Here are the essential steps you’ll need to take for the setting up of VoIP for your business.
You might need to evaluate if the VoIP service is actually economical and if it will help you make significant savings on your conventional phone service say, on an annual basis. Compare the plans offered by the various VoIP providers before making your choice.
1. Your Network Capacity
Get your network administrators to assess your network and infrastructure for viability for VoIP services. They’ll likely test your network for these vital factors:
- The capacity of the network to function under the increased data requirement
- The capacity of sustaining added network flow
- Availability of the required LAN (local area network) setup for VoIP
2. Your Internet connection
Gather information of the bandwidth made available to your business and if it is sufficient to handle its internet requirements. Also, assess if the existing internet connection is robust enough to manage your business usage along with the VoIP service. The VoIP speed tester can help you evaluate the connection.
3. Calling Habits
Check your business model and if you regularly conduct operations with global and long distance customers, vendors, and business partners. If you do, VoIP can help you economize on the cost of the calls. However, if most of your operations are locally based, VoIP may not be economical but can help to grow your business by widening your calling outreach.
4. Publicly Switched Telephone Network – PSTN (landline)
The downside of VoIP systems is that they need an internet connection and power to remain operational. For this reason, it is advisable to invest in a backup battery pack or generator and a conventional landline so you remain connected even if there is a power outage or natural disaster like snowstorms, fires, earthquakes, or any other situations that interfere with your accessibility to the internet.
5. Premises- or Hosted Phone System
Depending on the number of possible users in your small business, you can opt for a premises-based or hosted private branch exchange also called PBX that sets up your office with multiple extensions. Businesses that have less than 15 users could try a hosted PBX. Although it may cost you extra, you won’t have to hire an in-house technician to manage the phone system. Instead you can have an expert off-site professional to manage it for you.
6. VoIP Service for Small Businesses
Before you choose a VoIP service, you might want to assess your options with regard to the service plans, services, and features that each service provider offers for small businesses. Match them to your requirements by checking out the Business VoIP Comparison page.
7. VoIP Equipment
Most VoIP providers set up your office premises with only the basic equipment. Depending on the VoIP services and features you need, you might have to organize additional equipment.
8. The Bottom Line
Different VoIP providers have their own financing plans and payment structures and many of them will offer you a customized quote according to your specific needs. For instance, should you choose RingCentral, you’ll pay an annual payment that allows you to save up to 33% as against paying a monthly bill. Before finalizing your switch to VoIP, plan the payments according to the expense you can allocate to the service. Work out if you would prefer to make a partial down payment and finance the balance cost. Or, if you would like to pay monthly installments or a single one-time payment.
