this, such as:
1. Applications
The applications that can be added to your basic plan can impact the lifespan of your business phone system.
Some of these applications are:
- Voicemail to email
- Call control
- Call reporting
- Advanced call flow architecture
- Mobility presence
- Instant messaging
… and many more.
These applications are easily integrated because of how modern phone systems are developed today.
When a business upgrades its phone system, they usually want to integrate as many applications as possible to streamline tasks and make communication easier between employees, customers and suppliers.
The more advanced the phone system, the longer it will last, as it can adapt to new technology in the future.
2. Infrastructure and Resources
As you can see, phone systems are getting integrated with IT infrastructure, which leads to some challenges the same way IT infrastructure does. If you’re not aware, computer infrastructure should be changed every five years on average because big data puts a strain on IT infrastructure. In turn, there is more demand for bandwidth and storage, along with speed.
That said, it’s not long before companies will require a new phone system that can scale with their business. This also fuels the demand for cloud-based systems and leased infrastructure.
What Should You Do About Your Phone System?
Since many different factors play a role in how long a business phone system will last, you need to conduct routine checkups and maintenance, which can extend the life of your business phone system. Here are a few things you can do:
1. Keep Track of the Warranty on your System
The length of your warranty is a good indicator of how long your system should last. Usually, you’ll get two years for parts and two years for labour. After that, you’ll need to pay for the repairs. The warranty generally expires a year before the end of the contract, so you’ll want to keep that in mind as well.
2. Schedule Regular Maintenance
Maintenance can consist of several things, such as cleaning, testing, and making sure everything is running smoothly from the inside out. In addition, you’ll need to have it updated regularly with the newest and best software and firmware, so you’ll have a seamless transition.
3. Upgrade Regularly
This is the best way to ensure your phone system will last. Upgrading the system means you can add new applications that you need and that it will be able to support your business growth.
Upgrading also guarantees you have the most up-to-date technology and that it meets your current needs.
4. Make Sure it’s Integrated
It’s important to make sure your phone system is integrated with your other devices. When the system is integrated with your computer network, your computer network is more secure, and it can expand as the business does.
In addition, it will be easier to transfer the voice traffic from your legacy phones to the new phones, ensuring that the transition has no hiccups and doesn’t leave your employees in the dark.
The Bottomline
With proper maintenance and regular upgrades, your business phone system can last throughout years of growth. While it’s important to have the right process in place to keep the phone system in check, it should be easy to manage on the go.
Carefully consider the factors above when choosing the right phone system for your business. By keeping your needs in mind, you can make sure your business phone system is right for you and that you’re always on the right track to success.
TP Communications is one of the best providers of business phone systems in Calgary. We have been helping organizations navigate technology for over 25 years. Get in touch with us!
