Overview

The phone system is usually the last thing a business wants to touch. It works, everyone knows how to use it, and the risk of a bad changeover is obvious: missed calls are lost customers. In practice a cloud migration is one of the more predictable projects we run, provided a few decisions are made before any hardware arrives.

Decide what happens to your existing numbers

Numbers can almost always be ported, but porting takes time and has to be scheduled with the current provider. This is the item that sets the project timeline, so it is worth confirming early. Where a number is tied to an old contract, we look at whether it is simpler to port later and forward calls in the meantime.

Map how calls should actually flow

Most systems have grown by accident: a menu option added for a campaign that ended, an extension still ringing at a desk nobody sits at. A migration is the natural point to write down how a call should be answered during business hours, after hours and when the person is already on a call. It usually takes an hour and improves the caller experience more than the technology itself does.

The technical work is rarely the hard part. Agreeing how calls should be handled is.

Choose handsets, headsets or both

Cloud systems work from a desk phone, a computer or a mobile app, and different roles want different things. Reception generally still wants a physical handset. People who spend the day in meetings often prefer a headset and the app. Deciding this per role avoids buying hardware that sits in a drawer.

Check the network first

Call quality depends on the connection and on how the network prioritises voice traffic. We test this before the changeover rather than after, because the fix is usually straightforward when it is found in advance and much more disruptive when it is discovered by a customer.

Run both systems for a short period

Where the connection allows, we keep the old system live while the new one is in use. Staff learn the new handsets with a safety net, and if anything is missing there is no rush to resolve it. Once a week has passed without issues, the old service is switched off.

Add training on the day of the switch, keep a short written guide on hand for the first fortnight, and most teams stop thinking about the change within days. If you are weighing up a move, get in touch and we will talk through what it would involve for your setup.