What Factors Determine the Speed of Hosted VoIP Implementation?

Many businesses that eagerly want to start saving thousands of dollars a year by switching to a hosted VoIP phone system, are nevertheless reluctant to do so because they do not want to experience any telecommunications downtime.

This reluctance is perfectly understandable and certainly rational. After all, going “off the grid” is hardly a formula for employee efficiency and customer satisfaction! However, while this concern is valid, it is nevertheless unnecessary: because implementing a hosted VoIP phone system can easily be done in a matter of hours during non-business hours (e.g. evening, weekend, holiday, etc.). What’s more, for larger organizations the implementation can be done in stages in order to mitigate or eliminate any disruptions.

With the above in mind — i.e. that switching to a hosted VoIP phone system is rapid — here are the key factors that ultimately combine to determine total implementation time:

1. Upgrades to Existing Infrastructure

Most businesses need to upgrade their existing network infrastructure, in order to accommodate the increased bandwidth and resource burden that will be imposed by their hosted VoIP phone system. This may involve upgrading firewall software (so that it can be properly accessed by the system), adding a managed router (so that the system can be monitored and managed off-site), and increasing their connectivity speed (which is handled by the Internet Service Provider — not the VoIP Solutions Provider). 

The good news is that these upgrades, if necessary, are still a fraction of the cost of purchasing and maintaining an on-site PBX, which is required for a conventional landline phone system. They can also be done quickly; usually within a matter of hours or days.

2. Integration with Other Systems in the Environment

One of the key advantages of a hosted VoIP phone system is integration with other systems in the environment, such as CRMs and accounting software. The configuration process can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days (the latter if additional customization is required). 

3. End User Orientation/Training 

Hosted VoIP phone systems are easy-to-use, and even employees with little technical knowledge — or who admittedly “hate new technology” — are typically up-and-running within minutes of orientation (usually once employees see the voicemail-to-email feature or have their first video call, they become fully-fledged hosted VoIP fans!). 

With this being said, as with all new systems there is a learning process to cover things like customizations. This learning process is usually led by the VoIP Solutions Provider, and also possibly with the help of “super users,” who are employees tapped to receive more sophisticated training, and thus serve as a resource for their colleagues going forward. 

Learn More

To learn more about implementing a hosted VoIP phone system in your environment — and in a manner that is much easier and faster than you may imagine — contact the Votacall team today. Your consultation with us is free, and we would be pleased to provide you with a guided tour and demo of our award-winning solution.

There are many myths out there about hosted VoIP phone systems, so learn the truth by downloading our FREE eBook: