Are You Ready For VoIP? Tips For VoIP Readiness

Voice over IP is the future of communications. Over 90% of phone systems sold today utilize VoIP. There are may reasons businesses are moving towards VoIP solutions. A few them are, mobility options, remote phones, cost savings on their monthly phone bills and trunking redundancy. The fact that VoIP is an attractive option brings about another critical question. Is your network infrastructure capable of handling VoIP effectively? There are a few basic checks you can make before implementing a VoIP solution.

1. 100BaseT Minimum: You should be using at least 100BaseT standards. Your entire LAN structure including your switch should handle at least 10/100 mbps.

2. LAN Cabling Cat5 or Better: You should have dedicated LAN connections from your switch to each desktop location that are Cat 5, Cat 5e, or Cat 6 rated. If you have old cabling and are replacing an old phone system you may have to rewire your office and replace old Cat3 cabling.

3. Switch Compatibility: You will want to use managed, layer 3 switches. QOS (Quality of service) is important with VoIP, and your switch must be programmed to match the QOS setting on your VoIP PBX.  POE switches are also beneficial to powering your IP phones, otherwise you will have to use power supplies on each phone, or POE injectors.

4. Router Compatibility: Having a capable router is also important for your VoIP solution to run smoothly. If you have a premise based IP system and are using remote phones, NAT is very important. Be sure to have a router that has consistent NATing and be prepared to enable port forwarding on the router as well. Be sure to disable any ALG on your router to avoid problems with VoIP traffic. The router will also most likely be used to serve DHCP and hand out IP addresses to your network devices. Most importantly, have a router that you or your IT department can manage competently. Many companies buy a router based on reputation, rather than on functionality and management.

5. Bandwidth Test: You must test your Internet bandwidth before using any SIP related trunking for Internet voice calls. This applies whether you are using premise based equipment or a Cloud based solution. Cloud based solutions are even more demanding on bandwidth since extension to extension calls go through the WAN rather than traversing the LAN as it would do with a premised based solution. The speed test must be run at different times of the day, especially at peak times to determine if you have enough bandwidth to handle all of your voice and data traffic. Generally, each voice call uses 64kb in each direction plus some extra overhead for SIP. It is safe to use a number of about 180kb per call. Estimate your maximum number of calls you will have at peak time and then add in some overhead on top of that to be sure you have adequate bandwidth. For example, lets say you estimate that the maximum number of calls you will ever have at one time is 12. 180kbs multiplied by 12 is, 2.1M. Its not a huge amount, but for those businesses on a DSL for example, which average 1.5M to 2M, it would present a necessity to upgrade Internet speed.

6. Network Performance Test: Have your IT department run a test on your network at different times of the day to ensure you have a clean network. There are many things that can cause latency, packet loss or jitter on a network that can effect voice packets negatively, which go unnoticed with data only. It is good to perform packet traces at different times of the day for a period of time to find problems on a network before installing VoIP.

Following these six checks will eliminate some of the most common obstructions to having successful VoIP deployment. Your local telephone installer can give you advice on upgrading your current network for VoIP implementation. In some situations you may have to upgrade routers, switches or wiring along with your new phone system purchase. VoIP is a different animal compared to the old digital systems. Once you upgrade however you will never look back! Its kind of like going from tape cassettes to CDs, or from VHS to DVD.

Using Wireshark To Troubleshoot VoIP (General Use)

This is an excellent video on using Wireshark to analyse packet captures on a network. The majority of problems with VoIP is caused by poor networks. This tool is essential for finding and correcting network issues. Check out the video and go download Wireshark.

The Importance of QOS and VoIP

There are many threats that can jeopardize voice traffic on a network.

1. Bandwidth/Packet Loss- The first key to having voice run on your network is having enough bandwidth to handle the amount of voice trffic you will typically have on your network. The IPitomy system typically uses the G.711 codec which uses about 160kbps for each active call. It is mportant to calculate the maximum amount of simultaneous calls you will have to ensure your bandwidth will meet your requirements, otherwise you will experience packet loss.

