VoIP is quickly replacing premise telephony. Now is the time to take the leap and migrate to VoIP. While it may seem a daunting task, a little planning and preparation make it plausible. Ziff Davis wrote Five Key Success Factors to help you get started on the road to VoIP. We summarize those steps below.
1. The first step towards VoIP is considering each involved party: the executives or owners, the employees, and the IT team
The first will want to be assured that VoIP will be worth the cost and stress of migrating. Study up on the benefits of VoIP so you can win their support. Employees will be the primary users of the system. Think about their daily communicating habits and how VoIP can benefit them. Finally, consider your company’s IT team and what type of system it can support. Some deployment models call for more IT support than others. Which brings us to the next step…
2. Choose a deployment model: Premise, Cloud, or Hybrid
Premise VoIP is the most similar to legacy and thus a less radical transition. However it is also more expensive and requires more maintenance and support. We talked about the benefits of Cloud or Hosted VoIP in our previous post. It is a less costly and less involved option. Finally, Hybrid is just what it sound like – a combination of the previous two. This may be ideal for a company that is not ready to part with their premise hardware, but wants to add some VoIP capabilities.
3. Choose a VoIP Provider
Once you know what kind of VoIP solution your company wants, it is time to find a provider. Today’s market allows you to shop around, so take your time and find a provider that fits your needs.
4. Prepare for implementation
The implementation period can be stressful and long, so make sure your company is prepared beforehand. Work with your provider to establish a clear plan with deadlines, contacts, and sufficient testing. Do not accept that implementation is complete until the service is functioning as you expected. Make sure all of the users know how to use the system as well.
5. Prepare for journey
Finally, the last step is to adopt an open-mind and prepare yourself for the inevitable bumps in the road. In the scheme of things VoIP is still a relatively new technology; and more importantly, it is ever-changing. Remember that the changes and risk mean new features and capabilities. These will be not only beneficial to your company, but vital to keeping up with the market.
Are you ready to start? Contact us today!