If you have been searching for costs savings, improvements in efficiency, production, and mobility, investing in a Voice over Internet Protocol(VoIP) solution could help you achieve what you have been dreaming about. Due to the long list of VoIP vendors and the variety of features they offer, many prospective VoIP clients may feel hesitant about choosing a VoIP vendor.

One of the toughest decisions you will have to make will not be whether or not you should choose a VoIP provider, but which provider should you choose. You do not want to fall victim to common pitfalls and mistakes that many businesses and individuals make when choosing a VoIP provider.

Transitioning to VoIP

Making the transition to VoIP should not be one of the hardest things you’ve ever had to do, nor should it lead to an extreme decrease in call quality because you want to save money. The technology behind VoIP solutions is not complex. It is important to have an understanding of VoIP solutions and the features they offer so you will not make any major mistakes that can harm your business.

Mistake #1: Choosing an Inexperienced Provider

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is choosing a provider that does not have a great amount of experience. It is important to choose a provider that has experience providing solutions for businesses and organizations for the industry you are in. If you choose a VoIP provider that does not have experience in the industry you are a part of, the VoIP provider may not be able to get a hold on what your business or organization needs.

Mistake #2: Not Properly Assessing Bandwidth

It is not difficult to underestimate or overestimate the bandwidth that you will need to support VoIP, especially if there is not a constant in your call volume. If you have excessive bandwidth, you can overspend. On the other hand, underestimating your bandwidth can lead to the following:

• Poor call quality
• Inconsistency in your call service
• A reduction in your internet speed

If you do not have the right amount of bandwidth, the VoIP provider will not be able to provide you with the high-quality services you need. It is important to properly assess your bandwidth so you will be able to choose a provider that can support your bandwidth.

Mistake #3: Choosing A Provider Without A BDR Plan

As a business owner or a business manager, one of your worst nightmares would be to have your business go down for a significant period of time. What will happen if your business experiences an outage or breach and you are not able to recover from it? If you choose a VoIP provider that does not have a Backup and Disaster Recovery(BDR) plan, it will be very difficult for you to recover.

This is why it is so important to choose a VoIP provider that has a solid backup plan. Power outages, natural disasters, data breaches, etc. can all happen at any time, but having a BDR plan will give you a better chance at recovering.

Mistake #4: Not Considering Additional Costs

One of the major mistakes that many businesses and organizations make when it comes to VoIP is failing to consider all the costs. There may be additional costs that you will need to consider when it comes to VoIP, and it is important to ask the right questions so there will not be any surprises.

The costs and fees you will be expected to pay will depend on multiple factors, including your current phone and your network. Do not be afraid to ask the right questions about costs and fees so there will not be any surprises down the road.

What strategies will you implement to ensure you are prepared for a VoIP implementation? If you do not want to make any of the common VoIP mistakes, contact one of our experts today.