Do I Need a Professional to Set Up My VoIP System?

Business man on cellphone looking at laptop

Before you decide whether or not you should work with professionals to install your VoIP system, you might want to take a moment to discuss what exactly a VoIP system is. VoIP is an acronym that stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. That sounds complicated, but it’s essentially just technology that allows us to transform the complicated phone systems used by businesses into simple, online systems that handle incoming and outgoing calls, voicemail, and even video conferencing and other communication tools. There are many different types of VoIP systems available, and if you’re ready to upgrade your business’ communication system, VoIP may be the best option.

It Really Does Depend on Your Needs

As capable human beings, we can do a remarkable number of things, including setting up VoIP systems for our businesses. However, you don’t necessarily need to do everything on your own. A good analogy is that, if you had a damaged tooth, you could use pliers to take it out on your own, but why would you? It’s easier, safer, and more comfortable to let a dentist do it. What if your problem wasn’t that serious? Like, instead of a badly injured tooth you just had mild tooth sensitivity, which is easily treatable with a number of store bought products from the comfort of home.

Like dental treatments, some VoIP systems can be managed independently while others should probably be handled by professionals. If your business is just you and a few employees, a self-installed and maintained VoIP system may be just fine. If you numerous of employees and/or several office locations or remote employees, it might make sense to work with professionals.

The VoIP Set Up Process

The complexity of the individual steps will depend in large part on the scale of your VoIP needs, but even the most complex VoIP system can be set up in just five steps:

  1. Choose a Number or Port Your Existing Number – if your business already has a number employees and customers know about, you’ll want to bring your existing number with you to the new system, and most VoIP providers allow you to transfer or “port” your existing numbers. If you don’t have a number yet, most VoIP systems allow you to easily browse available numbers and choose one that makes sense.
  2. Get Your Equipment – you can purchase and install special phones that are set up for VoIP or you can use a virtual phone system on existing devices like computers and cellphones.
  3. Create a call routing system – this may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s actually a really important aspect of your VoIP system. Your routing system or map may include a number of different functions, including which numbers connect to specific phones or devices, what happens if someone doesn’t answer the phone (voicemail, redirect, etc.), conferencing, and even afterhours processes. Many VoIP providers give a number of preset options that you can choose from or these can be customized for your specific business.
  4. Add employees to your system – once you have your routing system in place, you should add employees into your system. Depending on how you set up your VoIP system, this may be as simple as assigning “extensions” to individuals. Many systems also give your employees the ability to take phone calls from cellphones, their computer, and other devices. Make sure you give your employees access to the information and processes they need to be productive but protect your business security by limiting access to unnecessary functions.
  5. Set up Other Apps – one great feature of VoIP systems is how much flexibility they give your business to incorporate unique communication applications like video conferencing. During the setup process, make sure you ask about these unique tools and how they can be integrated into your VoIP system.

If You Set Up Your VoIP System – You Should Rely on Professionals for Certain Functions

Even if you decide to set up your own VoIP system for business communication, you should still be working with professionals for some aspects of your VoIP system, including:

  • Monitoring & maintenance – this ensures your system stays up and running, and you don’t lose productivity due to a VoIP system outage.
  • System security – like other forms of communication that rely on the internet, VoIP systems are vulnerable to cybercriminals and hackers, so setting up security protocols with a professional can help to keep your VoIP system safe.
  • Solutions when problems arise – you should also contact a professional right away if a breach occurs. Fixing the problem and preventing future breaches is essential.

Let IT ArchiTeks Help You with VoIP Solutions

At IT ArchiTeks, our team has the knowledgeable and training to help you with any aspect of your VoIP system. From set up to solutions after a breach, our team can help keep your business running with communication systems that bring together you, your employees, and your clients seamlessly. When you’re ready to get started, we’re here to help. Contact us today to learn more about your VoIP options.

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