Adding a VoIP system to your existing business network can ensure more reliable calls, and more manageable costs, but like any investment, there are potential 
pitfalls. Be sure to answer the following 9 questions about your function and service needs so you ensure you get the best VoIP phone for your business.
- What is your current phone system provider?
Unless you are completely replacing your existing phone system, your VoIP phone needs to be compatible with your existing platform. Open source makes this easier to achieve, but verify that your chosen IP phone will work with your current phones so you don’t end up with technology that can’t talk to each other and causes communication breakdowns.
- Who will be using the IP Phones?
Each of your staff has different functions, and how they handle their communications differs just as much. Find out the workflows they use and adapt their VoIP phone to their needs. Look for custom needs like speakerphone, large displays or sidecar capabilities or extra extensions to assess the best options for your team.
- How many incoming calls do you get each day?
Your call volume will decide how many “lines” your VoIP phone system needs to represent. While they are not physical lines like standard phones, each separate call line needs to have the ability to hold, park, transfer and talk separately from the other lines, with no drop or slowing of functionality. The average worker will probably be ok with 1-3 lines, while a receptionist or operator will need an excess of 10 lines to manage daily calls.
- Will you need call routing capabilities?
Oftentimes, in most offices, each work station only has a single Ethernet cable, which has to run the desktop computer, and if you are investing in VoIP, the IP phone. In this case, you will need a VoIP phone with dual RJ45 Ethernet ports. If you already have a Voice local area network set up, you should have an Ethernet cable run to the station just for the IP phone, to cut costs.
Investing in a VoIP phone system for your business can be a great cost-management tool that adds functionality to your phones. That said, consider the previous points to ensure you get the right VoIP system that fits your specific business needs.
