Pizza Today _ January 23 - 29

To help you navigate these
choices, here are some important
terms:
Analog: This is plain old telephone service,
also known as a landline.
Hosted VoIP / Cloud-Based PBX /
hosted PBX: All hardware and software is
located on the Internet, not on site.
In-house: A usually pre-configured,
off-the-shelf PBX system that's physically
on-site.
PBX: Private branch exchange (PBX)
systems are business-grade, private telephone
systems.
Third party: PBX services are not
provided by your telecom company, but by
another vendor.
VoIP: Voice Over Internet Protocol,
meaning that the phone call is actually
transmitted over the internet.
Technological Innovations to
Consider
" There are quite a few new innovations
and the pandemic accelerated a lot of them, "
says Greg Howe, senior account executive
in the pizza vertical at Clarity Voice and a
former pizzeria owner. " The main one we're
seeing today is flexible incoming call routing.
It's really the foundation for emerging
technologies like busy period overflow, call
centers, AI (artificial intelligence) ordering
and text ordering. What's really changed in
the past two years is finding ways to counter
the labor shortages that a lot of owners are
still managing today. "
AI ordering means that a bot, integrated
with the phone system, will take phone
orders. For example, the Domino's bot will
ask callers if they'd like to place their last
order again, " so that builds some rapport, "
says Howe.
The critical advantage of cloud-based
systems is they are cheaply and easily
improved. Because they depend far more on
software than hardware, these providers are
much more agile at responding to changes
in the marketplace or changing needs of
their clientele. This versatility ensures that
you won't outgrow the system in a few years,
and the system can generally be updated to
the latest technology.
" The most successful operators are looking
beyond what they need today " when
they make important business decisions
such as choosing a PBX, says Howe.
Features to Consider
Your first consideration should be ensuring
that your new PBX system integrates
well with your existing POS (Point of Sale)
system, unless you are ready to get a package
deal including both PBX and POS.
Next, consider the reliability of landlines
and Internet in your area. If you're in a
remote area where Internet tends to be
spotty, you may be better off relying on a
land line. For most users, Internet may be
more reliable than landline service.
" With local PBX system, you could have
an outage, " says Kubilay Sevinc, a partner at
Pacific.tel. While the outage is a problem,
" it's really about how quickly will it be fixed
and how much will it cost to fix it. We are
converting a lot of customers from analog
PBX systems because their PBX system
misbehaves and then getting a technician
out there takes a few days during which
they can't take any phone calls or customer
orders. Once they get a technician out,
it costs a small fortune because parts are
expensive and technicians are even more
expensive these days. "
Call quality is paramount. Pizzerias are
notoriously loud work environments and
the phones take a lot of abuse, so choose a
system provider who prioritizes call quality,
offers a warranty on the phones and
includes phone service.
Find out what kind of customization is
available for the on-hold audio experience.
Sevinc points out that " with cloud-based
systems, it's all configurable. " Operators
can include upsell messages ( " add a salad
today for only 99 cents " ) during the hold
interval, and an excessive wait can trigger an
offer ( " we're sorry - mention this code for a
discount " ). Operators can change messages
via a phone app, and the technology can
track what an individual hears when calling
in and change the messages to keep it fresh.
Some systems make it easy for phone
customers to opt in to receive promotional
text messages or to order by text.
Other features to consider include
emergency ability to handle customer calls
when connections are disrupted; response
time when service or a technician is needed;
routing, redirecting and call forwarding
capability; voicemail and data reports.
If you want to route calls to different
extensions ( " press two for catering " ), ask
about an automated attendant feature.
Lastly, you'll benefit from phone number
portability. Make sure that you own your
number so you can retain it should you
change vendors.
Comparing Your Options
Let's consider some basic pros and cons.
Analog systems have a limited number
of lines, so customers may get a busy signal
during peak call times. Service can be
disrupted by weather or internal issues at
your telecom company. They also lack the
capacity for smart, high-tech features such
as AI and custom, targeted hold messages.
Generally, maintaining such a system
requires having an IT expert on site, and
these systems are hardly nimble.
Call centers should have unlimited line
availability, so no busy signals. Some
customers and operators respond better to
the human touch. Since they tend to be
priced based on volume, the cost can be
unpredictable.
Cloud-based systems will never reject a
caller with a busy signal, they can be
customized with smart on-hold messages
and other features, and they are generally
fast and easy to set up, because it all
happens remotely. Changes and improvements
are performed remotely with software
instead of hardware, so they are much more
resilient to obsolescence. The redundancy
of multiple cloud-based servers protects
against system failure. Ask prospective
vendors how the system ensures service in
the case of an Internet outage. Make sure
that your provider will be able to assist you
beyond the standard nine-to-five hours.
Naturally, price will play a role in your
decision. Ask about set-up charges, and
how you'll be charged for technical help or
repairs. Hosted services are generally set
up remotely, which is very cost-effective.
Most solutions are priced per month, while
human-powered call centers may be charged
by the minute.
Your Phone Line Is Your Lifeline
Most folks in the pizza business depend
on a phone line like a lifeline, and it can
have big impact on your bottom line.
Competing on the 21st-century playing
field might require an upgrade to cuttingedge
technology.
ANNELISE KELLY is a Portland,
Oregon-based freelance writer.
JANUARY 2023 / PIZZATODAY.COM / 29
http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM
Pizza Today _ January 23

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today _ January 23
