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The watchword when buying new telephone systems is total cost of ownership (TCO). Buying new phone systems purely on price can easily get you into trouble: more reliable, expandable systems do tend to cost more per user up front - but the savings you will see in the long run make it worthwhile. In addition to being able to add more users as your company grows, you should find out how easily your office telephones can be upgraded as new phone system features and technologies are released.
Estimating costs for a complete new phone system are very difficult: costs can quickly climb into thousands of pounds.
Phone system prices vary based on five factors: I. The base system The central base system, or cabinet, controls and oversees the entire phone system. This price differs between systems and rises as cards and accessories are added. A small central unit can cost as little as £500 with the price increasing considerably to the tens of thousands of pounds for larger systems. The base system will be the main limiting factor for your phone system both in terms of features and expandability.
II.The actual phones Most phones cost less than £100 each, but can make accessing features very difficult or provide less than optimal sound quality. Most systems can be equipped with several different types of office telephones. The least expensive sets may Most mid-level handsets sell for £150 to £200 per unit.
On the other end, some "executive phones" sell for many times the standard price. These office telephones can make using the system slightly easier, but are often just flashier. Receptionist stations are also more expensive, but they bring important features for the person at the center of your new telephone system. Most businesses will buy a mix of models.
III. Phone system add-ons The cost of voice mail, any applications and some of the advanced features can be significant contributors to overall cost.
IV. Wiring and installation Most phone systems are initially quoted assuming backbone cabling is in place. Once you have selected a dealer get him to review the cabling infrastructure and provide a quote for any cabling work required. You can obtain a comparative quote from cabling contractors but unless the difference is significant, the benefits of €œone stop shop usually make the dealer the preferred option. Be aware that installing wiring through already finished walls can be expensive so if this is a greenfields site, build plenty of growth into your cabling plan as it will save money down the track.
V. Everything else This includes training, programming, service, and future modifications. Pricing is usually based on the time these tasks will require and can often be the most flexible portion of a bid. Sometimes, it is best to compare the hours that will be spent completing training/programming/service tasks with the price tag for the service.
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