Why bother
When something breaks, the first questions are always the same. Which account is it? Who is the provider? Who can approve a change? An up-to-date inventory answers all of them in one place.
What to include
Services
Internet and phone services at each location
Provider, account number, and support contact
Contract end or renewal date
Phone numbers
Each number and what it is for
Where it rings and who answers it
Equipment and devices
Routers, access points, and phone equipment
Connected devices and where they are
Who owns and looks after each one
People
Who can request changes
Who gets told during an outage
Who has access to accounts, stored somewhere secure
Keep it alive
Give the document one owner and put a review on the calendar every quarter. Update it whenever a service, device, or staff member changes. Do not put passwords in it. Note where they are kept instead.
Before You Sign: Questions for Any Business Internet or Phone Contract
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Internet for Things: What It Means for Your Business
A plain-language look at connecting the devices your business depends on, and what to think through before you do.
Keeping Connected Devices Online: A Planning Checklist
A checklist for the sensors, terminals, cameras, and equipment that need to stay connected, even when nobody is watching them.