As a hotel owner, you're well-aware of the fact that maintaining good communication at your facility is an absolute must for success. Not only do your employees rely on the quality of your phone system, but your guests do as well. And if you don't make your guests happy, they're not likely to come back or speak highly of your establishment.
Once you've upgraded to Voice over Internet Protocol as your communications system of choice, you must focus on the call quality that it provides to ensure a smooth transition and future reliability. Avoiding quality issues is crucial, so let's take a look at what you can do to keep the quality at a high level.
Tips for Improving VoIP Quality
Before you upgrade your hotel's communications system to VoIP, you'll want to check your current network setup to ensure that it can handle the needs of the new system. Things like proper equipment and the right amount of bandwidth are necessities in order to meet the demands of VoIP. After all that is said and done, try these tips if you're experiencing any quality issues:
- Increase your high-speed connection -- When call quality is poor, it is often the sign of a less than desirable connection speed. Using a speed that is appropriate to your needs is essential if you wish to maintain a high level of quality, so look at this first.
- Use high quality cables -- The use of cables that are of standard quality will get the job done. Unfortunately, buried and overhead cabling are susceptible to potential problems such as heavy rain, thunderstorms, and snowstorms, all of which can cause the lines to experience static. Much of the time, restarting the system will fix problems when these events occur, but this can inconvenience your guests and employees. If your cables are either buried or overhead, it's best to replace any standard cables with higher quality ones to curb potential hazards.
- Add more servers -- If your hotel isn't using enough servers, the ones you do have will become overloaded. When this happens, call quality will be diminished. If you're unsure about this, a reputable VoIP provider like PhoneSuite can guide you, but the basic rule is that it's better to have too many servers than too few.
- Upgrade your software -- Newer types of networking software developed in recent years provide better compression, which will improve voice quality over the line.
The Use of a Reputable VoIP Provider
To get the highest quality possible, you'll also want to enlist the assistance of a reputable VoIP provider. Once you're in the market for one, look for these elements:
- Niche company -- Several large communications corporations offer VoIP services, but if you want to receive personalized experience, go for one of the smaller guys. These niche companies tend to specialize in small and medium-sized businesses and the special phone system needs of hotels.
- Service Level Agreement -- Low quality can turn off travelers and cause your hotel to lose money. Ask a potential VoIP provider for a Service Level Agreement that guarantees a specified level of quality.
- Back-up plan -- System failure is the last thing that any company wants. A good VoIP provider will have a back-up plan in place in the event of any such failure. This plan should be intended to keep the phone system in operation, with penalties in the form of credits or refunds if downtime occurs.
Ensuring VoIP quality for your hotel is an essential part of doing business. If you'd like to learn more about what it takes to successfully transition to a VoIP communications system, give PhoneSuite a call and speak to one of our knowledgeable technicians.
