It doesn’t take an industry expert to know that on-premise phone systems are slowly dying out. With the sudden explosion in remote work and the continued demand for communications flexibility, cloud phone systems are fast becoming the first choice for American businesses. But many of these businesses aren’t getting the choices that they deserve. Currently, on-prem providers are making a push to RingCentral.
Below, we’ll explain why on-premises providers are encouraging their customers towards one specific provider, in this case RingCentral, and why that could be detrimental for your business’ performance down the road
What’s the RingCentral Push?
Because their services are becoming obsolete, most on-premise providers are pivoting to cloud-based solutions, and a couple of the largest players have chosen to partner with RingCentral. This means that they’ll promote their services to you and their customer base, making it seem like it’s the only choice you have – even if there are better options available.
What’s The Problem with RingCentral?
If you’re already knee-deep in the RingCentral push, you might be wondering – why is it a problem to just go with RingCentral? After all, they’re rated well on a lot of sites, a lot of other companies use them, and their platform seems simple and easy to understand. All that is true. But there are several factors you probably haven’t considered: RingCentral is a one size fits all solution that sold as a “plug and play” service.
What does this mean? It means that the focus is on the monthly recurring cost (MRC) per “seat” where the customer is responsible for installing and configuring their phones and functions; a DIY solution. While this works for some companies, particularly those with dedicated IT staffs. It can be overwhelming for most small to mid-size customers, especially when they discover the actual costs for setting up this service can be far greater than the quoted monthly recurring costs. In many instances, customers will need to upgrade and rewire their networks, add additional services and purchase new phones. Not to mention RingCentral support is an overseas call center.
Before You Choose RingCentral, Evaluate Your Options
So, what do you do if you’re in the middle of the RingCentral push and are having second thoughts? The answer’s simple: evaluate your options for yourself! Start by looking for:
- A company that offers a low seat price (MRC). Just because a provider quotes a low seat price (MRC), doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for you. Don’t be afraid to ask about what is needed to ensure that this solution will work on your network. Ask about quality of service and whether you’ll get dedicated support during and following installation. Anyone can provide ring and dial tone, few focus on making sure the customer is properly set up and quality of service (QOS).
- High ratings by customers. It’s important to know what current customers are saying about the company. How long does it usually take for them to resolve an issue? Are their services generally reliable or do they suffer from frequent outages? All these questions and more can be found on major review sites.
- Proper communications functionality. A truly effective cloud phone system won’t just feature excellent telephony but will also have capabilities like audio and video meetings, unified messaging, IM & presence, mobility options via softphone apps, and integrations with other business software, allowing you to unify your communications with ease.
Consider Axxess Networks!
Interested in a cutting-edge phone system, without jumping through hoops, paying extra fees, or struggling with fluctuating bills? Consider us at Axxess Networks! Using our 40+ years of communication experience, we’ve built a feature-rich phone system that can be customized to fit your needs without breaking the bank. You get what you want, how you want, when you want it. Interested in learning more? Reach out to us today for more information.
