Making the switch to a hosted VoIP phone system may be an exciting adventure, especially with the promise of alluring new productivity capabilities and decreased monthly costs. The majority of SMEs, however, rely significantly on their phone systems to stay in touch with their partners, clients, and suppliers, so the change can be difficult and many people worry about service disruption.
Working with a service provider with a track record of delivering VoIP phone systems is the first and most important step in allaying your concerns. Look for a provider who can provide evidence of successful VoIP delivery and who has a system that meets your needs. They'll be able to organise any necessary technical adjustments to fit your new system, and their knowledge and experience will help you make the most of the available features.
There are a few preparations you can undertake before the switchover to make sure it runs as smoothly as possible once you've decided on a VoIP system and selected a support partner to assist you with the deployment.
Think about what you’ll have to make provisions for
Take into account how many users your new phone system will serve. Consider your provisioning options carefully because many hosted VoIP systems are paid per user. It might not be economical to offer a dedicated phone service to every single person of your team. To ensure that all parts of your organisation can adopt the new system simultaneously, think about involving other divisions of your company in your VoIP transition.
Next, consider the hardware your team will require to access the new system. Check the compatibility of current gear, such as desk phones, with VoIP. You might wish to spend money on brand-new VoIP desktop handsets if you want to fully utilise the features and capabilities of your new system. Other accessories like headsets could be needed, and technology like speakerphones might be a terrific way to invite others to your office meetings.
Enterprise mobility, or the ability to use your phone system from any place, is one of the major advantages that VoIP systems inherently offer. Determine whether it would be advantageous to buy new mobile devices to keep your team linked by taking into account the devices your team may use to access the phone system when away from the office.
You'll have a general notion of the majority of the capital expenditure needed once you have a complete list of all the devices you want.
Think about the features and capabilities you want to enable from the outset
Outline each function you intend to use starting on the first day of adoption while collaborating with your VoIP service provider. Start with the call features you already like, and then think about how any new or unusual functionality in your new system can be useful. If your company often receives a high amount of calls, you should consider turning on call queues and auto-attendant capabilities from the beginning. You should also think about forming "call groups" to distribute heavy call duties across your team. Explore how the various communication channels connect, and think about how you may include your CRM into the equation to bring data and telephony together if your new system offers unified communications capabilities.
Assess your technical readiness
Since VoIP calls are performed online, checking that your Internet connection has enough capacity is important. Typically, a single VoIP call needs 100kbps of upload and download speed. So, 10 calls running simultaneously require 1 mbps up and down. Although it might not seem like much, it is advised that you provision 5 to 10 times the minimum needed bandwidth to guarantee excellent call quality and a constant connection. It's also crucial to keep in mind that your network's other apps and services will compete for your data connection, reducing the amount of usable bandwidth that can be used by your VoIP phone system. Because internet service provider claims are frequently overly optimistic, your VoIP provider can help you assess the sufficiency of your connection by utilising throughput tests to determine how much functional bandwidth you actually have available.
After, consider how your office's internet is delivered. Consider adding more Ethernet ports to support desktop VoIP phones since they can be the most reliable option to give a dependable connection. It's important to check the Wi-Fi quality as well to make sure wireless devices can accept calls throughout your facility. To cover areas of your office where the signal is weak, take into consideration employing repeaters or wireless range extenders.
Get phone numbers for your users
All users must be given phone numbers in order to place and receive calls. To ensure service continuity for partners, clients, and suppliers, you should be able to transfer existing contact numbers from your current phone service provider. For any additional users you are setting up the phone system for, be sure to purchase new numbers. The majority of hosted VoIP services make it simple to maintain numbers by frequently include a central management site that allows you to control all of your contact numbers.
Even while there may seem to be a lot to learn and prepare for, a little planning will go a long way towards making sure your switch to VoIP goes well. Your customers will have a professional, smooth, and effective call experience from the first day of using your new system if supporting infrastructure is installed in advance and the appropriate call features are implemented from the start.
The Right IT Provider
BCNS make business easier and more cost-effective by guaranteeing that you and your team are always connected to each other and your clients. We can also guarantee that your team are using the latest version of every application to ensure that your systems are secure and you are getting the best possible benefits from your tech. Our team of experts will assist you throughout the transition and beyond to be sure you achieve exactly what you desire. At the same time, we can reduce your expenses and improve your security as well as performance! Contact us now and find out how we can help you with your business communications and move into a more productive future.
