The process of voice conversations using the Internet Protocol isn't a radical new idea. In fact, the basic technology behind advanced packet services like frame relay, ATM and IP for transporting voice between corporate sites is several years old.
The trick with voice over IP (VOIP), therefore, is to reconfigure a network to accommodate IP-based technology and unified voice/data communications without compromising security - while at the same time guaranteeing voice quality.
Cost-justifying the move to VOIP requires thoroughly weighing the major financial considerations for an IP communications deployment. Here are a few key considerations and their associated IP benefits, along with how to evaluate the right IP solution for an organisation.
Does the company have more than one location?
By incorporating open standards equipment for data transport in an IP infrastructure, a multi-site company can use existing inter-office connectivity and, in many cases, existing data equipment to move voice traffic alongside data. With a single IP communications platform at HQ to provide call processing for all sites, multi-site organisations can replace traditional PBXes and key telecoms systems at each site, centrally administer their new platform, enhance fault-tolerance and security, and improve business continuity dramatically.
Contributing to a lower cost of ownership - even if the company has only one location with no plans to expand - is the ability to utilise data network personnel (rather than outsourced vendors) to maintain IP-based voice/data networks. Because IP communications require only one standard network cable running to the desktop, end-users can generally manage their own moves, adds and changes (MACs) with little or no assistance from IT teams.
How important is future growth and expansion?
How much growth is the company looking at over the next one to five years, including new hires, adding offices, and leveraging existing telecoms and data systems to handle such growth? Since adding users to the network already requires a computer, an Ethernet cable and a port on a data switch, IP scalability essentially comes down to simple application licensing and a desktop soft phone or handset for new users.
IP communications aid speeding, improving and monitoring service delivery.
Dave Paulding is Interactive Intelligence's regional sales manager for UK and Africa.
Since adding new sites would already require connectivity back to the main office for sharing data, why not use the same connection for voice traffic? Using a router at each new location saves money via least-cost routing for inter-office calls, as does using the nearest entry point to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) for toll calls.
Likewise, by installing additional software on the router, a company can create a survivable remote site where dial tone is not impacted in the event of a WAN circuit failure.
Does the company employ teleworkers?
If so, chances are they already have access to the corporate network for data access. But... can the remote workers access the corporate voice system and its robust features? Unlike traditional PBX and telecoms systems, IP communications give mobile and home workers everything they need at their fingertips, from call control and presence management to unified messaging and remote message access using virtually any device.
Home office workers can also be members of workgroups and, given the same voice capabilities as their in-office colleagues, are ideal resources to handle call overflows when needed.
Does the quality of customer service impact profit?
IP communications aid speeding, improving and monitoring service delivery. Most visibly, the multimedia ACD routing for e-mails, Web chats and calls in many IP solutions gives customers the contact options they insist on.
Because IP communications are primarily software-based, adding functionality to enhance service often requires only licensing a new application for features like online auto response, Web collaboration, workforce management, recording, interaction tracking, agent scoring, etc.
Moreover, with its faster time-to-deployment, adaptable IP software functionality gives companies a competitive edge by way of quicker response to customer and market requirements.
Does the company have a contact centre?
Whether a departmental workgroup or thousands of agents, a contact centre's core role is to make or receive calls and handle e-mails and Web chats, whereas IP application suites offer complete multimedia capability for the contact centre environment.
They've also reached a point of affordability for even the smallest contact centre operations, say 20 or 30 agents, and with the same user and features scalability that IP communications offer for growing enterprises and multi-site organisations, IP contact centre suites easily scale to the service functionality and number of agents a centre may require as their business expands.
The bottom line
These are only a few considerations companies have found to be significant cost of ownership and return on investment factors.
Working with a skilled and experienced IP communications vendor or consultant, however, will allow the company to take a closer look at the business communications requirements and how IP technologies can improve them and positively impact savings, ROI and profitability.
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