Embedded Files
The Problem
The firm had outgrown its VoIP system.
They were using Crexendo, but the platform felt outdated, the user experience was frustrating, and the mobile app wasn't providing the experience employees needed when answering calls from their cell phones. With their contract approaching renewal, it was the right time to step back and ask a bigger question: What should their communication system look like going forward?
One of the biggest opportunities I identified was moving away from traditional desk phones and toward softphones. This would give employees more flexibility and mobility while eliminating the need to purchase another generation of physical desk phones.
But changing the technology was only part of the challenge.
The firm had been using physical phones for years and wasn't particularly eager to change its technology or hardware. There were concerns about learning a new system, replacing equipment that employees were accustomed to, and potentially disrupting phone service during the transition.
The goal wasn't simply to find a replacement for Crexendo. It was to find a modern solution that met the firm's needs and make the transition manageable for the people who would use it every day.
The platform felt outdated. The user experience was frustrating.
They needed a modern solution and a smooth transition for staff.
The Evaluation
Turning the firm's frustrations and goals into a clear set of requirements
The new system needed to provide features such as:
Integrations with O365
A modern, easy-to-use interface
A strong mobile app
Video meetings
Scheduling capabilities
Texting
Visual voicemail (preferred)
I also looked beyond the phone system itself. The firm was already using Microsoft Bookings, so I evaluated whether the new solution could potentially consolidate some of these tools rather than adding another disconnected application.
From there, I evaluated several VoIP providers, but the focus wasn't on comparing endless feature lists. The requirements drove the evaluation.
During vendor demos, I asked vendors to show us the specific capabilities we had identified as important. Rather than simply accepting that a feature was available because it appeared on a sales sheet, I wanted to see how it actually worked and whether it would solve the firm's specific needs.
This is an important part of my process. A business usually knows where its technology is frustrating or slowing people down. My role is to translate those pain points into the technical questions and requirements that need to be answered before a decision is made.
The Selection
Zoom quickly emerged as the strongest fit
Zoom Phone was selected by the stakeholders because it provided the modern user experience the firm was looking for while meeting the core communication requirements. It also offered a broader set of capabilities that could simplify the firm's technology stack, including Zoom Meetings, Zoom Scheduler, call recording, transcripts, and AI Companion.
The firm's experience with Zoom also gave employees a familiar platform for meetings and appointment links, reducing some of the friction that can come with introducing an entirely unfamiliar technology.
One particularly valuable discovery was Zoom Scheduler. After evaluating how it could be used, we determined it was a better fit for the firm's scheduling needs than Microsoft Bookings. Instead of maintaining separate tools, the firm could consolidate more of its communication and scheduling capabilities within Zoom.
For hardware, I selected Shokz OpenComm2 UC headsets to support the transition to softphones. The design was light and comfortable for all-day use and, importantly, allowed employees to remain aware of what was happening around them in the office without removing their headset.
The hardware choice mattered. This was a significant workflow change and the hardware needed to feel practical for employees who were used to reaching for a physical phone.
Zoom offered a broader set of capabilities that could simplify the firm's technology stack.
Instead of maintaining separate tools, the firm could consolidate its communication and scheduling capabilities into one tool.
The Implementation
I served as the project manager and primary liaison, coordinating between the firm, Crexendo, Zoom, and the firm's staff for training. The implementation included porting approximately 40 phone numbers, coordinating the timing of the number port, managing the end of the existing contract, and coordinating the cutover with Zoom's implementation team.
I designed the firm's new phone tree with stakeholder input. This included:
Call routing and tree structure
Hold music
Voicemail routing and messaging
The internal directory
Reception and backup ring timing
Phone numbers and extension assignment
But the technical configuration was only one part of the implementation. Because employees were accustomed to physical phones, I treated the rollout as a change-management project, not simply a technology installation. I held several all-company, in-person training sessions and created documentation in the firm's knowledge base so employees could reference instructions after the training was complete. This included everything from setting up personal accounts and connecting Bluetooth headsets to configuring audio and video settings.
I also supported the firm's transition from Microsoft Bookings to Zoom Scheduler. Each employee received documentation explaining how to configure their scheduler correctly. Once created, I developed a new booking page for their website including embedded scheduling modules for clients to use.
During and after the rollout, I provided hands-on support for issues such as Outlook calendar integration, Zoom Scheduler configuration, plugins, Bluetooth connections, and meeting settings. When an issue required additional technical support, I coordinated with Zoom's support team to get it resolved. The cutover itself resulted in approximately an hour of downtime, followed by a small number of individual configuration issues. Those were quickly resolved, either directly by me or with assistance from Zoom support.
What started as a need to replace an outdated phone system became an opportunity to modernize how the firm communicates.
The transition was completed without the disruption employees initially feared.
The Result
The firm successfully moved from an outdated VoIP platform to a modern communications system with minimal disruption.
Employees adapted quickly to the new softphone environment, and the firm gained significantly more flexibility in how and where calls could be handled. They no longer needed to rely on aging physical desk phones, and employees could use their computers and mobile devices to stay connected as the firm works toward a more hybrid work environment.
The firm also consolidated more of its communication tools within Zoom, including meetings and scheduling, while gaining access to capabilities such as call recording, transcripts, AI Companion, and easier meeting participation from conference rooms.
Just as importantly, the firm's administrators are now able to manage their own phone tree and add or remove phone numbers for new employees without relying on the limitations of the old system.
What started as a need to replace an outdated phone system became an opportunity to modernize how the firm communicates—and the transition was completed without the disruption employees initially feared.
The technology changed, but the real success was making the change work for the people using it.
Need help?
Replacing outdated technology isn't always difficult because of the technology itself. The challenge is knowing what you actually need (among the seemingly endless number of options), which solution will meet those needs, and how to get everyone through the transition.
If you know your current system isn't working but don't know where to start, I can help. I can take your team's pain points, turn them into clear requirements, evaluate the right solutions, coordinate vendor demonstrations, and manage the implementation from start to finish—including the training and change management that often gets overlooked.
You don't have to spend months researching software or manage a technology transition on your own. Let's find a solution that works for your business—and make sure the transition works for your team.
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