VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is here, and it’s here to stay. If you’re thinking of switching an existing telephone system to VoIP or setting up a new system you need to be sure that the job gets done right. We’ve put together a list of questions you should ask any prospective provider, along with the answers you should expect to hear.
- How long have they been established and how long have they been selling VoIP systems?
If you’re not sure about how long the company has been trading for ask to speak to the owners or senior management. It may be the case that you’re dealing with a new company that has plenty of experience behind it. As an example Colchester Telecom have been established for 7 years and installed their first VoIP system in 2008. This system is still working well today. - How do they manage your calls?
VoIP products should have all the call management features you’d expect on any business system. Such as Call Forwarding and Call Transfer, hunt groups, call groups, out of hours groups, mobile groups, and hybrid groups. Plus using an app like Bria you can turn your smart phone, tablet or laptop into an extension of your telephone system. - How do they manage costs?
VoIP products usually involve very little new hardware, saving you money on upfront costs and ongoing maintenance. Call charges are lower than traditional telephony methods and VoIP control panel enables you to prevent extensions from dialling 118, 07, 08, 09 and international at the click of a mouse. On top of this, you can also limit each extension to a daily outbound amount from £1 per day (or £0 if you don’t want any calls being made). As an additional service Colchester Telecom can also monitor all calls for fraud and can automatically cut off extensions that are showing signs of suspicious activity. - How do they manage your future requirements?
Change can be one of the hardest things for any business to manage. Whether you are taking on more staff or downsizing it can feel like your costs are spindling out of control. Make sure that the VoIP service provider allows you plenty of flexibility, for example a 30 days contract on a per extension basis. This means that if you need 20 more extensions for 6 months you can have them set up and working within 24 hours. You will already know what your fixed costs are and when they finish and you can be safe in the knowledge that there will not be a hefty cancellation or early settlement charge to worry about. If change has come about due to an impending office move, a local firm should offer to carry out a free survey of your new area and new offices and provide advice on cabling and internet connectivity. If you are moving within the Essex area, there’s a very good chance that we already know your new neighbours! - How do they ensure your calls will always work over the internet?
The chances are that whichever provider you choice they will being using the same Openreach infrastructure as everyone else in the UK. Check that all VoIP traffic that being managed is being prioritised over data. This means that emails and browsing will always take second place to voice calls. After all, if an email takes an extra 5 seconds to appear or a web page takes an extra 10 seconds to refresh, its usually not going to stop your business from trading. Not being able to receive or make calls could be disastrous. Make sure that they can tailor your VoIP bandwidth requirements based on what broadband is available in your road. If you have unusually slow or limited broadband in your street you may need a specialist solution. Most VoIP suppliers insist on 100kbps of bandwidth each way for VoIP calls but at Colchester Telecom, we can reduce this to as low as 8kbps each way (which is the same bandwidth and a normal mobile call). An 8kbps call may not be crystal clear, but it will work! - What hardware do they sell?
Are they an independent hardware vendor, meaning they can supply any brand you need or want. Want white phones? No problem! Want cordless phones? No problem! Want a mixture of manufacturers, models, sizes, colours and functionality? No problem! You are the customer, make sure that you’re choosing a provider who can match your needs. - What do they do when something goes wrong?
Make sure that support is 24/7. Can you call the provider at any time? Do they have a working knowledge of cabling infrastructure, routing and switching equipment, internet services, handsets and power issues. For customers of Colchester Telecoms most problems usually take 10 – 30 minutes to diagnose and find a temporary work around. The way to tackle a problem is head-on; not pass you back to your IT maintainer / network provider / handset manufacturer. What would be the point of doing that when it just drags things out longer? Our simple 3 step plan to getting you back to work; 1. Remote fault finding, 2. Consult other vendors / suppliers where the problem exists, 3. Attend site and double check what we have been told (user error’s do happen). Everything is documented and all information is shared with the client. - Can they move my number to a new provider and how do they do it?
Number porting should be very simple, and yet it can be one of the most frustrating aspects of setting up a new service. To move to Colchester Telecom you simply complete and sign a porting form. This form is passed to Openreach (who centrally manage all live UK landline numbers) and within 10 days you are given a porting date. After this date all services on the old line stop and your new service starts. They’re may be a minute of down time during the move but if that’s too long we can arrange for the port to be completed out of hours. - How will my monthly invoice look and what are their payment terms?
Most providers say that they offer a number of invoicing options, but in reality they just send you a generic bill. You should have the choice of how you receive your bill i.e. paper or email. If you need a per extension break down of call charges then it should not be a problem. Also if you need to see your broadband usage each month they should be able to provide this information. - Can you speak to them face to face about the service?
Many of the national VoIP providers will hide behind call centres and field sales reps. One of the advantages to working with a local provider is that they usually welcome visitors. You’re the customer so you should be able to talk face to face with the technical manager, accounts manager or even the Managing Director!
