Communication is critical for any business. Just think about how many calls come in and out of your office on a daily basis. Calls to clients, calls between teams, conference calls involving managers, workers, shareholders, and more. Without reliable, free-flowing comms, none of that would be possible. That’s where VoIP comes in. It’s one of the most modern, efficient methods of communication, with a lot of advantages over traditional phone lines. This guide covers all you need to know about VoIP, including reasons to switch to it if you’re still working with an older phone system.
What Is VoIP?
We’ll start with a quick intro. VoIP stands for “voice over internet protocol.”
That might sound complicated at first, but it’s actually very simple. VoIP is basically when you make calls over the internet, instead of using phone lines. As you speak to the person or people on the other end of the line, your voice is effectively digitized, packaged up into data, and transferred over the internet to your recipient. It’s rapid, reliable, and convenient.
Reasons to Switch to Voice Over Internet Protocol Communications
Now you know the basics of VoIP, but you might still be wondering whether or not it’s the right fit for your company, or whether it’s worth making the switch from a standard phone system to a VoIP service instead.
Here are some reasons to consider that transition:
The Quality of Your Calls Will Be Better
Call quality matters. Imagine you’re making an important business call to a client on the other side of the world, hoping to negotiate the fine print of a big upcoming deal. Now, imagine you had to negotiate that call with fuzzy reception and random interruptions, making it impossible to fully understand what your client is saying.
One of the best things about VoIP as opposed to traditional phone lines is that the quality of each call is usually exceptional. That means unmatched clarity, no fuzz or static sounds in the background, no signal drops, and no other issues. As long as your internet connection is stable and speedy, you’ll be able to enjoy the very best calls.
Your Communications Will Be More Reliable and Straightforward
Reliability and simplicity are two more fundamental aspects of VoIP technology. To make a VoIP call, all you really need is a broadband connection and a compatible device. As long as you’ve got those, there shouldn’t be any issues in making your call, even to someone in another country. Also, it’s very rare for VoIP services to suddenly break down, as phone lines sometimes do.
VoIP platforms are also remarkably simple to work with. Even if you’ve got zero experience working with VoIP, you shouldn’t have many or, indeed, any issues getting your system up and running and making your calls. Setting up or adding new phone lines, in comparison, can be an intensely complicated process requiring expert technicians.
You’ll Have More Features and Functions to Play With
VoIP technology is impressively versatile, with a vast and varied selection of useful features for users to enjoy and experiment with. These features include, but are not limited to:
- Automatic call distribution
- Customizable caller IDs
- Call forwarding
- Call transfers
- Automated attendants
- Email alerts for voicemail
- Mobile apps
With so many features, there’s a lot that can be done with VoIP technology. The options and opportunities are numerous, and there are many ways to make this form of comms suit your exact business needs.
You’ll Spend Less on Communications
Price-wise, there’s almost no debate about which is cheaper between VoIP and traditional phone lines. In the vast majority of business scenarios, VoIP works out way cheaper in both the short and long-term, for numerous reasons. For example, you can make long-distance, international calls via VoIP at no added expense, compared to the costly international rates you’d pay with a landline phone.
What’s more, with VoIP, you don’t need to pay for both telephone lines and broadband connections – all you need is the internet. That can effectively cut your office’s bills in half. The cost of adding new lines is also significantly cheaper and simpler, and many VoIP providers simply charge a reasonable monthly or annual fee, letting you make as many calls as you like.
Your Employees Will Appreciate It
Keeping workers happy is critical in any business, large or small. The happier workers are, the more likely they are to put maximum effort into their work, and the less likely they are to want to leave. This helps keep productivity high and turnover down. But how, exactly, does VoIP aid with workplace morale?
Well, it’s because of all the other benefits listed above. Since VoIP calls are simpler, more convenient, more reliable, and of better quality, workers tend to prefer working with this type of tech to make their calls. It’s amazing for remote workers, too, as they can set up business lines on their devices via mobile apps and other software.
Plus, VoIP isn’t just limited to phones – employees can make calls on laptops, computers, tablets, and more, letting them make calls their way.
You Can Scale Your Service Up or Down Whenever You Want
Scalability is one more fantastic aspect of VoIP services. Let’s say your business grows quite quickly. You bring new workers on board, have more clients to handle, and naturally need to be able to make more calls each day, as a result. For that, you’ll need to add some phone lines.
Well, if you were working with a traditional system, adding new phone lines would take time, work, and money. You’d have to bring in specialist technicians to install new wiring, connect new phones to the network, and so on. A lot of work, and hard to undo if ever you decide to scale back down. With VoIP, however, adding a new line is basically as easy as clicking a button.
Start the Switch to VoIP Today
Smarter, simpler, more efficient, and cheaper, too – it’s easy to see why VoIP is quickly becoming the ideal comms option for small and large businesses alike. It brings so much to the table, and it’s a much more modern, future-proof, scalable form of comms compared to old-fashioned and increasingly outdated telephone lines.
So, if you’d like to make the switch, the time might be right, and Docutrend can make it all happen. We provide a great range of helpful tech solutions for businesses in and around New York, Totowa, Pennsauken, Edison, and Ft. Washington. Get in touch today to find out how we can help you.