The hidden costs of VOIP

19.05.2006
"High return on investment! Lower total cost of ownership! Use toll bypass to lower your long-distance bills! Make the move to IP telephony now!"

How many times have your heard those words from sales reps? They are the frosting on the cake that is voice over IP (VOIP), and they're largely true. But focus too closely on them at your peril. There are hidden costs to transitioning away from a tried-and-true PBX-based voice network to IP telephony, and I'm not just talking about dollars and cents.

I'm talking about people. I'm talking about the effect that your decisions are going to have on the staff you depend on to make your voice and data networks run smoothly. I'm talking about your users, the people who will be forced to use your new phones and applications. I'm talking about your help desk staff who will need to learn to support something that is tantalizingly similar to -- but quite different from -- what they're used to.

This Ain't Personal, It's Just Business

When considering IP telephony, you'll make an objective examination of the financials, and that will likely be your primary focus. You really can lower your overall costs with VOIP, often quite significantly.

As an example, it's possible to make your support system more efficient by making moves, adds and changes substantially easier for your support staff. Or perhaps you are primarily interested in the benefits of toll bypass. Regardless, these savings are the sizzle, not the steak, and your voice network staff will not be impressed by the sizzle.