No business can exist without proper communication lines. Whether you are a small coffee shop in the middle of New York or a fashion store in Tokyo, communication is an integral part of your business’ success.
If you can also keep up with technological advancements and use them to your advantage, you’ll never run out of business. VOIP is one of those innovations that you should probably adopt as a business. Short for Voice over Internet Phones, VOIP phones use the Internet to make high-quality calls to any part of the world.
Below are five powerful reasons why every business should consider using VOIPs for all their communication needs.
Low Costs
Imagine if you could get 100 hours of free call-time to any part of the world using as many phones as you can. For the business that use VOIP, that's the order of the day. The best providers offer unlimited call minutes or up to 10,000 minutes every month.
If you want to, you can choose to buy VOIP services on a per-call-minute basis. The average cost is three cents per minute. By contrast, business calls between landlines cost an average of 9 cents in the US, three times what VOIPs charge.
Surprisingly, you don’t need new equipment and phones to start using IP services. Simply find a good provider and subscribe to one of their plans. You get a free Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) with some companies and link up all your phones. The ATA acts as a medium between all the phones in your office and phones by your customers, clients, and partners.
Based on the fact that VOIP calls cost a third of conventional telecom calls, a business that spends $1,000 per month could save $600 with VOIPs. Again, the new costs are fixed prices for countrywide costs with many providers.
Unlimited Mobility
You know how it gets difficult to keep up with communications when your sales staff are on the road? VOIPs make everything seamless. Whether you have one or ten people across the US, you can keep up with them with a single VOIP service.
VOIP calls work over the Internet, so there are no extension lines needed. If everyone in your office has an IP phone, you only need Internet access to make calls. Irrespective of where your employees travel to, you can communicate with them efficiently.
A good VOIP service does more than make business calls. In a truly smart device style, an IP phone can conduct voice calls and video conferencing. It can record and forward some calls, show you who's online and who is on another call.
Still on mobility, IP phones allow you to expand to multiple locations at your pace. You can purchase the phones at your convenience or choose to use landlines in some cases. But at its core, you have the freedom to move around for the benefit of your business without inconveniencing how you communicate.
Easier to Install and Maintain
Like many products you can buy online, it doesn’t cost much to install IP phones around your office. If you don’t plan to buy new phones, you only get the ATA device. After that, pay for a plan that will cover the number of office lines in your business. Once that’s done, most of the maintenance work is easy.
When you need assistance, it’s the VOIP providers who come to your help. You actually don’t need help with most aspects of the calls. Add or remove connected lines at will online. Request more call minutes as your business expands or cancel the contract any time you feel dissatisfied.
Now imagine how much it costs to maintain your telecom equipment on a monthly basis. If it’s a figure you’d wish to bring down, consider embracing VOIP. Verizon is one of the biggest names in the industry and one you should probably go to.
Based in New York, Verizon serves businesses with 3 to 16 lines. You can buy IP phones or purchase their virtual call services. The admin portal ensures maintenance is a breeze and their costs are some of the best. Read more about Verizon on https://www.thetop10sites.com/business-voip/verizon/.
Integrates with Other Business Systems
Integration with CRM software (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPWO7kLIWOY) is arguably the best connection VOIPs do. Customer relationship management software help increase your service delivery. With the combination of VOIP, you can keep up with what customers have purchased in the past what they like.
Integration with HR software, project management software and accounting software help improve business management in all the respective departments.
Beside office software, VOIPs work with most Internet-based machines. If you have an online fax machine, it'll work with IP phones. Your personal smartphone will work seamlessly with the IP. The desktops in your office and everything else smart that helps your business can be integrated with VOIPs.
Reliable
Some businesses feel reluctant to buy VOIPs because of reliability concerns. Sure, you can’t rely on VOIPs all the time. Some providers also have poor quality sound systems such that you can’t communicate effectively. Add the fact that you must have the Internet and it may seem like VOIPs are overhyped.
In reality, there some great VOIP providers out there- -and those are the services you should get. Companies like Verizon provides quality calls no matter where you travel. The security is top-notch and customer support is available 24/7.
If you are to enjoy all the benefits VOIPs for businesses provide, avoid unknown providers. Work with respectable companies with experience in the business. Read customer reviews to find out how reliable the companies are and whether their support systems are as efficient as advertised.
To Conclude
VOIP is the latest technology in the business communication scene. The most established companies have been around for more than 10 years but most companies are just coming up. VOIP calls work over the Internet, leading to much lower costs per minute. They are secure for the most part and the best companies are reliable.
But before you adopt the technology, do due diligence about each company you come across. You want a company whose services are affordable and reliable.