VoIP for Dummies Book - XO Communications

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XO Communications VoIP For Dummies
In the following sections, I explore some of the reasons for
companies’ reluctance to make the move to IP convergence,
as well as some sound reasoning to counter their arguments.
If it ain’t broke, why
not improve it?
Most companies are reluctant to change systems simply
because they are comfortable with what they have. “If it ain’t
broke, don’t fix it.” Yet many companies have experienced
downtime with computer, telephony, and video networks.
It is just a fact of network life.
No downtimes are more memorable than telephone system
downtimes. Data and video network failures for some reason
are always seen as a temporary situation and an easy fix. But
if the telephony system network is down, it is a major crisis.
Companies would rather tell their customers that they are
wounded and unable to respond to their needs than to have
them call in and get a busy signal or even a “fast busy” signal.
It took more than 100 years for the industry to shape the
quality of service that now characterizes POTS-PSTN calling.
Computer networks have been standardized for just 20 years.
Sound management is required to consider, understand, and
drive the strategic move to VoIP in a company.
Convincing your boss
Part of gaining the support for the move to IP convergence is
to convince the company that it is the right move. You generally
need sign-off by the people who manage the company’s
technology and, to a certain extent, the staff that reports to
these managers. But you know and I know that by and large it
comes down to convincing upper management.
The best way to appeal to upper management is to focus on
the convergence as a cost-effective solution to an expensive
problem. Map out your current expenses and lay those numbers
side-by-side with the expense of IP convergence. The numbers
speak for themselves: IP convergence reduces operating
expenses enough to pay for itself in the near term, and it can
make the company a whole lot of money going forward.