You choose the best omnichannel telephony vendor by focusing on three main criteria: technical integration capabilities with your existing systems, proven scalability for future growth, and a total package approach where you can get everything under one roof. In particular, look for vendors with strong AI capabilities, enterprise-grade security and experience with legacy system migrations. A good partner will offer transparent migration processes and long-term support.
What is omnichannel telephony and why do you need it?
Omnichannel telephony connects all of your organization’s communication channels – phone, email, WhatsApp, live chat and social media – in one integrated system. Your customers can switch seamlessly between channels while their full call history remains available to every employee.
The difference from traditional telephony is significant. Whereas older systems such as Avaya and Mitel tend to be fragmented, omnichannel telephony provides a unified customer experience. Your employees instantly see the complete customer history, regardless of which channel the customer contacts.
For modern companies, hybrid working has made this important. Your team needs to be accessible everywhere with the same functionality. Traditional systems often cannot provide this without costly extensions or complex workarounds.
The benefits are immediate: faster turnaround because employees don’t have to search for customer information, fewer frustrated customers who don’t have to repeat their stories, and better team collaboration through shared information.
What criteria are important when choosing a telephony provider?
When selecting a telephony vendor, five criteria are decisive: integration capabilities, scalability, AI capabilities, security and support model. These determine whether a solution really suits your organization and is future-proof.
Technical integration is paramount. Your new system should work seamlessly with existing tools such as your CRM, Microsoft Teams and other enterprise systems. Ask for standard links and API capabilities.
Scalability determines whether your investment will keep up with your growth. Look for vendors that have proven they can handle large volumes – think millions of conversations per day. This will prevent you from having to migrate again in a few years.
AI functionalities make the difference in efficiency. Look for intelligent call routing, automatic case classification and real-time sentiment analysis. These technologies save time and improve the customer experience.
Security certifications are non-negotiable. ISO 27001 certification must be present at a minimum, supplemented by ISO 9001 and ISO 26000. Also verify that data is processed within Europe for GDPR compliance.
The support model determines your day-to-day experience. Choose vendors that offer everything under one roof – from implementation to management. This avoids complex vendor relationships and unclear responsibilities.
How do you compare different omnichannel telephony vendors?
Systematically compare vendors by taking demos, reviewing reference projects and testing specific scenarios relevant to your organization. Focus on practical functionality rather than fancy presentations.
During demos, ask about actual use cases from your own company. Show how the system handles peak workloads, how quickly new employees can be added, and how migration from your current system works.
Reference projects provide insight into actual performance. Ask about organizations of similar size and complexity. Inquire about implementation times, problems during transition and satisfaction after a year of use.
Test usability with your own team. A system can be technically perfect, but if employees can’t work with it, the implementation fails. Organize test sessions with different user groups.
Review each vendor’s roadmap. Technology evolves quickly, so you want a partner that continues to innovate. Ask about planned AI enhancements, new integrations and future functionality.
Also compare the total cost of ownership over several years. Look beyond the initial investment to licensing costs, maintenance, training and possible extensions. Some vendors seem cheaper but have hidden costs.
What are the biggest pitfalls when selecting a telephony partner?
The biggest pitfall is choosing based on the lowest price without looking at total cost of ownership and functionality. Cheap solutions often cost more due to limited features, poor integration and high maintenance costs.
Underestimating migration complexity leads to problems. Many organizations think switching is easy, but forget the impact on work processes, training and system integrations. Choose vendors with proven migration processes.
Beware of vendors who make overly fancy promises. If someone claims implementation will be ready in a few days without knowing your current situation, that is a warning sign. Serious vendors always do thorough analyses.
Contract pitfalls can lock you into bad choices for years. Avoid long contracts without exit clauses. Have clear agreements on performance, availability and what happens if goals are not met.
Don’t choose a vendor that only provides software. Omnichannel telephony requires expertise in implementation, training and ongoing support. Partners who offer everything under one roof avoid problems with unclear responsibilities.
