When buying telephone equipment, it's easy to make mistakes. Here's a quick look at some of the best ways to get a phone system that's right for your business.

1. Know your business calling needs
The best way to stay on track while your shopping for telephone equipment is to have a solid set of requirements outlined in advance. You'll want to get a handle on your current calling volumes, which should be readily available on your current phone bills. More relevant to most equipment purchases is how many simultaneous calls you'll need to make at once, and how many end points your system will need to support.

2. Think ahead
In addition to your current usage patterns, make sure you look into how your calling habits may change in the next two to three years. Buying telephone equipment that meets your needs now and for years to come is one of the best ways to get the most for your investment.

On the other side of this decision, though, don't feel like you have to buy all the capacity you'll ever need at once. Look for telephone equipment that can support your growth through add-on components you purchase when you need them.

3. Look for telephone equipment you can manage...
Modern telephone equipment is run by software programs that make basic management easy. Moves, adds, and changes (MACs), for example, should be easy enough that someone with basic computer skills can handle them without placing a support call.

If buying new, look for telephone equipment that lets you log in to a web-based interface to make these kinds of changes and monitor the overall system status.

4. ...and a dealer who stands behind it.
Even if you choose telephone equipment that puts you in control of basic adjustments, no business phone system is maintenance-free. Ask every dealer you talk to detailed questions about how quickly they will respond to any problems you have, what hours support is available, any differences between emergency and non-urgent issues, and especially about the costs.

Service contracts that include support incidents and other maintenance such as software upgrades can be expensive, but they're definitely worth considering. Whether you choose a maintenance agreement or not, make sure you have a written list of prices for service calls and other maintenance work: labor charges of $100/hour can come as a nasty surprise.

5. Do your homework
Whether you're buying phones for an office of 5 employees or 500, and whether you're buying new or used phone systems, it's always important to compare multiple dealers before choosing telephone equipment. Here's an easy, free way to get started: fill out one simple quote request form and we'll connect you to several dealers in your area. With these tips under your belt and qualified dealers competing for your business, you're sure to get the telephone equipment your business needs.

You can also instantly compare in-depth company profiles of qualified vendors to get more information before you buy telephone equipment.

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