500

As the SMB market continues to embrace the world of IP telephony technology, it is clear that, unlike large enterprises who have dedicated IT departments, provisioning VoIP systems can seem a complex and daunting task for the less than enterprise sized business.

It’s no surprise then that evidence from a recent study (from ‘The Brookside Group LLC’) shows that many SMB’s are turning to consultants to help them define their needs and requirements: the study showed that 54% of consultants’ clients were SMB-sized (i.e.: between 100 and 1,000 employees).

Consultants are of course able to assist small and medium sized businesses with their telephony needs; helping them to determine which products and services are best for them and, where necessary, drafting Request for Quotations, choosing appropriate suppliers and assisting in contract negotiations. In addition, network assessments and existing telephony analysis are all part of a good consultant’s role, enabling a complete capture of requirements and assessing the most appropriate VoIP solution.

In addition to this range of tasks, what else should a business look for in an independent VoIP consultant? And how does independent consultancy differ from, say, the consultancy that a progressive value added reseller might provide? The premise here is that value added resellers earn a commission from the manufacturer whereas consultants receive no such benefit and so are deemed independent. But what if there’s a new breed of value added reseller, one that is free to choose which solution and manufacturer they recommend and who also offer comprehensive consultancy? Could they be said to be impartial and could they save a SMB money because it’s the selected manufacturer that pays for the cost of consultancy, not the client?

And it’s not just about who provides the consultancy, it’s about the type of consultancy on offer – and the watchword here is ‘independent’ consultancy. The study goes on to detail that over 87% of VoIP consultants in the survey use ‘vendor consultant programs’. Such programs do not compensate the consultants financially – instead consultants benefit from a wide range of exclusive services. They are given privileged access to the latest detailed information, in addition to other valuable tools and resources. This certainly makes the job of the consultant easier and quicker – a great cost saving for them which they may also pass on to their clients. Consultants who benefit from such programs therefore have an ongoing relationship with their selected manufacturers. So to find an independent consultant is not perhaps as simple a task as it first appears.

Here at 500, we assess the latest products and services and select the ‘best of breed’. We have a fresh and innovative approach which means that although we are happy to work with independent consultants, we’re also independent consultants ourselves. As a matter of course, we provide the consultancy a business needs when they consider their IP Telephony solution – and this is in addition to assessment, requirements capture, recommendation, procurement of all equipment and services, installation, training and support. There’s nothing ‘lost in translation’ between requirements and implementation, we’re not aligned with any consultant programs nor do we have any exclusive relationships in place with any manufacturers.

Why would a business need to go anywhere else?

Contact us now on 0845 0000 500 to discuss your requirements further.

Information obtained from the following articles and survey:

http://www.convergedigest.com/bp/bp1.asp?ID=537&ctgy=Home (14 July 2008)

http://www.voip-news.com/feature/consultants-help-smbs-072208/ (22 July 2008)

http://www.brooksidegroup.com/ (2008 Telecom Consultant Market Study Summary)