VoIP is a powerful tool for any business. It can save you money and make your workday more accessible, but only if it’s set up correctly. You’ll be able to maximize your investment in the VoIP system so that it works well for everyone in your company by following these tips.
Assess your current telephony situation
Assess your current telephony system before you start shopping for a VoIP system. It’s essential to understand your business needs. What does your company need from its telephony? Do employees need to make calls from mobile devices? Do you need a feature that allows customers to reach customer service representatives in other countries? Are there any specific features that are non-negotiable?
For example, we’ve worked with clients needing an integrated fax machine or an intercom system in their VoIP phones.
You also need to understand network requirements. The right VoIP solution will depend on how much bandwidth is available on the local network and if there are any firewalls between your network and the internet (for example, if you have remote offices).
Suppose a dedicated Ethernet line isn’t possible. Another option may be wireless connectivity via WiFi access points or small cell technology (also known as picocells) that connects over cellular networks instead of landlines like traditional Wi-Fi routers.
Choose the right VoIP system for your business
Choosing the right VoIP system is a necessary but daunting task. After all, you want your investment in voice-over IP to pay off as much as possible. This means choosing the right hardware and software for your users and integrating VoIP into your business processes so everyone is on the same page.
It also means managing IP telephony effectively once it’s in place, whether through unified communications software or with simple phone management tools for remote workers.
As you consider which VoIP solution works best for your business, keep these tips in mind:
- Set realistic expectations—and then exceed them! You may be tempted to go overboard when selecting features; however, this isn’t always necessary or even possible, depending on how many employees use the system regularly (or whether they do at all).
- Customize later. Instead of just focusing on bells and whistles that might not get used very often anyway, ensure there are enough options available so people can customize their experience based on their needs at any given time without bogging down performance too much overall.
- Be aware of what’s available now—and what could be coming soon! New technology has made some incredible strides lately toward making certain types of businesses more efficient than ever by providing equal access through multiple devices, including smartphones/tablets etc…
When purchasing a VoIP system, ensuring that your network is up to the task is essential. There are several ways you can do this:
- Check for bottlenecks. A bottleneck is any part of the network where traffic is limited by some physical limitation (such as bandwidth). Bottlenecks can be found in the data center or between two locations on your network.
To test for them, run several tests from different locations throughout your office and compare speeds between those locations; if one location consistently has higher download speeds than another location when performing similar tasks, then you likely have an issue with either 1) latency or 2) packet loss along that path.
Learn more about identifying bottlenecks here.
- Latency test.
- Test for packet loss using PingPlotter or Traceroute.
- Test timing accuracy of voice packets using Wireshark or iPerf3 (the open-source equivalent). You may need both Windows and Linux if you’re testing across platforms.
Pick the proper hardware and software for your users
As you plan your VoIP deployment, you likely want to choose the right equipment and software for your users. The following guidelines will help ensure that the system will be used consistently and efficiently:
- Software should be easy to use. If it isn’t, users won’t bother with it—which defeats the purpose of implementing VoIP in the first place! Whether you choose a cloud-based or on-premises application, ensure minimal training is required for the initial setup. The last thing you want is for employees not even knowing how important their new phone system could be because they aren’t using it properly or don’t know how!
- Software should be compatible with existing hardware. You may have purchased phones from another company before switching to VoIP services; those devices may not work with new software or vice versa (unless there is a bridge). This can cause problems if employees suddenly find themselves without a working phone line simply because their old ones weren’t compatible with one of their new applications!
Integrate VoIP into your business processes
One of the most critical steps is integrating VoIP into how you do daily business. Here are some tips to get you started.
- Make sure you have the right software
- Make sure you have the proper hardware
- Make sure all your employees know how to use their phones
- Make sure all your employees know how to use their computers
Manage IP telephony effectively once it’s in place
Once your VoIP system is in place and running, you’ll want to ensure that you manage it effectively. This requires several steps, including ensuring all users are trained to use the system and have access to relevant documentation. You should also have a plan in place for troubleshooting common issues and a process for disaster recovery in case something goes wrong with your network or equipment.
These tips should help ensure that your IP telephony system delivers on all fronts—and the payoff will be well worth it!
You can ensure you get the most out of your new VoIP system by following simple best practices.
The first thing to do is assess the current telephony situation. This means looking at the company’s communications plan, determining what it needs from a VoIP system and how it will be used. Once this is done, you can choose the right VoIP system for your business.
Once you have purchased a new VoIP system, some steps should be taken to ensure it runs efficiently and smoothly:
- Make sure your network is up-to-date and able to support all of the features of your VoIP system. You may need to upgrade some components or add new ones for everything to run smoothly.
- Pick out hardware that fits employee needs and business processes (i.e., headsets vs handsets).
- Integrate VoIP into everyday processes so employees don’t have trouble figuring out how best to use their new phones or whether something is broken when no one answers their phone calls!
VoIP technology can be an excellent investment for your company, but it’s essential to choose the right provider and use it correctly. If you want to get the most out of your VoIP system, there are a few things that you should keep in mind as you go forward with implementation.
