Tag Archives: transition

Tips to Ensure a Smooth Migration to IP Telephony

There are a number of reasons which make VoIP telephony an appealing addition to any modern business, and those who have switched from a traditional telephone system will have done so with clear objectives in mind. If you’re considering migrating to a VoIP service provider, consider the following questions to ensure a stress-free migration.

What do you want to achieve through switching to a VoIP service provider?

When making decisions on behalf of your business, it’s important to set some clear objectives. You must first understand the reasons driving the switch – perhaps you need to cut costs on lengthy international calls, modernise old equipment or improve your communications as a whole. Be clear on your goals, and always keep them in mind when reviewing service providers.

What VoIP package best suits the business?

When you have an understanding on the reasoning behind the switchover, seek out a provider that can help you to achieve those specific needs or requirements. Every business is unique, so shop around for a service that suits you.

While every business is unique, so is every VoIP provider, and many providers will be flexible with the services they offer and should be able to accommodate your specific needs. It pays to speak with prospective providers about your specific requirements to help inform your decision.

Does the provider understand the business?

If a VoIP provider understands your business, they can detect possible issues before they arise, saving both parties time and money. For instance, in a seasonal business, a high call volume around Christmas may cause time lag and call-quality issues. A reliable VoIP provider will preempt this situation, and prepare for it before it becomes an issue.

Are staff able to use the new systems?

As with any new software/hardware, staff will need to receive some training in the functional aspects of VoIP before it is implemented throughout the business. While some deployments are more complex than others, a typical VoIP system should be simple to grasp and designed to be user friendly, so the transition should be a smooth one.

Can you trust the provider?

Typically, when you make the transition to a hosted VoIP system, the only thing hosted on site are the handsets. On occasion you may wish to see what’s happening behind the scenes, and a trustworthy supplier should allow you to so. If a supplier has made considerable investments in technology, they will be proud of their facilities.

It’s also important to ensure that the provider isn’t just a reseller of other providers’ services and that they have technical knowledge and resources to manage any eventuality, no matter how complex.

And finally…

A business should learn from any mistakes or successes made in the deployment process. If there are some obvious areas for improvement, then revise the plans for any work going forward. If you’re deploying a a multi-site roll out then any refinements now will save time and money later. Also be sure to understand any implications of adding additional handsets or functionality further down the line.

Tips to Ensure a Smooth Migration to IP Telephony

There are a number of reasons which make VoIP telephony an appealing addition to any modern business, and those who have switched from a traditional telephone system will have done so with clear objectives in mind. If you’re considering migrating to a VoIP service provider, consider the following questions to ensure a stress-free migration.

What do you want to achieve through switching to a VoIP service provider?

When making decisions on behalf of your business, it’s important to set some clear objectives. You must first understand the reasons driving the switch – perhaps you need to cut costs on lengthy international calls, modernise old equipment or improve your communications as a whole. Be clear on your goals, and always keep them in mind when reviewing service providers.

What VoIP package best suits the business?

When you have an understanding on the reasoning behind the switchover, seek out a provider that can help you to achieve those specific needs or requirements. Every business is unique, so shop around for a service that suits you.

While every business is unique, so is every VoIP provider, and many providers will be flexible with the services they offer and should be able to accommodate your specific needs. It pays to speak with prospective providers about your specific requirements to help inform your decision.

Does the provider understand the business?

If a VoIP provider understands your business, they can detect possible issues before they arise, saving both parties time and money. For instance, in a seasonal business, a high call volume around Christmas may cause time lag and call-quality issues. A reliable VoIP provider will preempt this situation, and prepare for it before it becomes an issue.

Are staff able to use the new systems?

As with any new software/hardware, staff will need to receive some training in the functional aspects of VoIP before it is implemented throughout the business. While some deployments are more complex than others, a typical VoIP system should be simple to grasp and designed to be user friendly, so the transition should be a smooth one.

Can you trust the provider?

Typically, when you make the transition to a hosted VoIP system, the only thing hosted on site are the handsets. On occasion you may wish to see what’s happening behind the scenes, and a trustworthy supplier should allow you to so. If a supplier has made considerable investments in technology, they will be proud of their facilities.

It’s also important to ensure that the provider isn’t just a reseller of other providers’ services and that they have technical knowledge and resources to manage any eventuality, no matter how complex.

And finally…

A business should learn from any mistakes or successes made in the deployment process. If there are some obvious areas for improvement, then revise the plans for any work going forward. If you’re deploying a a multi-site roll out then any refinements now will save time and money later. Also be sure to understand any implications of adding additional handsets or functionality further down the line.

Oracle R12 Upgrade.

Why upgrade?

With the exception of guaranteeing ongoing product support, organizations typically only consider upgrading if there is a compelling business reason. Some of the major benefits of upgrading include:

  1. Obtaining a more robust and scalable architecture. Upgrading can provide advanced database capabilities, better integration, newer extensions and personalization, and improved security for enterprise applications.

  2. Enhancing efficiency. Upgrading can lay the foundation for a shared services model, enable the easy design of multiple tax models, and introduce newer, more flexible accounting elements.

  3. Streamlining compliance. Obtaining compliance with industry regulations can be greatly simplified by upgrading to a newer version of the application. For example, new features in Oracle EBS R12 include alternate accounting representations, revenue management, and transaction sequencing.

  4. Enabling more efficient collaboration. Enterprise application extensions can provide a platform for collaborating with all trading partners – leading to greater efficiencies in inventory, procurement, and logistics costs.


      Oracle EBS R12 Upgrade Services

      Consulting is positioned to assist enterprises in these efforts, providing a range of robust Oracle E-Business Suite R12 upgrade services. The Consulting Methodology provides a flexible and scalable process for projects of all sizes. Highlights of the Consulting service include:

      • Well-defined project phases with associated deliverables
      • structured training sessions to aid fuller understanding and choices for implementation of business-relevant enhancements
      • Phased acceptance to aid risk mitigation
      • A set of re-usable artifacts, aiding remote execution and helping provide clients with cost advantages
      • Comprehensive problem solving practices that reflect the collective set of our experiences
      • Facilitation of a consistent and predictable customer experience
      • Provision of a robust project management structure :
      • It contains a licensed derivative of Project Management Institutes (PMI) & Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)
      • a customizable set of activities and tools that are relevant to across engagements
      • a framework and a common language for our consultants, project managers, and client team members
      • Elimination of guess work and ambiguity from an engagement


          Conclusion

          It is important to keep the upgrade vs. reimplementation discussion in the context of the overall transition to R12. First understand what the R12 target needs to be. Compare that to the 11i instance(s). Itemize and inventory everything that needs to change. Then consider how you would make each change via upgrade (with expertise Transformation software plus Oracle upgrade), and via reimplement (implement it and migrate your historical data). A parallel analysis considers everything in the 11i instance(s) that does not need to change on the path to R12. When planning the transition to R12, focus on the components that are dependent on the specific transition methods. Cost/benefit and resource expenditure analyses will assist in your transition planning, specifically aiding you in deciding which method will be best for your organization’s adoption of R12 and the new features that come along with it.