A commonly overlooked factor for achieving the greatest ROI on any business communications solution is found within system implementation. It is critical that the system functions correctly from the start and that adoption is obtained by all users. To make this possible here is The 5 MOST Important Steps for Deployment Success. Begin these steps through a deep and critical business analysis, paying close attention to external perspectives from the view of the customer and the competition. And they go for all deployment options: Premise, Host, and Hybrid!

• The 5 Most Important Steps for Phone System Deployment Success •

 Step 1: Determine where your Current Communications Capabilities are

If your business plans to move its resources beyond the value of just conventional telephony, then you need to understand the current state of all the tools being utilized today.
(Pro Tip: This assessment must be done from a critical viewpoint.)

Some things to think about in this assessment are:

• How well is the current phone system holding up?
• Can it continue to manage expected growth over the next few years?
• What are my handset needs? 
• How old are your employee's PC's? 
• Is your network capable of supporting video on desktops?
• Is your current audio quality tolerable for conference calls?
• Are employees communicating more on their personal smartphones? computers? tablets?

A true and accurate "state of the union" can help you when assessing your network capabilities. At the end of the day you need to make sure that your plan has the capabilities to be successful.  IP communications require a great deal of infrastructure and assessing your current scenario is essential for progress. 

Step 2: Network Assessment

Some may have already made the transition from a digital voice network to a voice over Local Area Network (LAN). If this is the case, then it may be time to do a bit of network assessing. Through this process, the current strength of the network is tested against the newly presented demands. There may be several new requirements for the network to support, such as conferencing, video calling, mobility, multiple locations or remote workers. It will be beneficial in the long run to perform this assessment before, during, and after deployment.

Therefore, getting a network assessment is the first place to start   

Step 3: Evaluate the Advantages of the Business

As the system expands beyond the basic telephony, the greater impact it will have on the business on all levels. Before
making the switch to a more complex system, review management’s current business plans including objectives for the
near future. Think of how new communication capabilities augment the goals of the organization like, increasing customer satisfaction with faster times to resolution. And don’t forget IT plays a crucial role in this process. By design, the IT department provides the tools that optimize the workforce. When IT and management work together considering all users and think outside the box of operating a system, at the lowest possible cost- there will be a revelation of untapped potential on all fronts.

Step 4: Proper Needs Assessment

When strategizing about the communications system within the company, it is also essential to think about the average stakeholder, the employees. Employees are the people using the system on an everyday basis. Taking the time to get input from every level in each department’s will serve valuable insight and ultimately increases user adoption. Users with an investment in the success of the project are more engaged and can become the greatest advocates, therefore creating more success for the system and mainly the company.

Step 5: Reassess the Ongoing Changing Trends of Communications

Although voice will always remain constant in the world of communications, it is so much more than that today. Looking at all the ways voice is incorporated within other types of communication is helpful when choosing what’s best the company. Communications and technology within that sector, change on a daily basis. Just as fashion trends evolve, technology and communication methods do as well. The future of this will only get more and more interesting and complex, but also more beneficial to businesses as time goes on. The more that you understand how IP communications are evolving and changing, the better you will be to expand the structure of your system. These conventional solutions can transform the business rather than just simply making it run more efficiently than before.

All in all, IP communications is a variety of things and made up of so many different applications and concepts. If standard telephony is your ideal way of communication in the workplace, you may need to reevaluate your system and come to the realization that it isn’t necessarily setting employees or customers up for success. Implementing a full suite of UC tools and incorporating new ways of communicating adds value to the work environment and sets you apart from your competitors.

Also view all parts to the Essential Guide to Understanding Business Communications- 

Part I: 3 Most Common Types of Communication in the Workforce
Part II: Deployment Options: Premise, Hosted and Hybrid, Oh My!
Part lll: Isolated vs. Integrated System, Which Am I? & Why?