By now you’ve heard that there’s a lot of money to be saved and efficiencies to be gained through Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based communications.

SIP business case: one toe at a time

By now you’ve heard that there’s a lot of money to be saved and efficiencies to be gained through Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based communications. In fact, you might already be mulling a SIP implementation at your company. If that’s the case, then you’ve probably run up against that pesky detail preventing you from taking the plunge: the business case.

No need for angst. The beauty of SIP is that it can be deployed at one contact center, where its impact can be measured and justified, thus paving the way for incremental implementations across the enterprise.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The fact is, you can build a business case for SIP by focusing on four key dimensions:

1. Get clear on your current infrastructure.
   Many organizations don’t have detailed visibility into their communications infrastructure – a clear snapshot of who the vendors are, what and where equipment resides, how much vendors are charging, and where overlaps or redundancies exist. If your organization is acquisitive or has recently merged with another, chances are the picture is even murkier. The first step toward a cogent business case is to document an accurate inventory of services, utilization and costs. Then you can identify the weak spots and map out a strategy for savings and efficiency.
2. Pinpoint the benefits.
   Next, quantify potential end-user benefits of SIP both in your broader communications infrastructure and contact centers – and don’t forget productivity gains. If you increase efficiencies and tangible, value-added benefits for your customers, lucrative cost savings can materialize for your business.
3. Identify pricing and availability of SIP trunking.
   For the biggest savings, look at specific routes and terms rather than an enterprisewide approach to SIP trunking. While SIP trunking on an enterprise level may not work as a “blanket case,” going one level deeper – to specific routes and specific terms – may reveal huge savings opportunities.
4. Uncover hidden costs.
   To take on the infrastructure for SIP, your staff will need training on new technologies. Often, hidden costs like these creep up unexpectedly and can, at that point, be difficult to quantify. Nail them down early and avoid surprises.

It's often wise to get your feet wet with transformative technologies sooner rather than later – even if it’s one toe at a time. If you believe SIP is telephony’s next-generation protocol, start building your capabilities for it now. By adopting SIP at strategic points across your enterprise, you gain knowledge and save money. Not a bad combination.

So take the first step and start building that business case.