How to Explain SIP Trunk Channels to a Layperson
The chances are pretty good that your customers won’t have a deep understanding of SIP trunk channels when you approach them about switching their telecom service.
After all, their business probably isn’t in the telecommunications industry, and that’s why they need you to set up their communication system!
Customers don’t need to necessarily understand all the ins and outs of SIP trunking—that’s your job—but they may find it helpful to understand the basics so when you discuss their system with them, it doesn’t sound like you’re speaking gibberish.
Here’s how to explain so they can gain a better understanding of SIP trunk channels:
The trunk is the “pipe,” so to speak
Virtual systems can be difficult for laymen to understand, so explain SIP trunking in words your customer can relate to. Using physical words to explain virtual concepts will make SIP less of an abstraction.
Explain that a SIP trunk is, in a sense, a “pipe” that carries the data channels inside it, connecting the customer’s office with your location.
Virtual system, not physical
Your customers are probably already familiar, to an extent, with traditional phone systems. These translated easily to physical concepts —a trunk was a bundle of wires, and the channels were the wires that carried voice communications.
SIP trunking, however, is entirely virtual. Instead of running a physical bundle of wires to the office, all their SIP channels will be “ran” virtually, through their internet connection.
The difference between SIP lines and SIP channels
Helping your customers understand the difference between SIP lines and SIP channels will relieve some of their confusion, because they’re actually the same thing.
The SIP trunk is the container, so to speak, while the line or channel is the path for concurrent calls. A trunk can hold multiple lines, depending on the needs of the customer in question.
How many channels can a SIP trunk hold
Because every SIP trunk provider varies, so does the number of SIP channels that a trunk holds. Your customers may be confused because some providers provide just a few channels per trunk while others provide unlimited channels per trunk.
Helping your customers understand how many channels they need first, by helping them define their calling needs, will make finding the right service option and provider easy.
Let’s make it clear
Helping your customer navigate the confusing world of SIP trunking by helping them understand SIP trunk channels will develop trust between both of you.
It will also allow them to see your expertise in the field while giving them the knowledge to make informed decisions about their telephone system needs.
