What other common missteps do companies make in the evaluation process?
People often put too much emphasis on dollars and cents. Yes, you have to be budget-conscious, but you get what you pay for. What good is saving a few dollars if the technology never works?
Dig deep when interviewing service providers. Ask for positive references, but also ask them to show how they took a negative customer experience and made it better, because it’s not if something will go wrong, it’s when something will go wrong. You need to make sure your provider will be able to quickly, effectively and efficiently fix any problems you might have.
You want someone who is reliable, responsive and helpful, not someone who will just pass the buck from person to person.
Once you’ve completed your evaluation, how do you implement the solution?
Start with a kick-off meeting with your vendors, including the ones you’re already using. If you’re outsourcing your IT, make sure that company is there, as well. Anyone and everyone who is involved has to understand your goals, expectations and timelines.
This is often the biggest challenge, but if you get everyone on the same page, the pieces of the puzzle will fit together and you’ll get the solution that you truly paid for.
What business communication solutions are popular right now?
Bandwidth is king. Everyone wants more bandwidth for less money. The more applications you run, both internally and externally, the more bandwidth you need. Anything from payroll processing to inventory management to having access for your telecommuting employees is bandwidth-intensive.
Ethernet-based Internet access and point-to-point access solutions support the increased need for bandwidth. Ethernet solutions allow users to extend local area networks to a wide area network environment utilizing the same technology; also users are able to increase bandwidth to support business needs without having to add more facilities from the service provider.
Consulting with a local expert in technology can help you evaluate your company’s needs and find the best solution for your company.
Laura Hetrick is a sales engineer with Time Warner Cable Business Class. Reach her at (216) 575-8016, ext. 3424, or [email protected].
