The majority of businesses that use private branch exchange (PBX) services are taking these services for granted.
This is the view of local industry players, who say there is a lack of after-sales and maintenance service, coupled with poor controls around the management of PBX systems. This reduces the initial purchase price of the PBX solution into relative insignificance, they argue.
Graeme Victor, CEO of Du Pont Telecom, says it's only when a PBX solution doesn't work properly that one realises the critical role of this piece of equipment. “Indeed, the cost to the business can be more punishing than the initial purchase price.”
He notes that not only can the cost of the service call-out and actual repair of the PBX be high, but there's also the often incalculable cost to the business resulting from lost productivity and sales, as well as customer and supplier annoyance.
According to Victor, the major problem for businesses is that, as PBX technology has moved from analogue to IP, telephony has become far more complex and suppliers have become more specialised.
“So who does a business call to fix a problem of, for example, dropped calls? The fault could lie with the PBX itself, or with incorrect wiring in the organisation, or with the power supply. It could also be a Telkom issue, or a myriad other problems, particularly if it's a VOIP installation,” he explains.
Rob Lith, director of Connection Telecom, says the danger of taking an existing PBX for granted is that organisations would not be taking advantage of new opportunities that the services present.
Lith explains that hosted platforms offer a high level of local expertise and support, cost-effectiveness, greater choice over system components than proprietary vendors can typically offer, managed service levels, and upgrade assurance.
He adds that converged PBX (CBX) solutions, or voice over IP (VOIP) solutions, have moved beyond the early adopter phase and have entered mainstream ICT budgets.
“In view of strong new market undercurrents, the accepted view of the PBX/CBX market in SA could change significantly in the next year. This is to be welcomed, as new realities inject new vigour into strategic planning in this industry,” Lith says.
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