{"id":5186,"date":"2022-06-09T08:41:26","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T13:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stratospherenetworks.com\/blog\/?p=5186"},"modified":"2022-06-09T08:41:26","modified_gmt":"2022-06-09T13:41:26","slug":"how-to-ensure-a-smooth-ucaas-deployment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stratospherenetworks.com\/blog\/how-to-ensure-a-smooth-ucaas-deployment\/","title":{"rendered":"How to ensure a smooth UCaaS deployment"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Close-upAn Illinois-based power company with multiple locations was having issues with their phone system. Their on-premises infrastructure was outdated and couldn\u2019t support their remote and mobile staff members.<\/p>\n

The company turned to our trusted technology advisors<\/a> to find a Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS)<\/a> platform that offered a similar experience to their old on-prem system while simultaneously delivering the features remote and mobile workers need to stay productive.<\/p>\n

Our advisors leveraged their extensive experience in the UCaaS space, advanced tools and our extensive partner network to identify a UCaaS solution that met all the client\u2019s requirements. Once their UCaaS solution was in place, the power company enjoyed lower spending due to eliminating hardware-related costs and enhanced mobile and remote work capabilities, among other benefits. Learn more from the full case study: Power Company Achieves Success With UCaaS and SD-WAN<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re considering deploying a cloud phone system to achieve similar results for your business, you\u2019ll want to do your research first to ensure you don\u2019t run into problems during implementation. Based on our advisors\u2019 experience assisting our clients with UCaaS deployment, here are a few tips you should keep in mind to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.<\/p>\n

1. Make sure you\u2019ve properly vetted your UCaaS provider.<\/h2>\n

Before you get started, consider whether you\u2019re working with the right supplier. You don\u2019t want to spend months setting up a UCaaS solution and then realize it lacks crucial capabilities or comes with unanticipated costs. It pays to engage with a third-party advisory firm that can offer insights into the pros and cons of all your options.<\/p>\n

If you do your own research, you\u2019ll deal with sales representatives who will play up the benefits of their company\u2019s product. On the other hand, our advisors can produce objective comparison matrices. Additionally, we can base our recommendations on a detailed assessment of your environment, including call flow, hunt groups, integrations into business applications, and degree of integration.<\/p>\n

2. Work with a project manager who understands your environment.<\/h2>\n

Whether you\u2019re going from an on-prem system to the cloud or cloud to cloud, we strongly recommend appointing a project manager with phone system and contact center experience. An internal staff member or a professional from an outside entity like Stratosphere can fulfill this role. Although the UCaaS supplier will also designate a project manager, you\u2019ll want someone on your company\u2019s side to make sure nothing gets overlooked.<\/p>\n

A project manager from a firm like Stratosphere that has assessed and gained in-depth knowledge of your on-prem environment can make a significant difference in preventing issues with implementation. Your project manager can keep the UCaaS deployment on track regarding dates, porting and numbers. They can also go on-site if needed to ensure you\u2019ve aren\u2019t missing any analog devices or applications that require integration.<\/p>\n

3. Include all your department heads in the UCaaS discussion.<\/h2>\n

It’s common for the IT department to handle this type of initiative, but we strongly advise including the heads of other divisions from the very beginning. They can help you find the best UCaaS software for your company and assist with end user adoption by getting their teams excited about this transformational project.<\/p>\n

Here are just some of the departments you should keep in the loop so you can find and deploy a solution that aligns with everyone\u2019s needs and strategic goals.<\/p>\n