Unified Communications is revolutionizing the way we connect, collaborate, and conduct business. But what happens when your phone system is stuck in the past, unable to embrace this innovative approach? The impact can be far-reaching, hindering growth, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
Staying ahead is difficult to do with equipment that is old enough to be in grade school. Outdated communication solutions especially can act as invisible shackles, limiting your potential and keeping you a step behind the competition – and the problem isn’t always apparent. It can go undetected because it blends into the realm of “just the way things are.”
We created this list of 21 ways dated technology is holding you back – which ones ring true for you?
Why CRI is a trusted advisor
21 Ways Your Legacy Communications Systems Are Holding You Back
More Inefficient Than Modern Counterparts
1. Limited Scalability. Outdated phone systems struggle to adapt to growing business needs, limiting your ability to expand and handle increased call volumes, additional lines and more workloads.
2. Reduced Functionality. Legacy communications systems lack modern features. These are more than bells and whistles. The majority of these features provide tools for streamlining workflows and enhancing operational efficiency.
3. Integration Issues. The inability of older systems to seamlessly integrate with modern applications and software is disruptive and creates manual workarounds for your staff, which can decrease productivity and increase errors and unhappy clients.
4. Lack of Customization. Older systems offer limited customization options, restricting your ability to tailor communication solutions to unique needs. For example, you may not have an efficient automated attendant feature, resulting in potential delays and frustration for your customers.
It’s Costing You Money
5. Higher Maintenance Costs. Maintaining and repairing older phone systems can be more expensive and time-consuming than investing in modern alternatives. Sometimes, it’s time to trade the clunker in for a more reliable ride.
6. Capital expense. Legacy phone systems require significant capital outlay. Modern systems, especially unified communications as a service (UCaaS), can be managed as operational expenses.
UC or UCaaS – which is right for your industry? Find Out Here
7. Inefficient Use of IT Resources. Your IT staff will spend more time managing and maintaining an older phone system. Their attention is diverted from focusing on strategic, revenue-generating initiatives.
8. Difficulty Sourcing Parts and Support. Finding replacement parts for outdated phone systems can be challenging and costly. Legacy systems are often no longer supported by the vendor, leaving your team to figure out something outside their wheelhouse or pay for a boutique service provider.
No Unified Communications & Collaboration
9. Poor Mobility. Limited mobile features hinders the ability of staff to work effectively from remote locations – something that most employees expect.
10. Decreased Call Quality. Aging infrastructure can result in poor call quality and dropped calls, affecting your company’s professional image and customer satisfaction.
11. Limited Multichannel Communication. Today’s customer expects to be able to reach your team on the communication medium of their choosing. The absence of these options – which are found in more modern systems – limits customer interaction with your company and is correlated with increased dissatisfaction.
12. Slow Technological Advancements. Delayed adoption of newer communication technologies can put your company at a disadvantage and result in missed opportunities.
Higher Risks and Less Compliance
13. Inadequate Security. Outdated systems are more vulnerable to security breaches, putting sensitive data at risk.
14. Business Continuity Risks. Legacy systems often lack cloud solutions behind them, serving as backups or failover solutions, which can jeopardize or outright halt your business operations during an outage.
15. Compliance Challenges. Failing to comply with applicable regulations due to dated communications systems exposes your business to hefty legal and financial repercussions. This doesn’t impact every business – it depends on the specific compliance requirements you must adhere to.
16. Increased Downtime. As with most technology, older systems are more prone to failures and downtime, significantly hindering communication – both external and internal.
Poor Customer & Employee Experience
17. Reduced Customer Satisfaction. Slow response times and limited customer service features have a detrimental impact on your customers’ experience. The result can be a decline in customer loyalty.
18. Employee Frustration. Using limited and outdated technology is a common reason for job dissatisfaction and lower morale. It’s more difficult to do their job, and they recognize that they are not as productive as they’d like to be.
19. Reduced Productivity. The inefficiencies and downtime associated with older systems can hinder employee workflow, as can the manual workarounds previously mentioned.
20. Absence of Unified Communications. Older systems that don’t use VoIP technology restrict the ability to integrate voice, video, messaging and collaboration tools. These tools streamline productivity, communication and team collaboration.
21. Limited Data Analytics. Outdated communication systems often lack the ability to gather and analyze important data, hindering informed decision-making and identifying important trends that directly relate to customer satisfaction.
Navigating the intricacies of communication & collaboration systems reveals a stark reality – staying tethered to old technology can significantly impede your growth and efficiency. The adoption of a modern unified communications system isn’t just a step forward; it’s a leap towards cultivating a culture of innovation, collaboration and success.
We can help you explore the best possibilities to redefine what communication means for your business.
Your path to seamless communication begins with CRI – let’s build it together.