If you are still trying to decide between a hosted or premise-based communications platform maybe you should ask yourself this question: Do you mow your own grass?
Eric Bowling used this analogy last week in a seminar we hosted for our Mitel customers. His analogy played out like this:
Some people prefer to mow their own yards. They may enjoy the time spent weekly cutting the grass. They don’t mind investing in the equipment (whether a riding or push mower) to get the job done. They know, too, that they will have to invest in the upkeep of that equipment from oil and gas to sharpening the blade when needed. They have no monthly fee to worry about. On the other hand, if their equipment breaks or if they go on vacation, their yard does not get cut.
And then there are the people who prefer a lawn service to take care of the grass on their property. Those people pay a monthly fee to have someone else take care of mowing the lawn and taking care of the equipment. They don’t need to worry about storing the equipment in their garage or shed. They also don’t have to worry about who will take care of the grass if they are on vacation. If the lawn mower breaks while cutting the grass, the service will send another over to complete the job. Granted, this person is paying more per month to have someone take care of their lawn, but that’s what they have chosen.
Do It Yourself Or Get a Service?
In the end, both have nicely mowed lawns. They’ve just gone about getting the result differently. The person with the lawn service knows they are paying a monthly fee that the self-mowing person does not incur. And the self-mowing person knows that he has invested in equipment and will have to spend his own time taking care of his grass.
When considering a communications system for your office, ask yourself similar questions. Do you want to take the worry out of managing and taking care of the equipment in your office by letting someone else manage it? Or would you prefer to avoid a monthly expense and invest in equipment (and the space needed to house that equipment) and take care of it yourself? Talk to us and understand both of your options before you make a decision between hosted and premise platforms.
