7 Questions to Ask if You're Considering VoIP

7 Questions to Ask if You’re Considering VoIP

If you’re in the market for a new phone system, chances are you’ve been considering Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP). After all, VoIP solutions are up to 60% less expensive to implement than traditional phone systems, and they support Web-based administration and wrinkle-free system expansion. Add to this dramatic long-distance savings and email integration, and you’ve got a business solution that’s a surefire hit with employees, customers, and your pocketbook.

While going with VoIP can be an easy decision, choosing a VoIP vendor is often more difficult. It’s important to find a professional and responsive company that will deliver the best VoIP solution for your business. Here are some questions to ask potential providers to separate the best from the rest.

1. How can VoIP help my business?

Ask potential vendors about VoIP features and services that can help your business. What will your new system support that your existing system can’t handle? Is there anything you do now that a VoIP system won’t support? What kind of cost savings can you expect?

2. Which solution is right for my company?

The best VoIP vendors will want to have a strategic conversation with you about how your company uses phone lines to support its business. Be ready to answer the following questions to help them hone in on your needs:

· How many locations does your phone system need to serve?

· How many team members do you have?

· How does your staff use phone lines? Do they make long distance calls regularly? Do they travel often or telecommute?

· Do you have a receptionist?

· Do you have equipment like fax machines and credit card processors that rely on phone lines?

· What are your company growth plans?

3. How can we ensure a smooth transition to VoIP?

Ask solution providers for an outline of the implementation process and associated timelines. Find out what strategies and safeguards vendors have in place to ensure that your company will not be without phone service during the transition.

4. What happens if we lose internet connectivity or have a power outage?

Because VoIP relies on the internet and electricity, you need to ensure that the provider you choose has solutions that minimize the effect of service outages. Ask about uptime guarantees, as well as about system redundancy that might prevent issues.

5. How do you handle system maintenance and administration?

Find out how vendors manage software updates, technical troubleshooting, and employee additions, deletions and changes. Ask about fees related to these items, and find out if your team will be expected to manage some maintenance internally. If so, what kind of training will be provided?

6. How do you manage ongoing customer support?

Find out if vendors offer phone, email, online and/or in-person support and the costs associate with each method. Is support available 24/7? How quickly will you receive a response to your queries? Keep in mind that online support is helpful only if your internet connection is working. If your system goes down due to an internet or electrical outage, you won’t be able to go online for support services.

7. Why is your solution better than your competitors’?

Find out why vendors believe you should choose their products and services over someone else’s. This will help you determine how closely their offerings align with your priorities. For instance, if they pride themselves on providing low-cost VoIP solutions, but you care more about quality than cost, you may want to consider another provider.

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