Voice over IP (VoIP) is paving the way for growth and innovation – will you follow suit or fall behind?
By Michael Colin, head of sales at BitCo
In a landscape of digitally-driven transformation, more and more forward-thinking organisations are turning to modern technological solutions to make doing business easier.
If you stay up to date with your colleagues via Skype, or Whatsapp call a client to clarify their request, you’re using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service to conduct business – probably without even realising it.
With an ocean of mobile apps and services offering VoIP calls, this kind of digital communication has become part and parcel of how we interact with each other daily.
More SMEs are now jumping on the bandwagon and adopting these internet-driven calls into their everyday business operations for added convenience, increased functionality and overall cost-effectiveness.
How does VoIP work?
With VoIP, analogue phone signals are converted into digital streams that can be sent via the internet, from one device to another.
The most common ways that you can access this technology are through a communication-based app, such as Skype, Whatsapp and Facebook, a specialised VoIP phone or a separate box like an Analogue Terminal Adapter (ATA).
Why use VoIP?
VoIP services are becoming increasingly accessible for anyone, thanks to business networks and smart devices offering faster, more reliable and affordable connectivity capabilities.
So there’s no reason why you shouldn’t take full advantage of VoIP systems and implement them into your small business.
For starters, using the internet to make and receive calls can cut your SME’s telecommunications costs drastically. Digital connectivity means both domestic and long-distance calls end up being much more cost-savvy than traditional landline calls.
Furthermore, conference calls and video conferences with clients are more manageable with VoIP services and are offered as a free, added benefit (unlike traditional phone systems).
This is especially beneficial if your business is a mobile one (which many SMEs tend to be) – you have free rein to move around as much as you like and still conduct important affairs over a VoIP phone system.
For example, documents can instantly be e-faxed and unanswered office calls easily forwarded to your mobile phone or laptop, giving you the power to carry on despite an office power failure.
With this kind of reliability and uninterrupted service, a business’s productivity also increases, generating new growth and greater profits in the long run.
And let’s not forget a further, frequently overlooked advantage of utilising VoIP. Combined as it typically is with a computer, headset and microphone, multitasking becomes easier because VoIP frees up the caller’s hands to perform other tasks simultaneously.
What do you need to implement VoIP?
As outlined above, a business has the option to purchase a specialised adapter that can be used alongside existing office phones. Alternatively, you can employ a VoIP service provider to set up the software needed to make digital calls possible through company computers.
Making the right decision for your business
With profitability- and productivity-enhancing features, faster capabilities and sound reliability, implementing VoIP services into your infrastructure is a no-brainer if achieving success and pushing ahead of the competition are top of mind for you.
Choosing a knowledgeable and dependable service provider will help you implement the best phone system for your organisation’s needs and more smoothly navigate your business through an efficient VoIP transition.
One final tip is to opt for a VoIP provider that also has direct connection agreements with other telephony service providers for further reductions in call rates – saving your business even more money in the long run.