The majority of office phone systems are bought through dealers who handle not only for the sale but also for the installation and programming. Some manufacturers do employ their own sales and service staff to look after larger customers with specialized requirements from their telephone system but for most businesses finding a good business telephone system dealer can be the most important part of the purchase, since any phone system you choose needs to be properly installed for optimal performance.

The most important consideration in choosing an office phones dealer is the stability of the business and their product expertise. On purchase of a telephone system, you are entering into a long term business relationship with the dealer that with ongoing service and add ons to the system as you grow and your business needs change, should extend for the life of your new telephone system number and perhaps the life of your next system! So spend some time looking at the dealerâs operations, company structure and history to make sure they are right for you.

Product expertise relates to both the ability of the dealers sales people to understand your business needs and suggest the optimal telephone system solution as well as their technical ability to deliver a stable, working telephone system as specified. Established dealers tend to specialize in one or two products as the cost of training, spares and the complexity of todays products makes it uneconomic to support more products. You dont want to be the guinea pig the dealer learns about a product on so make sure you understand the dealers product credentials well.

The first part of the buying process is to narrow your search to 2 or 3 different brands based on your own personal criteria (eg recommendation, current product,). Arrange appointments at your premises with the sales reps from at least two different dealers who represent your preferred product and service your required locality. We find that visiting your site allows the dealer to get a better sense of your existing infrastructure and communication needs.

Once you have proposals from the dealers which should cover all equipment costs including options, installation and service charges plus finance options and a recommended telephone company for the network services, shortlist at least two and arrange a demonstration of the shortlisted phone systems at the dealerâs premises. The dealer will be able to simulate most of the features they recommend and you will have a chance to inspect their offices and meet the dealer principals. Even if the demonstration is at the manufacturer or distributor’s premises, you should visit the dealers premises before signing a purchase order.

Inquire about the dealer's specific installation experience. Ask about the size of the companies involved and what options or features were added. Also obtain a list of references, including several completed in the past year, so you can ask about their experiences in detail. When it comes time to your installation, make sure the office phones dealer sends experienced technicians to conduct the implementation.

Ongoing support of your phone system can range from being important to absolutely critical, depending on your business. Vendors will provide a combination of warranties: the manufacturer's guarantees of their hardware (typically one to three years) which covers hardware only not the dealer labour costs and dealer-provided service level agreements (SLAs.) An SLA specifies how quickly the dealer will respond to a problem with your phone system - 4 hours is fairly typical for major outages during business hours. If your business needs 24 x 7 coverage or shorter response times, expect to pay extra for these premium service levels.

Some other questions you may want to ask:

• Who will install the system particularly if there are multiple systems in different locations? The dealer or a subcontractor? If it is a subcontractor, how is this relationship managed by the dealer?
• Who will provide training? What will training include?
• Does the dealer have remote maintenance capabilities?
• What changes can we make ourselves to avoid service calls?
• Is the dealer an accredited telephone systems professional?