2. Latency- Latency is another term for delay. As packets pass through the network they are often delayed by network congestion. This is not as big of a problem for data as it is for voice traffic. Anything more than a 250ms roundtrip delay for voice traffic will most likely be noticeable to the caller. Common symptoms of this problem may be echo.

3. Jitter- Jitter is how much variation there is in that packet delay over a period of time. As the delay time changes it causes what is known as jitter. For example poor LAN connections are a common source of jitter. Setting Quality of Service on the data switch ensures that voice packets have priority on the LAN.

The QOS Solution

Quality of Service gives preferential delivery to your VoIP traffic on your network. This substantially reduces latency, jittter and packet loss. For example, the IPitomy system is capable of many QOS settings. Default it comes set up for DSCP 24 (CS3). On a Netgear Switch, turn on DSCP and then go to DSCP mapping and set CS3 to the highest setting. This will match up your default IPitomy QOS setting (PBX setup/SIP/Advanced) to your Netgear. Doing this will eliminate many problems with VoIP on your network.

Step Into the 21st Century: How Different Are You?

Today's economy demands companies to be unique in their particular industry in order to survive. I am in the telecommunications industry and I frequently speak to telephone system dealers across the country. When I ask them how business is going, the most common answer I get back is, "Not selling much, the phone is not ringing." Unfortunately many companies think they are still operating under a 90s business model.

Many businesses are still hoping people are going to find them in the yellow pages and then call them looking for their product or service. This is no longer a viable option. In order for a company to excel it must update its business model and separate itself from their competition. Over 50% of small businesses have terrible non-engaging websites. If yours is the same as everyone else's, why should they call you when they run across your website? Do you have engaging videos and articles, perhaps a blog to entice your visitors?

When your sales staff stop by to make a visit to a potential client do they just drop off your brochures like everyone else does, or are they creative? I like Jeffrey Gitomer's idea of putting brochures in a company logo-ed trash can, being that most people will throw away your printed brochures seconds after you leave, and keep your trashcan with your name on it. The real question is, will the potential client remember you distinctly from your competitor?

The same can be said for your business cards. Do you still have the standard cheap card with your name and phone number on it? Or did you take the time to make yours stand out from everyone else's? There are many areas of your business that you can be creative with to separate yourself from the competition. How different are you?

The Real Reason Brick and Mortar Stores Are Dying: Showrooms For Amazon?

The Real Reason Brick and Mortar Stores Are Dying

We hear it all of the time, "The Internet is killing brick and mortar stores!" While it is true that selling over the Internet has its advantages, especially when it comes to price, there is something a brick and mortar store can offer that Amazon cannot. It is a high level of personal customer service, or as Jeffrey Gitomer says, “its customer help.” Unfortunately based on my experience lately, customer help at most brick and mortar stores suck!

I went into a local music store to check out some guitar amps that I have been eyeing on the Internet. I read some reviews on them but I wanted to see one in person, so I went to the local music store. I figured if the price was in the same ballpark I might even buy it at the local store. If I can, I like to buy from local stores even if it may be a few bucks more, but what I do expect is a friendly, knowledgeable sales staff that can tell me about the product and show me how cool it is. I want them to show me the differences in the makes and models so I can purchase the best one that fits my music style and usage. I think most people probably don't mind paying a little extra if they can play with the product, and converse with an educated person at the store so they can make a more educated buying decision. 

I walked in the store and there were at least 4 sales people on the floor, a couple playing guitars talking about their next gig, the other two chatting behind the counter. I walked around the store for about 15 minutes and not one of them even recognized I was in the store! I don’t know if they realize this or not, but potential customers are not interested in an employee sideshow. They don’t care how good they are at playing guitar or what song they are going to play at their next gig. What we do want is a friendly, personable, knowledgeable sale adviser to show us the products and help us make an educated decision on buying an amp, or a guitar for example. In my eyes, the only time any of their employees should be playing an instrument is to learn about it, or demonstrate something about a product to a customer. 

