How can I switch from a landline to VoIP?

There are several steps to follow for companies wanting to switch from a traditional landline to VoIP.

• The choice of provider: first, identify your requirements for a business phone system (number of users, key features, call coverage, additional services, etc.) to find the most suitable VoIP provider.

• Number porting: then contact your carrier to keep your existing phone numbers or instruct your VoIP provider to do so. Number porting takes one to two weeks on average. However, the IP phone system will be up and running in just five minutes if you don’t need to port your numbers.

• System set-up: your technical teams or your provider must then install the software package and the hardware (router, IP phones, etc.) before configuring each device used (computer, smartphone, tablet, etc.).

• IP phone system setup: the administrators managing the VoIP technology will then configure the features used by your employees, such as a voicemail message, interactive voice response, line availability schedule, etc.).

• Connection to business applications: you can improve the performance of your VoIP phone service by integrating it with your company-specific software programs. Depending on the technology used, you may be able to incorporate CRM (Customer Relationship Management), ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), in-house messaging or a database.

• Training: as with any new tool, your employees need to be trained in how to use an IP phone system. The aim is to tell them about the available features, how to use them and the benefits of the solution.