December 09
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Enterprises today must entrust their operations to many vendors to run daily functions, from phone support and technical infrastructure to support functions like finance, human resource management and marketing.
Decreasing the number of vendors and fragmented/point solutions (each solution offering just one service) is the easiest way to reduce the complexity of enterprise systems. When doing this, it makes sense to find the vendors who offer as many services as you need – and do so reliably.
Business phone services and IT service management – cloud support, internet and connectivity, and network management – are no longer auxiliary functions within enterprises. They have become as mission-critical as the enterprise’s core operations. It makes sense to merge your Voice/Phone support with IT management, and this article explains the benefits thereof and how you should approach such a merge.
Benefits of Combining IT and Network Management with Business Phone Services
There are several challenges with deploying point solutions instead of all-in-one platforms. First, users must learn how to use each tool separately and together. Second, integrating multiple solutions and ensuring that they work (continuously) is costly and time-intensive. Finally, the acquisition of these tools separately is tedious, and demands individual justification (ROI).
Furthermore, the number of devices and needs of enterprises are constantly changing and growing as the company grows and technology changes. The result is an extremely complex business environment that usurps considerable resources for daily management.
Combining your IT and Voice solutions from a single provider has tons of benefits, including:
Increased Flexibility
Merging your business phone service with IT management allows you to integrate calling services so that you can call from any device – laptop, desktop, mobile phone, or desk phone. In this era of remote work, you need a solution that lets you take calls on the move or while working from home, all using the same number.
Greater Efficiency
Leveraging existing hardware and your business phone connections, you can build a stronger collaboration platform that is simultaneously easier to manage. You can create a custom solution that meets your business needs, and the organization-wide network works seamlessly to deliver greater efficiency.
Cost Savings
Every vendor has payment packages, and many will charge extra for custom integrations with hardware and software solutions from other vendors. However, merging your phone, internet, network management and other IT services create an all-inclusive platform that allows you to negotiate significant discounts and remove additional charges for custom integrations.
Ease of Operation
An integrated system from the same vendor is easier to set up and run. With managed services providing continuous support, your in-house IT team will be free from repetitive support tasks to projects that contribute to the enterprise’s core operations.
Enhanced Privacy and Accountability
The all-under-one-roof solution offers greater vendor accountability and – crucial in this era – enhanced security and privacy. Your vendors will have access to your systems, and this may include proprietary data, and having all-inclusive platforms limits the extent of exposure.
How to Switch to Integrated Voice and IT Management
Changing providers – or the scope of services from existing providers – is no small feat. There may be some apprehension about the move, but you can take steps to plan and execute the switch with minimal business interruptions.
The advantage of increasing the scope of an existing provider’s services is that they are already familiar with your organization. To switch your IT management to your business phone solutions provider, these are the steps to follow:
Determine the provisions of your current contract
Find out the termination terms of your present IT services provider. Some companies have annual subscriptions, while others pay month on month. The latter have an easier time switching, but you may be able to negotiate for an early break-away.
Decide what services you need
You may choose to switch over your entire IT management portfolio – internet and cloud services, MS software management, and network management and infrastructure. Alternatively, you may wish to expand the breadth of services over time, i.e. increasing the vendor’s package on after another.
Talk to the vendor to find out which change-over system would work best for your line of work. Find out what investments you will make in terms of hardware, software, and expertise, and how long it will take to make the switch. The vendor should give you a quote according to the number of devices and users and the features that you need.
Pay and schedule implementation
Once you pay the initial fees, you and the vendor can go about planning how to implement the change-over without affecting business operations. This should also include staff training after implementation.
It would be ideal to have an overlap period where the old and new systems run together, and then you can make the complete switch once your team masters the new system. Doing this will minimize disruptions, which are often part of new system installations.
Voice and Internet: Better Together
The modern workplace is changing, and today, it isn’t enough to have software and hardware tools. These tools must be easy to use (together) and yet robust enough to provide insights or support core operations with utmost efficiency.
Enterprises that don’t use the same vendor for IT and Voice solutions are missing out on a real opportunity to simplify their operations without compromising on the quality of service. IT Voice offers white-glove, turn-key solutions for every technical need in your business.
Talk to us about integrating IT management with our Voice packages in your company – you’ve already seen what we can do; so you can trust our one-stop solutions to truly help you reach the next level in your growth journey.