Avoid one-size-fits-all solutions that don’t allow for customization. Every business has unique processes. You need a partner who can deliver customized solutions with standard building blocks, without costly customization.
How do you ensure a successful migration to your new telephony provider?
A successful migration begins with thorough preparation and a phased approach. Plan at least three months for the full transition and make sure your current system continues to run in parallel during the testing phase.
Start with a comprehensive analysis of your current situation. Document all numbers, users, integrations and specific settings. This prevents important functionalities from being overlooked.
Adopt a phased migration rather than a big bang approach. Start with a pilot group, test all functionalities thoroughly, and then expand step by step. This minimizes risk and gives room for adjustments.
Training is crucial for acceptance. Schedule multiple sessions for different user groups and provide hands-on practice opportunities. People need to be comfortable with the new system before they switch.
Ensure clear communication to all involved. Customers should know what is changing, employees should understand why the migration is happening, and management should have realistic expectations about timelines.
Test business continuity comprehensively. Simulate peak loads, test failover scenarios and verify that all integrations work correctly. A good vendor will help you do this and has experience with complex migrations.
We at Pegamento understand that migration is more than transferring technology. Our omnichannel platform is specifically designed for organizations stuck with legacy systems. We combine proven standard building blocks into custom solutions without costly customization. Our approach means you get everything under one roof – from analysis to implementation, training and ongoing support. With our ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and ISO 26000 certifications and experience with 500 million conversations daily, we ensure a migration that moves your business forward rather than disrupts it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a typical migration to omnichannel telephony take and what are the critical phases?
A full migration takes an average of 3-6 months, depending on your organization size and complexity. The critical phases are: analysis and planning (4-6 weeks), system configuration and testing (6-8 weeks), pilot phase with limited user group (2-3 weeks), and phased rollout to all users (4-6 weeks). Good vendors use a parallel-run period where both systems temporarily run side-by-side.
What costs should I expect in addition to software licenses?
In addition to licensing costs, you should count on implementation costs (10-30% of the software investment), training for employees (€200-500 per user), possible hardware upgrades for headsets and network, and ongoing support (15-25% of the license cost per year). Also don't forget the internal costs for project management and time investment of your IT team during the transition.
How do I test whether my existing CRM and other systems integrate properly?
Ask for a technical pre-assessment where the vendor analyzes your current systems and performs integration testing. Specifically, get testing: automatic data synchronization between systems, single sign-on functionality, and real-time customer data updates. Also ask about existing connectors for your specific CRM and test them in a sandbox environment before you make your final choice.
What happens if my Internet connection goes down during important calls?
Professional omnichannel systems have built-in failover mechanisms such as automatic redirection to mobile networks, backup data centers, and call-forwarding to alternate numbers. Make sure your vendor offers SLAs with at least 99.9% uptime and ask about their disaster recovery procedures. Many systems can also provide offline functionality via local caching.
How do I prevent employee resistance to the new system?
Start change management early by involving users in selection and demos. Organize hands-on training sessions and provide 'system champions' within each team who can help others. Clearly communicate the benefits to their daily work, not just to the company. Give employees time to get used to it with a phased rollout and ensure good support in the first few weeks after go-live.
Can I keep my current phone numbers when changing vendors?
Yes, number portability is possible by default within the Netherlands and Europe, but this process can take 2-4 weeks and requires coordination between old and new vendors. Start this process early and make sure your current supplier cooperates in the transfer. Pay attention to special numbers such as 0800 numbers that sometimes have different procedures. A good new supplier will take care of this completely for you and ensure a seamless transfer.
How do I measure the success of my new omnichannel telephony solution?
Define KPIs up front such as average handling time per call, first-call resolution rate, customer satisfaction score and employee productivity. Also measure technical metrics such as system availability, response times and integration performance. Compare these metrics to your baseline from the old system after 3, 6 and 12 months. Many modern systems offer real-time dashboards and automated reporting to track these metrics.
