Getting Started with your VoIP Phone Solution: It’s Easier Than you Think

Making a significant change in your business can be worrying, but the benefits of VoIP mean that it might just be a lot easier than you think. Find out how you can get started with your VoIP solution without disruption, helping you benefit immediately.

Step 1: Select A VoIP Phone Solution Provider

  • Picking the right VoIP phone solution provider is one of the most important steps toward a smooth implementation.

Step 2: Select Your VoIP Phone Solution Equipment

  • You won’t need a lot of equipment with a VoIP phone solution, which is great news. If you go with a hosted system, there’s no hardware to install or maintain on site. All you have to do is decide which type(s) of phones you want to use:
  • IP desk phones look just like your typical office desktop phones. There are many options, each offering a variety of features ranging from mobile integration to Bluetooth support. Define your needs upfront, so you can select an IP phone that meets your employees’ needs.
  • Softphones work from your PC, giving your employees immediate access to calls. All they need is a headset!
  • A mobile app keeps employees connected no matter where they are. That makes working on the go easy.

Step 3: Know Your Network And Connectivity Requirements

  • A good internet connection is an absolute must. To avoid dropped calls and poor quality, calculate your bandwidth needs before you implement the solution.

Step 4: Test The System And Train Users

  • As with any technology implementation, you should always test before you launch. If you did your homework on VoIP providers, your selection likely has a team of experts who will walk you through the installation process and make sure everything is working as it should. Any glitches should be addressed prior to a full launch. Here again, your provider should take care of any issues for you.

Step 5: Go Live!

  • Believe it or not, you’re now ready to take the system live across the business. A good provider will be there with you, making sure there are no problems and keeping downtime to a minimum.

Hosted VoIP Solutions

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a communications technology in which voice calls, as well as video and data, are transmitted over the internet, instead of the publicly switched telephone network (PSTN). Instead of your old copper phone network, VoIP runs on your broadband connection. There’s no on-site equipment or infrastructure to maintain. You can be up and running quickly, able to focus more resources on running your business instead of managing your phone system.

Hosted VoIP From the World Leader in Cloud Communications?

  • With our hosted VoIP systems for small businesses, you get advanced communications and collaboration capabilities—HD-quality voice, video conferencing, email-to-voice, presence tracking, CRM integration, mobile-first technology, cloud scalability, and more—plus the support of the world’s leading provider of hosted cloud-based telephony. Your people and partners can be more productive, work faster and smarter with their favorite business apps and enjoy the same seamless experience no matter how they are connected.
  • Your business operations get a boost as well. VoIP is quick and easy to set up and provision and offers multiple options for deployment and services. You get a single communications platform that’s reliable and secure with no surprises in your monthly bill.

Conference Calling

Conference calling is often a vital part of the day-to-day functions of a business. Knowing how to do this is essential if you’ve invested in or are thinking about investing in VoIP. Here, we explain exactly how to get the most out of conference calling with your VoIP system.

Hosted VoIP Vs on-site PBX

  • Businesses implementing the system may use a VoIP provider that delivers the calls that are placed or an on-site "private branch exchange," also known as a PBX. A VoIP provider is often the least expensive option, as the off-site provider manages the system; however, although more expensive, on-site PBXs are typically better for larger businesses seeking more granular control and customization of their systems.

Technology Requirements for VoIP

  • Businesses turning to VoIP will also require a broadband Internet connection and telephones that can work with the system. A company's broadband connection should have enough bandwidth to accommodate the number of users who will be using the system simultaneously. Typically, this is not a problem for many businesses; however, smaller businesses and home-based businesses should verify that they have enough bandwidth with their Internet provider. Also, the telephones themselves will need to have the ability to communicate using VoIP. Businesses may choose to purchase phones that are enabled to do this or use traditional phones that they can connect to an analog adapter.

VoIP Call Recording

In many industries, call recording is a vital part of the everyday compliance and training processes. VoIP allows users to ensure all recording data is safely stored, making it easy to retrieve and recall when needed.

  • Business phone recording holds many benefits for its users. With the passing of new laws and regulations, call recording is actually becoming a necessity for many businesses. But even companies outside those tightly regulated worlds are quickly discovering the increased benefits these features provide. While most companies value specific benefits, we’ve outlined a few general ones here.
  • Simple to set up, even simpler to use. VoIP call recording automatically records and stores voice data, according to your settings. Once call recording is set in place, all you need to do is utilize the recordings it gives you.
  • Improve customer experience with the ability to instantaneously review your customer calls and seize the opportunity to teach employees how to improve customer experience. A happy customer means a happy business owner.
  • Quickly and efficiently access recordings to resolve customer disputes. Things happen – stay a step ahead with the ability to quickly revisit any issue and promptly resolve it.
  • Gain customer trust and loyalty by protecting their most sensitive information by means of encryption. Encrypting call recordings and the detailed data that comes with them represents a high level of professionalism. Your customers will thank you.
  • Mitigate regulatory fines and keep information safe. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), the Financial Services Authority, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act & Telemarketing Sales Rule are just a few of the compliance regulations you may be dealing with. Stay covered with call recording software that complies with these standards and regulations.