I find similar situations at other stores. Best Buy for example, terrible service if you can find anyone. If you do find someone it is never their department. Their staff are not well trained and they know little about the products. I can usually learn more on the Internet than from one of their staff. The moral of the story is this. If many brick and mortar stores are going to survive the Amazon’s of the world, they are going to have to offer a high level of service "help" to do it. They are going to have to train their employees to a high level, and they are going to have to train their employees on more than just one area of expertise. Below is the email I sent after recently visiting the music store.

Hi, my name is Matt. I stopped by your store in Sarasota today to take a look at a Line6 Spider IV 75Watt 1x12 amp that I am interested in. I walked about your store for about 15 minutes and your entire staff sat around and played guitars and never once came over to show me how cool that amp was. I am in the sales business. Your potential customers do not care how good of a guitar player your sales staff are, they want a friendly person to stop over and show them how cool your products are. I like to support brick and mortar stores like yours when I can, even if it costs a few bucks more. But, I expect great service, not a sideshow of your staff noodling on their instruments talking about their next gig. I don't want to come across as a jerk, but the only way your brick and mortar stores are going to survive is to offer something Amazon, or your online store cannot, which is friendly, knowledgeable sales staff that can show me, the customer how cool your products are. Otherwise you'll end up being only a show room for Amazon or your online store. My advice is to make every sales person in that store learn about every product so they can greet customers in a friendly manner and show them your products in a friendly engaging manner. I know nothing more about that amp after visiting your store than what I read on the Internet, so I may as well buy it on the Internet. The only reason your staff should be playing any instruments is to learn how a product works, or to demonstrate something to a customer. Superior service is the only way many brick and mortar stores are going to survive.

Be More Productive: Build Your Own Standing Desk!

Sitting at your desk all day can be bad for you. It is also makes you lethargic. The answer? The standing desk workstation! I built my own about 6 months ago and I will never go back to a regular desk.

I used a nice piece of 2ft by 4ft Birch plywood for the top. I used 2x4s for the legs. Then I built the back computer monitor ledge with 1x4s sitting on top of pieces of 4x4s. The unit sits on top of my old desk, which gives me a nice accessible storage area underneath, as well as a niche for my PC to sit in next to it. Now I stand most of the time, but can sit for a bit to rest on my stool. It actually makes me more productive throughout the day standing most of the time, rather than sitting in my old office chair.

Once I had mine in place my CEO saw it and got his own standing desk, and he loves it. Others in the office are also considering having one. Take the standing desk challenge! You can put it together for about 25 bucks, and you will never do business the same way again.

Mom's 15 Minute Rule "Never Be Late!"

From my earliest years I can remember my mother telling me to never make people wait for you, and always be 15 minutes early. To this day, whether I have an appointment, I am going to work, or meeting someone I am always about 15 minutes early. My daily work hours are from 8:30 to 5:30. There is rarely a day where I have not been at the office at least 15 minutes early.

Why is the 15 minute rule important? It is important because you do not want to make someone wait on you! Everyone's time is valuable. When you arrive late you are implicitly telling the person you are meeting a couple of things. The first is, that they are not a priority. Try getting a job after you are late to an interview. Try keeping your job after coming in late every day. Good luck! Secondly you telling them that your time is more valuable than theirs. Not a good move when you are meeting with a potential client. When you are early you are telling the person you are meeting that you see value in them, and that your meeting with them is important to you.

Now you may ask, what can you do with all of that extra time? Great question. How about reading a good book that can help you in your line of work? Spend that time educating yourself. If you are meeting with someone why not use your fancy Android or iPhone for something other than playing a video game or chatting on Facebook with your friends? Read up on your client, or potential employer and make that 15 minutes a productive 15 minutes!

My mom's rule has helped many times over the course of my life and has played a role in making me successful. My advice is to apply mom's 15 minute rule to your life!