The slow Death of the Phone System

There is a constant worry in the back of every salespersons mind. A worry that nags them day in and day out whether they realize it or not. That worry, is called change. Many salespeople become set in their ways and continue to sell their same old product day in and day out. If the product is sturdy and in constant need, there isn't an issue. But what happens when that product begins the inevitable 'phase-out' process that every consumer good goes through? Slowly, the goods transition from top of the line to discontinued. Better products take their place and those who neglect to adapt are left without.

The point is, that if you do not keep up you will truly be left behind. You will wonder where your sales have gone. However, a good salesperson knows that education and adaption are key.

I do not profess to be one of those salespeople. I try to keep up with new technology, processes, trends and media influences. However, I face the issue of trying to convince stubborn end users that eventually they will have no choice to adopt this new technology. Why wouldn't they switch now?

 Recently we have been part of what history may call, 'The Technological Revolution.' when I first got into this business, VoIP was the new technology. It was called a fad at first (by some) but soon progressed into the industry standard. Recently, engineers have developed and implemented Bluetooth, then WiFi, then softphones and soon, VoLTE.These are all different ways to do the same thing; relay audio and visual data.

Recently I placed a call to a new client who was on the opposite side of the fence. Their company had no switches or routers, desktop phones, audio/visual conferencing equipment or even cabling in between them! Their system is completely Cloud based. Their phones are either smartphones or softphones and their conferencing is all done via Skype. Most of the employees work remotely and connect to the cloud based computing system via dumb terminal. He told me that on his desk, was his laptop, a coffee mug and a picture of his family. He is talking to me via wireless headset and has all the same capabilities with less clutter, cables and hassle.

Piece by piece he told me this information and I was struck out every time I tried to mention one of our products. Desktop phones? Nope. Conference Equipment? Nope. Networking equipment? Nope. Peripherals? Nope. Cabling? No. There was no badgering involved in this either, we simply had an intriguing conversation about technology standards and forecasting.

I, being the person who usually tries to convince end users to upgrade their technology; had just been trying to convince someone to downgrade their technology. Or, to say the least, provide(what they considered) obsolete equipment.

It's not hard to comprehend that this is already happening. Especially if you keep current with technology. I guess I was taken off-guard by someone who had actually integrated the ideas I and many others have been preaching. His system was low cost, low hassle, modern, clean and besides paying for an internet connection...free.

Now comes the question: are phone systems dying out? In my opinion, not just yet but eventually there will no longer be a need for an old fashioned phone system. In an effort to integrate, we came up with hybrids or units that bridge the gap. Now it's just a computer, tablet or smartphone and the statement...'There's an App for that.' These advancements are here and the salesperson better get on board and find out how to sell an updated product. The only thing I could provide to this client was Headsets, and he graciously took my information due to my intuitive perception of his needs. (intuitive perception? did I just use that?)

Salespeople should already know that you need to adapt or die. Sure they will still be able to provide phone systems/networking gear/ conferencing equipment and more, for at least another 10 years, but year after year you will see your sales dwindle down. Find a niche and look out for your clients optimization; they will appreciate your concern, and you will appreciate your sales numbers.