Your business is growing. Do you expand or replace your phone system?

No matter how big or small, every company in the world will experience its own share of problems. Whether expected or unforeseen, challenging or simple to resolve, they are usually something with which a business would prefer to not have to deal.

There is, however, another type of obstacle a company can encounter. As success leads to expansion, new challenges arise. While they do still need to be overcome, they are of course nice problems to have.

For a growing business, the question of whether to expand or replace their existing phone system is a fine example of this.

For business owners with little knowledge of phone systems, the world of VoIP can seem an intimidating place. In truth, taking a company to this point was the difficult part. Now, with the right information, deciding whether to expand or replace the phone system should be a relatively simple undertaking.

Expanding your phone system

Depending on the size and capability of the phone system currently used by a company and the reasons for looking into upgrading, an expansion may be preferable to a full replacement.

Adding more lines and functionality to an existing system can be easier and cheaper than a full replacement.  As the products are designed to work in conjunction with each other, the additions should be seamless when installed by an expert, and cutting down on employee disruption in learning a new system is another huge benefit.

Replacing your phone system

Despite the benefits inherent in expanding a phone system, for some companies it is simply not a viable option. Whether the system is no longer capable of keeping up with the demands of the business or the technology is simply obsolete, sometimes a replacement is the best way to go.

Replacing a company phone system means starting with a clean slate. This means the system can be tailored to a company's specific requirements, featuring all the functionality it needs and omitting those features/functionality that it does not require. Ensuring there are no unnecessary features to distract employees can help with productivity while only paying for what is needed helps in controlling costs.

Forward-thinking companies may also choose to replace a phone system as a way of protecting their operations from future technological changes. Continually expanding on aging hardware will eventually lead to a system that requires outdated parts to ensure its upkeep. While replacing a whole phone system may require a bigger initial outlay than expanding one, the long-term savings made on maintenance can outweigh this.

What to do with your old system

When upgrading your company phone system, there remains the question of what to do with the equipment that is being replaced.

Many VoIP system resellers offer both new and refurbished equipment to those looking to expand or replace their current systems; it's a business model that requires a steady stream of used phones, expansion modules, and any other apparatus used in a company phone system.

Trading in your unwanted equipment when expanding or replacing your phone system can help to offset the cost while also helping to keep perfectly good machines in service and out of landfill. In doing so, both your bottom line and the environment benefits.

As businesses grow and encounter the inevitable challenges that come with progress, dealing with them efficiently, while minimizing the chances of them reoccurring is vital. Upgrading a company phone system is one example of this.

Depending on the needs of the business, this may mean seamlessly expanding the current set-up or completely replacing it for a more future-proof operation. Either way, dealing with a reseller who will take in your old equipment as they expertly install your new apparatus means having complete peace of mind; for the continued success of your business, your finances, and also for the world around us.