Vendors, products and standards have come and gone. Whole new product families have entered the market to meet demands that did not exist just ten years ago. With vastly different levels of expertise and experience derived from different organizations, consultants chose to specialize in different aspects of telecommunications. Although most consultants are highly ethical, some are not. Given the complexity of telecommunications today and the size of the investments being made, getting solid answers to these questions is essential.
T here are basic reasons why an organization engages a consultant.
One is to obtain the benefits of specialized expertise. Such purchases frequently run well into the millions of dollars. The installation process affects every individual on campus, tears up real estate, and likely commits the institution to a course of action for a decade. It is most unusual to find a telecommunications staff with all the skills and experience needed to perform the many functions in such a large and specialized undertaking. There are many consultants, however, who have been through the PBX selection and installation process literally dozens of times.