How to Switch to VoIP Easily [Beginner's Guide]
These days, businesses are looking for ways to effectively enhance their ability to connect with customers while also lowering overall communication costs. To do this, many companies have begun to utilize advanced tools that incorporate Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, which provides a wide range of Private Branch Exchange (PBX) features and easy voice integration without excessive startup costs. However, some businesses are hesitant to switch to VoIP from traditional phone lines because they’re worried about how challenging the process seems.
As it turns out, though, the process isn’t challenging at all! Please continue to explore the six easy steps below that can help your business prepare to make the switch. And if you’d like to find a wide selection of top-quality VoIP-capable products for your business to incorporate, please consider the wide range of stellar products provided by Teams Device Center today.
Related: Teams Device Center Customer Reviews
Step 1: Plan the Steps of Your VoIP Switch
Making the switch from analog phone systems to VoIP systems used to be exceedingly difficult and required dozens of costly and time-intensive steps. Today, however, the process is relatively simple thanks to the implementation of Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems. That said, it’s still a significant switch in technology, so businesses need to carefully plan out an effective transition to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible.
Step 2: Test Your Internet Connection and Ensure It’s Up to Snuff
A base principle of VoIP systems is that they work using the internet rather than traditional phone lines, which means a business will require a fast and reliable internet connection to utilize an effective VoIP system. Before making the transition, it’s essential to ensure your internet can support VoIP by running a connection quality speed test. A broadband connection with at least 100 kbps (or 0.1 Mbps) per line is recommended, which translates to at least 2Mbps for 20 lines. Wi-Fi can also be used to run VoIP phone systems wirelessly.
Step 3: Prep Your Network Infrastructure for Success
Once you’ve ensured your bandwidth is up to the task of supporting VoIP systems, you also need to ensure you’re working with compatible hardware. If your business happens to be utilizing wireless routers or multiple routers at once, you’ll likely have to invest in some new equipment. VoIP technology tends to work best when wired directly into a switch setup or router, so it’s generally recommended that all phones are directly plugged into the network with Ethernet cables to achieve effective network performance.
Large businesses may require the use of several switches along with a Virtual LAN (VLAN) configuration to segment the network strategically while improving VoIP device performance and reducing overall network congestion. It’s best to avoid layered routers, as they can impact the quality of VoIP calls and result in various technical issues.
Are you thinking about improving the quality of your business services by incorporating some advanced headsets, office phones, and conference systems? Reach out to the industry experts at Teams Device Center today to learn about what their range of stellar products can do for you.
Step 4: Find the Best VoIP Provider to Meet Your Needs
There are multiple factors people need to consider when selecting the best VoIP provider to meet the needs of their particular business, including costs, consumer reviews, the extent of technical support options, and more. Take the time to carefully conduct extensive research on the various providers you’re thinking of partnering with and consider reaching out to acquire a few quotes for their services. Also, be sure to explore the base services that each provider includes as part of their standard service packages. You should ensure that said packages include a wide range of practical features to support the critical elements of your business operations, especially those related to customer service. Some of these features should include:
- Call queuing
- Auto-attendant
- Conference bridging
- Automatic call forwarding features for busy lines
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
- Voicemail forwarding
- VoIP number porting
- Extension dialing
Step 5: Select the Best VoIP Hardware for You
Once you’ve decided on a quality VoIP service provider, you’ll likely have to invest in some updates to your office equipment to help ensure you have everything you need to utilize said services effectively. Teams Device Center is a top-quality provider of specialized VoIP hardware, including desk phones, headsets for practical hands-free work, and conferencing phone systems that allow seamless connections between employees and consumers. Check out their range of superior, cost-effective products to help determine which ones would be best for the performance of your business, or consider contacting them today to learn more about what their products can do for you.
Related: Contact #1 Yearlink Teams Device Dealer in the US
Step 6: Install Your VoIP Phone System & Train Your Staff
The final step of the VoIP system integration process is two-fold and should involve its basic installation followed by comprehensive staff training sessions. Installation could be as fast and easy as plugging in a few phones in just a handful of minutes or could take several people to complete over several hours if you’re working with multiple switches in a large office. Training should ensure that all of your employees are fully knowledgeable about operating the system and the new hardware you’ve acquired from the Teams Device Center. This is an essential process since the performance of your employees will largely depend on their ability to interact with the system and utilize its various features to enhance the business’s performance alongside customer engagement.
Do you need to incorporate some new office tech to improve the quality of your business and its services? Check out the range of headsets, conference systems, and office phones offered by the industry experts at Teams Device Center today.