A business case for managing your own voice infrastructure

Successfully managing voice infrastructure in-house is dependent on you having the ability to measure, manage, optimise and report on your voice infrastructure. Furthermore, the approach [read strategy] needs to be well thought out and documented; with objectives, deliverables, roles and responsibilities.

Most of our customers are not focused on this important area at all. It is bypassed in favour of the "low hanging fruit" and typically does not feature on the “to do lists”. All to often we see customers with LCR / VoIP installations and discounted supplier agreements, but no documented strategy on the managing their voice infrastructure.

There are 4 key areas which you should consider when making the decision to address this all important aspect of telecoms management:

1. Continuity / Risk – should key role players leave the organisation and or outsourcing to the current 3rd party no longer be an option; the replacement 3rd party or the replacement employees need to have a point of departure. A detailed point of reference with regard to your specific business needs:

a. Strategy
b. Business case for change
c. Redundancy in mission critical business units
d. Projects underway / projects completed / projects delayed
e. Role players
f. Role and Responsibility
g. Measurable and deliverables

2. Decision making - The vast number of suppliers, products and services in the South African marketplace, combined with your company’s own strategy, makes decision-making a complex process. Fully understanding and addressing your own unique business need is by no means a “quick fix”. Voice infrastructure is an essential component of your business and can be complex. It is important that a documented strategy is completed taking into account the following:

a. Best Practices for voice infrastructure
b. Business need and business processes
c. Accurate reporting on voice infrastructure and call costs
d. Project Plan with
o objectives / timelines
o role players
o roles and responsibility
e. Immediate shortfalls and opportunities
f. Budget

3. Direction – The telecoms market is evolving as breakneck speed, suppliers are hard pressed to keep up and you do not want to invest blindly in technology for technologies sake. In addition multiple site environs over large geographical areas cannot afford to have role players making ill informed decisions on their own. Your business needs to decide on vendor, product and service selection, to deliver on strategy, with focus on:

a. Aggregation of spend
b. Buying power and cost saving opportunities
c. Centralised contact person[s]
d. Current and appropriate technology to address your own unique business need
e. Market related pricing
f. Future business requirements

4. Costs – There are direct and indirect costs when it comes to managing voice infrastructure. The direct costs are supplier related and the indirect costs are driven by resource, skill and knowledge management requirements. Issues such as:

a. Telecoms specific knowledge
b. Understanding your business needs 100%
c. Delivering the right information to the right role player[s] for decision making purposes
d. Managing installations, moves, additions and changes

DataRoom believe we are uniquely positioned to partner with your business. Empowering your management team to make the right decisions through knowledge management, accurate reporting and the DataRoom Best Practices for optimised voice will ensure:

• Successful implementation
• Reduced risk
• Reduced costs
o Savings on direct costs within a short time frame
o Internal resource requirements
• Knowledge management and growth of the requisite skills in-house

Neil Buckley
neil@apexbi.co.za

27th January 2009