| Your call center is in many cases the first interaction | | | | necessary to not just operate data and voice |
| between your business and customer. If there is one | | | | operations simultaneously and reliably, but with quality. |
| thing more important than your marketing and sales, it | | | | Not enough bandwidth with too many running |
| is your line of communication with clients. VoIP | | | | resources can result in data rates freezing, voice echo, |
| technology allows for call centers to run like a | | | | static, and hang ups. Not good for a call center. You |
| traditional analog call center, but for far less expense | | | | will want to have your companies bandwidth |
| with many more integrated productivity features. It is | | | | measured and on hand when discussing your VoIP call |
| evident that your business will eventually need to | | | | center options with a provider. An upgrade to an |
| switch to VoIP technology if your company is to grow | | | | OC48 or more gigabit connection may be necessary |
| while buffering the bottom line of your company's | | | | before proceeding with your technology switch. |
| finances. | | | | What is your current call center call volume? This will |
| When shopping for business VoIP, the importance of | | | | seem like a no brainer, however, many business |
| making proper informed purchase decisions can mean | | | | seeking out VoIP call center solutions often neglect to |
| the difference between life and death for your | | | | have on hand their full inbound and outbound call usage. |
| business. Asking and answering your provider these | | | | Make sure you have all your call minutes logged as |
| questions in this article will help protect your investment | | | | well as possible future forecasting of call volumes to |
| while giving you better insight into what is needed to | | | | present when requesting a quote. |
| switch your analog call center operations into a more | | | | What are the geographic locations of your call |
| robust and technologically advanced inbound slash | | | | centers? If you have multiple geographically located |
| outbound call center. | | | | facilities for your call centers call volume you will need |
| Do you have the IT resources for internal VoIP | | | | to now ask yourself if your company has the financial |
| management? This question is one of grave | | | | and technical resources to implement an inhouse VoIP |
| importance. Can your company afford an inhouse | | | | solution or if a hosted IP PBX virtual call center is more |
| solution or will you be needing a hosted IP PBX | | | | reasonable for your needs. In most cases, many |
| solution? Reliability is your priority number one for a call | | | | business opt for a hosted IP PBX solution to save on |
| center, so deciding whether you will have trained staff | | | | staff IT resources and money. This may be the route |
| for the VoIP solution or not will dictate the overall | | | | you need to take as well. |
| reliability of your VoIP call center. | | | | How easy can we upgrade? Ask your provider the |
| What types of call center agent monitoring will you | | | | procedures for upgrading and enhancing. The ability to |
| need? Keep in mind and write down before contacting | | | | effortlessly scale up or down (scalability) is essential, |
| a business VoIP provider the type of departments you | | | | make sure your VoIP provider can do downgrades |
| will be having for the call center, the types of recorded | | | | and upgrades easily and without much addition to cost. |
| information you will need for each department, as well | | | | Is your LAN reliable? If your LAN connection is |
| as what levels of data you would like to collect in your | | | | disrupted then your data and voice will be disrupted as |
| management of your agent supported VoIP call | | | | well. Make sure you have the appropriate LAN |
| center. | | | | configurations necessary to have a reliable |
| Does your company have the resources for data | | | | communications center and ask a VoIP provider what |
| security? If your business has IT staff on hand | | | | those necessary requirements will be. |
| properly trained for security of your VoIP call center | | | | So in short, have as much data on your company on |
| data then you very well may be able to proceed with | | | | hand when shopping for VoIP solutions. The more |
| an inhouse VoIP solution, however, if not, you will | | | | information you have on hand, the better an idea you |
| undoubtedly want to work with the idea of having a | | | | will have on the pricing and the overall procedures that |
| hosted IP PBX where security measures are already | | | | will be necessary to make the big switch. Many large |
| well in place. | | | | enterprises are now enjoying this technology. With the |
| What is your organization's current available | | | | affordability,scalability, and convenience of a VoIP call |
| bandwidth? VoIP runs off of the Internet and this | | | | center, you should too. |
| means you will need the bandwidth capabilities | | | | |