Sales

Manufacturers

Enterprises

· We are in a competitive sales situation against System x from Vendor y, how can we compare our system to theirs? Where can I get unbiased details about features and functionality?

· What new systems are entering the market? What size business do they target?

· What are the new systems on the market from leading vendors?

· What features does our telephony system offer that the competition’s system does not? What are the competition’s strengths and weaknesses?

· What new applications are manufacturers introducing? Mobility is big – what are manufacturers beginning to offer?

· We want to replace our existing systems with VoIP, but want to migrate slowly. What systems support both IP phones and traditional digital sets?

· How do our applications (messaging, contact center, wireless, etc.) differ from the competition? What unique applications do we offer that they do not offer? Do the competition’s applications require additional equipment at an extra cost?

· What applications are manufacturers including as “built-in” so that no optional equipment must be purchased?

· What systems fit the capacity we need? What are the dimensions of the unit? Is it a rack-mount or desktop unit? Will it fit well in our space?

· Is the competing vendor being honest about the features and functionality of their product? How can I get factual information on the competition?

· How can I get information on the hardware and processing capabilities of new systems entering the market? What manufacturers are offering Linux-based processors?

· How easy is it to network our locations? What are the networking options offered? We need to network several branch offices – what functionality is available to these small offices? What features are transparent?

· When migrating to a new system, can a potential customer retain existing equipment to save money? What if customer business grows and they need to migrate to larger system? Does the system scale to larger capacity? What additional equipment is required?

· What’s new in IP Telephones? What vendors are rolling out new phones and what are the key features?

· How easy is it to manage the system? Is centralized management available? Can we manage the system remotely via a Web browser?

· What telephone sets are offered by the competition? Do we have a broader range of sets?

· What’s new in Voice over IP capabilities? Which manufacturers are offering SIP and what IP features are most offering now?

· Growth – what if our business grows and we need a larger system? Can the system we purchase scale to a larger capacity? Is additional equipment required?

· What is available for system administration? Can you manage the system remotely via a Web browser?

· We are rolling out a new multi-media contact center application, what other vendors offer this type of application? How do we compare?

· What unique features/applications are available with a particular system? Unified messaging, mobility, Web-based portal for users – all important.

· What is the average cost per user?

· We are drafting a press release on our new unified messaging features. Are there other vendors offering similar features, or is our solution unique?

· Reliability is important – what capabilities are available to ensure the system keeps functioning?

· I heard that vendor y is introducing a new system soon. Can you research and get us some details?

· Vendor y is introducing a new video conferencing application. Can you research and get us some detail?

· What telephone sets are available? Is there a range of sets for office workers and executives?

· What networking options are available? How many locations can be networked?

· How can I keep up-to-date on the latest product announcements from other manufacturers each month?

· Several of our locations are used as call centers. Which systems support a call center software package? How many agents are allowed? What are the call center features offered?