3 Lessons Learned From the Texas Storm
Unforeseen events seem to be the new normal, particularly after 2020. Whether it is a global pandemic or the increasing number of natural disasters spanning our world, we realize that we must prepare better at home and work for risk and uncertainty. On top of the global pandemic, the historic Texas Storm revealed that business owners must prepare for similar future challenges or new ones to stay viable. A fundamental way of staying feasible as a business is considering your workplace telecommunication system. Here are three lessons that can help you prepare for whatever comes next.
1. Consider the Tradeoffs for On-Premise Versus Cloud-Based Phone Equipment
There are tradeoffs to having an on-premise phone system or a cloud-based (VoIP) phone system. With each plan comes different equipment. An on-premise phone system is a traditional system where your server and hardware reside on-site in your physical office space, and you own it outright. The majority of hardware and the server for a VoIP phone system is located off-site at a data center, housing many clients’ phone systems. On-Premise uses phone lines, whereas VoIP uses the Internet.
When businesses choose between the two models, they often consider the total cost of ownership. On-premise has a heftier cost upfront, but you can pay it off in a few years without an ongoing monthly fee. VoIP has little startup cost but then has an ongoing monthly fee. In the long term, on-premise has a lower total cost of ownership. However, we have learned a lesson from the Texas Storm, that even though premise equipment might be less expensive, on-premise equipment limits flexibility. If you do plan to stay with on-premise, have a solid backup plan.
Even if an on-premise phone system is less expensive overall, having your server on-site can expose your ability to work and communicate to power loss and natural disasters like snowstorms, fire, and flood. Your on-premise system will be expensive to replace.
If you’re going to stay with an on-premise phone system, it is imperative to have an emergency backup plan. You need this plan with on-premise systems if your team needs to work remotely or if you lose power for an extended amount of time. The ideal solution is to move some or all of your telecommunication systems to the cloud. Cloud-based solutions provide flexibility and enable your team to work remotely and access your systems from anywhere.
2. Your Data is Your Most Valuable Asset
We have also learned that data is invaluable, and losing it is detrimental to your business. Through having a secure, cloud-based data backup solution, your company can rest assured that if disaster strikes, your company’s data will be preserved. It is essential to realize that natural disasters could cause your data to be at risk of being lost forever if you do not have a backup solution.
Make sure you have a daily backup through a secure, cloud-based solution. Try to minimize how much information gets saved just to desktops and find a reputable provider for backup solutions. There are many low-cost options.
3. Make Sure to Find a Reputable Partner
If you decide to migrate to the cloud, it is paramount that you find a reputable partner to help you manage the process and monitor security, patching, and other IT needs. Whether you have an on-premise or cloud-based phone system, there should be a designated person or team who is responsible for managing and monitoring your phone system. Cybersecurity has never been more important and topical, particularly in Texas, so it is essential that you find a trusted partner. The best technology partners provide both hosted and on-premise solutions because they can offer customized solutions instead of one uniform solution.
NTi has been providing customized solutions and IT Managed Services for over 30 years. We are here to answer your questions and offer free assessments. Let us create your customized phone system solution.