atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Phone System Recommendations

Sounds like a Strata CIX40 would be perfect for the Toshiba route. You can have an 8-24 channel PRI (with DID's of course) and 8-16 digital ports, along with a VM/AA and IP capabilities.

Did I mention "wolves on a chicken" previously!
And talk about brain scrambled, ya'll scare me and I'm fairly knowledgeable about how offices work!

Whatever happened to the good old days when businesses considered incoming calls from clientel to be important enough to actually answer the dang thing.

So your gonna have 10 people and 20 DID's so that equals 2 DID's per person. So if someone calls Mary's DID Mary answers and if someone calls Joe's DID then Joe answers. Great, now all 10 members of the office staff must be present from open till close no lunch, no meetings, no exceptions. This scenario will work for about 2 weeks.

Now as far as choosing one of the 3 systems previously mentioned simply just pick the cheapest one because it doesn't really matter. You are creating the very nightmare you are afraid of by listening to someone trying to sell you something.

I would be pleased to tell you how to set up your business phone system to be able to take every single call coming in without using an Auto Attendant but someone in that location is gonna have to answer the dang phone. It doesn't have to be the same person all the time but someone has to do it.

BTW, I have zero financial interest in the setup and I also have been doing this for a few years also. You aren't the first and you won't be the last business operator that was going through this for the first time but already knew more than years of experience.

Let me know?

Looks like a pretty standard deal we do all the time.
Pri, 20 DID numbers. 1 for main line that rings to Reception then rolls to backup ring group during business hours. 1 or 2 numbers for faxes. 1 for back line to Voice Mail, 1 or 2 for remote programming, Direct numbers for those who need them. PRI allows you to control CID callbacks. Each user can choose to send the Companies Main Number or their Direct Number.
Many users don't give their DID to everyone.
When I call a contact I know I would much rather just ring them direct and leave them a message if no answer. If I must talk to them NOW, zero out and ask operator to page them, or if the system allows, have the VM page them. Let the receptionist do their job and handle new callers who do not know where they need to go. I too hate Auto Attendants, just answer the phone works best for many business. If you really want to stay on top of callers to DID just pair a cordless with your digital phone and not miss calls when walking around the office.
I think maybe this was the scenario on their mind.

We've got all our quotes in - now there is some stratification in the quotes - Avaya is significantly more.

One thing that has been noted is that the Avaya phones are full duplex over speaker while most others are half duplex. Also the build quality seems a bit better. Both these factors leave us with the perception that their phones are of better quality in general (e.g. call quality over handset as well) than say the Toshiba. (We don't like the NEC phones).

Also, from a maintenance standpoint, we have been quoted a much higher service rate/hr post installation for the Avaya than the others. The reason given is that it is more complex and requires a more highly skilled person.

When one considers that the difference is approx. $3000 which one could argue is nominal when compared with the recurring service costs over the lifetime of the system, is the Avaya a higher quality system that is better at basic functions such as call quality and conference calling - either over the handset or the speaker phone?

I have heard a lot of all of these systems are good - I feel this is a bit of a politically correct statement. I have also picked up from various sources that the Toshiba is a pretty popular and good choice. Again - assuming the providers are equally good - can you comment?

We aren't hundred percent focused on cost as you can see - but we don't want to dump money down the drain if there is no benefit.

I stand behind previous posts. All 3 of these system manufacturers make a quality product that will serve your needs for years to come. I think the Avaya IPO has more bells and whistles than the other 2 but you must consider the fact that those extra bells and whistles (a.k.a features) will never be used and thus that becomes a waste instead of an expense.

I also believe that no matter how you dress it up 20 DID's is pretty much the same as 20 analog lines, at least it is in this application. Feeding 20 incoming pathways into a 10 extension setup that will be manned by 7 staff members is a shoe that just doesn't fit.

The focus on the difference between these 3 systems is only distracting you away from how efficient your business will handle future incoming call traffic.

What type of business do you do anyway? I ask because medical is different from legal which is different from sales and so on.

I would have to say that the Avaya does not have a distinct advantage in call quality and conference calling, with the one exception being the full-duplex speakerphones. But, realistically speaking, how often do you want your employees using speakerphones? Most people use them rarely, but if you're going to use the feature often, you may want to see if the Toshiba has a full-duplex set as well.

While I'm not familiar with the latest Toshiba systems, I will say the company has a track record of building long-lasting products. And in my opinion are even more difficult to program than the Avaya.

In no way am I knocking the Avaya system. I would question the extra money you will spending on it. As has been said, the installing company is very important in this equation.

Best of luck!

I am not going to restate what has been said (point has been made). The comment from the Avaya dealer should be taken with a grain of salt. I don't understand why you would allow a "vendor" to bash a different product or cheapen an installer’s education. I would have walked them to the door and said GOOD DAY. In my book they would have lost the job, not because the product is better or worse than another, because they feel the need to cheapen a different product to make their product look better.

The guy's and gal's here have no vested interest in your sale just an opinion. Most of which were very careful not to bash a product or tech. I would consider that worth its weight. If it's going to be between the systems you mention AX the Avaya.

"I also believe that no matter how you dress it up 20 DID's is pretty much the same as 20 analog lines, at least it is in this application. Feeding 20 incoming pathways into a 10 extension setup that will be manned by 7 staff members is a shoe that just doesn't fit."

At least here in California, DID's come in blocks of 20. They don't have to assign them all.

Every person in the office needs to have their own direct dial phone number.

My boss doesn't want the first entity who answers the phone to be a computer and we don't have staff to answer and forward calls.

Ya know, from what you are saying you really don't need a phone system at all. 10 Centrex lines with telco VM will do what you want for a heck of a lot less. :shrug:


-Hal

"At least here in California, DID's come in blocks of 20. They don't have to assign them all."

Agreed, If you purchase a block of 20 and only assign 6 or 7 then it then boils down to the math of which is the most cost efficient, The 7 line analog package or the 20 DID block of which you will only use 33%.

I'm not disagreeing I'm just stating that the end user must consider this. We can't because we don't post prices and we don't need to, after all that is just basic math.

I also must concur with WRichey's evaluation of the Avaya Reps sales tactics. I think he is putting himself up on a pedestal a little too high. I suppose if your price is 3 grand higher than the others you better start blowin some smoke to justify it. That may or may not be the case.