3 Common Mistakes SMBs Make with VoIP Implementation

We talk a lot about Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and how it’s a game-changer for SMBs, but there are a lot of ways to muck up the implementation if you’re not careful. The reality of the situation is that VoIP is not a “set it and forget it” type of solution; it requires careful planning and precision to take full advantage of the value it brings without frustrating your clients and employees. Today, we want to cover three of the most critical VoIP implementation mistakes and what you can do to avoid them.

You Didn’t Conduct a “Voice-Ready” Network Assessment

Most businesses assume that their “fast” Internet is ready for the countless VoIP calls that will come through the network, but this isn’t necessarily true.

Unlike other communication methods, such as email or instant messaging, VoIP is sensitive in that voice data must arrive in a perfect, continuous stream. Otherwise, even a minor packet will sink the quality of your calls. This is why you need to test your bandwidth, latency, and headroom under peak load conditions before committing to a solution.

Be sure to analyze current bandwidth vs peak usage, router throughput, and firewall compatibility to ensure your network can handle the multitude of data flowing into and out of your company’s infrastructure.

You Didn’t Implement Quality of Service (QoS) to Prioritize Voice Traffic

You don’t want an unexpected Windows update to hijack your bandwidth while you’re trying to close the biggest client of your career.

Depending on the task at hand, you might want your network to prioritize specific types of data transfer. Teaching your network these rules, also called Quality of Service, is vital to ensure your call quality remains high. Teaching your networking hardware to prioritize voice packets should reduce latency, eliminate jitter, and protect your business’ professional reputation when working with clients and customers.

If you’ve never heard of QoS, then it’s time to ask your VoIP provider how to address this vital step in the implementation process.

You Ignored the Human Variable and Skipped Employee Training

The most common help desk support ticket after a VoIP rollout isn’t a technical failure; it’s a user-experience failure.

While modern VoIP solutions are jam-packed with features and integrations, if your team doesn’t know how to use them, they’ll grow frustrated and default to using their own personal devices or whatever solution has been working for them till now. This is dangerous; when business calls happen on unrecorded and unmanaged personal devices, your brand image and conversation security can take a hit. We recommend you build out a mandatory day-one training that includes information such as the basic features, the call transfer protocol, status management, and how to use the softphone app on both desktop and mobile devices.

Remember, a communication tool is only as valuable as your team’s ability to use it!

Suffolk Computer Consultants understands the importance of getting a VoIP deployment right the first time. If you want to take your communications to the next level, contact us at 631-905-9617. Our trusted technicians will help you implement the ideal VoIP solution tailored to your specific needs.