“These are unprecedented times.” It’s a phrase we hear over and over now. Concepts that seemed like doomsday scenarios not too long ago, like “working from home”, “social distancing” and “lockdown”, are now a way of life, albeit hopefully a temporary one. One thing is certain: these next few months are sure to reshape the way South Africans do business permanently. This article will explore how to prepare your business for it.
With remote working becoming the new norm, the right communications tools are integral to help companies continue their operations. That’s why selecting the right communications provider for your business is more important than ever. The last thing you want is to be stuck in a contract with a solution that doesn’t go where your business needs to.
The booming telecommunications industry in South Africa is unfortunately rife with “providers” out to make a quick buck. Consumers, especially those in the small business community, often get caught in long-term contracts binding them to inferior or limiting services. Exiting these contracts can be costly and result in on-going legal disputes, which a small business can ill afford.
However, the good news is that there are simple precautions to avoid signing an onerous and inappropriate telecoms contract.
What to do before you commit to a contract or provider
Don’t rush
In uncertain times, businesses may be tempted to rush into quick-fix solutions, and salespeople will naturally try to take full advantage of this. However, it is always better to consider your options carefully before signing anything — you must think and plan long term, and once the rush is over, your communications solution must be designed to serve your needs and to last.
Double check provider credibility
Take time to research the provider you’re feeling most comfortable with. Get to understand their products, look at their business (and if need be their financiers), how long they’ve been in business and what their real customers are saying about them (beware of paid Internet reviews and “fans”.) In other words, make sure that the company is established, authentic and credible.
Understand the offer
Are they offering you an limited offer disguised as part of a bundled deal? If so, you need to ensure that you fully understand what you are paying for now, and in the future, beyond the initial headline value you’re being sold on. Be sure to also consider what happens on the anniversary of the contract (yes, this is a thing with great sounding offers), and upon cancellation.
Read the fine print
The devil is still in the detail! Always read the fine print of your contract thoroughly — make a note of the demarcation of responsibilities, the expected service-level agreement and try to identify any hidden costs that you may not have been made aware of.
Source: TechCentral. Read the full article here
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Have you checked out the new WhichVoIP.co.za website as yet? Benchmark your services against your peers, have a look at what your competitors are doing, get listed in the best Telecoms provider directory in South Africa, and advertise on the site to attract customers to your page where you can view page hits, respond to reviews, load adverts, and more.
Visit WhichVoIP.co.za or jump to a leading comparison section:
- Compare VoIP providers
- Compare Hosted PBX providers
- Compare Telephone systems
- Compare VoIP phones
- Compare Fibre offers
- Compare Wireless providers
Enjoy the site!
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