Digital transformation: Nail the basics, win the game

Digital transformation. For many businesses, these two words conjure up images of bold IT innovation. Disruptive new business models. Processes underpinned by the cloud, machine-learning and automation. It represents huge change that requires a big commitment, significant investment and strong leadership to see it through.

Yet all change starts from somewhere.

In the case of digital transformation, it comes from humble beginnings. This is because to achieve all the exciting and innovative things above, businesses need to start with the right foundations. It’s a bit like sports. Sure, you could have the best football boots in the world, but unless you know the basics of the game, it’ll make little difference to actually winning.

When applied to businesses, a strong foundation is all about having a robust core infrastructure. Networks for voice and data are the lifeblood of customer communication and as such, need to be strengthened if they are to be built upon. There’s little point investing in newer, riskier, more futuristic tools if ‘traditional’ channels aren’t doing the job they’re required to do right now.

Transforming tradition – next generation services

We’re firm believers in shoring up those traditional channels by making them a little less… traditional. Here’s a quick run through of five Gamma solutions that bring some cutting-edge technology to your core network infrastructure.

Moving to a fully hosted phone system. Administrators can manage users and calls easily via a web-based portal and users have access to a wide range of functionality, putting them in control and giving IT some breathing space in the process. It’s suitable for businesses of all sizes, can serve thousands of employees if needed, and has zero PBX maintenance costs.

Home and flexible working, multi-site deployment, fixed and mobile integration are all covered. And having no servers on site ensures a consistent customer experience, even across multiple sites, and means call reporting and real-time information can be accessed from any online device at any time.

Want a hosted phone system but need to know what to look for in a provider? Check out this buyer’s guide.

ISDN replacement SIP trunking. SIP trunks connect your PBX to the PSTN for lower costs per channel than traditional ISDN. It’s capable of supporting an unlimited number of channels, but if you only need two, it can do that too. It’s an easily scalable solution, allowing you to increase the number of lines up and down as and when you need to meet demand. If your business has multiple sites, SIP trunks can help to rationalise the number of ISDN connections and the maintenance costs on your various PBXs across the estate, helping to further reduce spend. Inherently more flexible than ISDN, SIP offers additional features to provide intelligent call routing, built-in resilience and even integration with Microsoft Skype for Business.

Want to move to SIP trunking? See how to build a business case.

Businesses moving from traditional on premise services to the Cloud rely on the quality connectivity services that underpin them. Choosing the right service is important, whether it be Broadband, Ethernet or voice-enabled connectivity services. For businesses looking to connect multiple sites, there’s a fully-managed MPLS-based WAN solution for converged data and voice networks.

Can’t choose between Broadband or Ethernet? Compare the two with this eBook.

Business Mobile from Gamma gives you access to the largest and most reliable mobile data service in the UK. A business-only service gives you features designed specifically for business and dedicated service and support, Gamma own the core systems within the network, so making changes to your setup is quick and easy. You can also access improved coverage from more than one network in just one SIM card with Multinet.

Want to kickstart your mobile game but don’t know how? See our eBook on how to get down to business with mobile.

These are just a few examples of how businesses are transforming their communications. Digital transformation however is a process of continuous improvement across the entire organisational infrastructure – with some businesses moving faster than others.

You may also be interested in: