Change happens. Sometimes a company decides to upgrade its Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) hardware with a new system, has moved several workers off-site and no longer needs the same number of phones, or office mergers have taken place. In these cases and others, business owners sometimes have excess telephone hardware. Many companies are now looking to give back to their communities by putting gently used VoIP systems in the hands of those who need it.
“I’ve been to some businesses that say they’ve downsized and they have 20 to 30 extra phones that they’re never going to use again,” says Alex Desberg, sales and marketing director at Ohio.net. “I’ve had customers who contacted me and said ‘We’ve changed how we do business, we’ve reduced the number of people and we have all of these extra VoIP-capable phones; do you have anybody who actually needs them?’”
Smart Business spoke with Desberg to find out more about donating used VoIP systems as an alternative to selling or trashing them.
Why would a company choose to donate VoIP hardware?
Companies may have extra equipment that they’ve paid for in full, and two options would be to sell it back somewhere for a decreased value, or donate it. When they choose to donate the phones, they get an in-kind donation and can use it for a tax benefit.
Many nonprofits are struggling with their communication equipment. For example, they have caseworkers who are using their personal cellphones when sitting in an office somewhere trying to work. It’s not a professional environment and they’re giving out their personal number for services that are really not something you should be giving your personal number for. These donated VoIP systems raise the level of communication and allow the nonprofit to communicate more effectively and professionally.
The companies that have donated find that they’re happy to give the phones up, and then the added bonus of a tax benefit is nice. They want that sedentary equipment to go to a good place.
What is the process like for a company to donate used phones?
When a company’s vendor acts as the intermediary for donated phones, the vendor needs to keep track of where the equipment is coming from and who it’s being donated to. When you donate to a nonprofit, they give you a letter saying thank you for the in-kind donation of X number of phones valued at XYZ dollars, and the vendor will hand the note off to the company that donated.
Who receives donated equipment?
The company can request where their donated phones go. It’s a good idea to support organizations that don’t have the benefit of being a for-profit organization. A donation eliminates the need for a nonprofit to try and buy something new, as opposed to using a perfectly fine technology that just happens to be gently used. In the end, it’s a double-win: You’re not just throwing it into a landfill or just benefiting another for-profit somewhere, and you’re giving the equipment to a nice organization that does good for the community.
The vendor may also be able to recommend organizations if the company doesn’t have one in mind. Recommendations may come through the normal business channel or organizations may come looking for assistance. There are many small nonprofits that are struggling that nobody really knows about. Companies can make a difference just by identifying those organizations. Find your favorite, small nonprofit, and recommend to your VoIP supplier that they donate your hardware to that organization.
Are there minimum requirements for gently used phone systems?
To turn it around and make it effective, it has to be something that will work with VoIP. It can’t be a legacy phone system because the receiving organization will end up in the same situation with a service that doesn’t help them very well. Companies can call their VoIP provider and let them know what they have, and they will determine whether they can use the hardware or not.
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