up in small fi rms
150 is a digital call control manager supporting one to ten extensions. Features include IP telephony, networking, cordless mobility, voicemail, unified messaging, CTI and call centre applications. Aastra also offers the Aastra 800 which is a soft call control manager that can be deployed on a PC. This comes with an initial nine seat license but can scale to 200 seats.
Remote teleworking and mobility are also growing requirements notes Aastra. “Many start-ups and micro businesses want to minimise premises costs, preferring to use remote teleworking for staff, so efficient intra- company communications is crucial,” said Ballantine. “The channel can meet the need for remote, flexible working with strategies based on basic one number UC connectivity and fixed mobile convergence (FMC) solutions.”
Acorns to oaks The main value in this segment is in the ‘acorns to oaks’ moral, noted Ballantine. “If you win a customer early on they are more likely to stick with you based on good service and consultancy,” he said. “As they grow and their needs become more complex they will stick with a trusted comms provider. Most customers at this level want a single source provider for both IT and comms so there is a need to provide a total service wrap.”
With off the shelf plug and play solutions now available in this space, is the traditional small business market under serious threat? “There’s an old saying ‘buy cheap, pay twice’,” retorted Ballantine. “For most small businesses
efficient telecoms is a mission critical part of their operations, and without voice connectivity they are losing business. Nobody in a small or start up business wants to spend time crawling around under desks trying to get the so called ‘plug and play’ out-of-the-box phone system to work.”
Recognition that technology can play a key role in boosting productivity and driving efficiency is continuing to filter down into the small business sector, noted Götz Tscharf, Director of SME Communications EMEA, Avaya. “Continued upgrades to our flagship SMB solution, IP Office, mean that we can offer even the smallest customers the full range of UC capabilities at the right price, including those with fewer than 20 extensions,” he said.
“SMBs see the reseller as a key component in the purchase process and expect them to make recommendations based on their needs and budgets. Ensuring the technology and the investment is the right fit for the business in terms of usability and cost is more important now than ever before. Waste is not something small businesses can afford, but that’s not to say they can’t scale up when their business is ready. This is exactly the kind of thing the reseller can consult on.”
Plug-and-play solutions address a particular short- term requirement but there is no substitute for a tailored package that is not only designed to address a particular business need but is capable of growing with a company. “It’s
important to remember that communications solutions do not come in the form of one size fits all,” added Tscharf. “Especially in companies with fewer than 10 employees workers have very separate and varying roles. The value in getting the package from a reseller is that they can build a solution that meets the needs of each type of worker at a price they know the customer can afford.”
Scaling up Scalability is key, according to NEC Sales Director Andrew Cooper. For a company looking for a smaller end IP solution getting a rapid return on investment is a top consideration. So flexible solutions offering good value for money are in high demand. He said: “Seamless expansion of a communications platform can offer smaller businesses the chance to expand their solution at a later date. The choice of deploying a pure IP solution or any combination of IP and traditional telephony can provide the ability to match business growth without expensive fork lift upgrades.”
This is a benefit of NEC’s SV8100, enabling the end user to decide when to migrate to next generation technology, rather than being forced to adopt full IP when it is not necessary for their business needs. “We’ve also found that productivity applications are being taken far more seriously at this end of the market,” commented Cooper. “Intuitive features that do not need specialist user training are popular with customers. The Rich Presence feature in the UCB application has been one of NEC’s most successful offerings.”
To advertise in contact The Sales Team on 01895 454411
www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER MARCH 2011 39
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100% Focused on Telecoms Easy to Sell Product Portfolio
UC, Contact Centre, VoIP, Mobility DECT Offerings 0% Finance Available
For more details now, call our Sales Line:
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