With the landline shut off coming in 2025, businesses will be looking to digital communication solutions for their business. In our last blog, we looked at the benefits of a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system, particularly in regard to customisation options. Here, we take a closer look at approaching a VoIP contract that will serve your business needs while also being cost effective.
Tailoring your VoIP service package
When approaching a VoIP contract, it’s worth taking some time beforehand to consider the exact services you require, those that would be an added bonus, and those which would not be of beneficial. It is likely that this will differ from person to person and between departments in your company, so running a consultation process or employee questionnaire is a useful initial exercise.
Here are a few key features to consider:
- Contract flexibility required.
- Hardware replacement lifecycle to avoid obsolesce.
- Vendor cover for every eventuality e.g. theft, loss, damage.
- Integration to 3rd party applications (via open API).
- Contracts designed for flexible and remote working to cover all staff.
- Selecting intuitive solutions for your particular end users.
Having a solid grasp of your operational needs will help you to choose the VoIP solution that’s going to work for you without any costly additions you may not currently require.
On this point, it is well worth discussing with your service provider if these VoIP features can be added or removed and if this can be carried out on a rolling or fixed basis. This will help you to future proof your VoIP solution for growth or unforeseen circumstances, while keeping costs down as much as possible.
Training and support
Discuss the training that is available with your VoIP contract. Your staff will need to be fully trained on using the VoIP system and you will want to make sure you have support on-hand for any problems going forward.
Ensure that your VoIP provider also provides a dedicated helpdesk to support you throughout your contract.
Network testing
It is well worth having an audit of your networking before implementing any VoIP solutions to make sure your systems can cope with the incoming tech.
Disaster recovery
A sometimes-overlooked aspect when approaching a VoIP solution is the disaster recovery options available. Communication is one of the first systems a business will want to get back up and running if their systems go down. A long delay can halt a business’s operations and become costly very quickly, so it is well worth discussing the disaster recovery options from the beginning.
Working with VoIP specialist with a service provider set up will enable you to get the right VoIP solution for your particular business needs. We will guide you through the different options available, audit your network and current systems, implement your VoIP solution and be on-hand for ongoing training, helpdesk support and disaster recovery should the worst happen.
Find out more
If you would like to speak to us about the VoIP solutions we can offer your business, please contact Andrew Wayman at andrew.wayman@sdt.co.uk or call our office on +44 (0)1344 870062.