For years, businesses have been replacing their analog phone lines with VoIP phone service. In its early years, VoIP picked up its own reputation among users and skeptics who touted it as unreliable; however, through its history, this new communication technology has grown in popularity and left its mark as a reliable and practical communication solution for businesses of all sizes.
Today, businesses use VoIP features to stay in touch with customers and colleagues, expand their businesses seamlessly, monitor employee performance, and build customer loyalty. By harnessing the power of the cloud, VoIP also offers a degree of flexibility and simplicity that analog users just can not experience.
While analog phone service keeps communications fixed in one location, VoIP allows you to make and receive your business calls from any device (office, mobile, or soft phone app) or forward them to external sites and extensions.
The flexibility and convenience of this technology is what most users love about business VoIP providers.
Small businesses and entrepreneurs are also able to use VoIP phone service to create the image of a larger company with features like auto attendant and custom prompt menus.
What can you expect from a VoIP phone service?
VoIP takes analog audio signals and converts them into digital data which can be transmitted over the internet. With less bandwidth required to transmit the data, there is less occurrence of jitter which causes that choppy audio and lackluster call quality that drives everyone crazy.
Call quality, cost savings, and easy setup are the main drivers of VoIP's success but there are several features and capabilities that set this communication technology apart.
These are few of the standard features you can expect when using a VoIP phone service:
- Call forwarding
- Voicemail to email
- Auto attendant, also known as a digital receptionist or cloud receptionist
- Call continuity
- Programmable keypads
- App integration
- Caller ID display
- Call blocking
- Call conferencing
- Mobile capabilities
VoIP phone service can seem like a drastic change to your communications strategy but if you're willing to speak with consultants, you will see that it's actually a simple transition.
A Better Business Communication Solution
Convenient set up
Even with more recent, premise-based business phone systems, set up is cumbersome and expensive compared to a cloud-based phone system. It requires users to connect wires and figure out which line pairs with which extension; most busy business owners usually end up either having to hire someone to install it for them or spend hours on the phone with their phone company.
With VoIP, the time it takes to get up and running is minimal and most VoIP service providers offer support to help you every step of the way. Usually, however, it's as easy as plugging in your IP phone and letting it initialize to your existing network.
There are no wires or lines to worry about since your service provider takes care of most of the set up before you receive your new equipment. When you use VoIP phone service, your settings come pre-configured to your phone so all you have to do is connect your phone to the correct ports and you're on your way.
The best part?
Since VoIP is cloud-based, your provider is able to take the maintenance of equipment and servers that help power your communications off your hands by managing their own servers and IT staff for your convenience.
This means any business can enjoy using this technology regardless of the size of their location.
Minimize costs
Businesses see significant savings when they switch from traditional phone service. With older PBX systems, you had to hire an IT staff to maintain the equipment housed in your office, pay for long distance charges, and if you wanted to add a line to your office you had to pay the phone company more for the phone number and installation.
Today's VoIP technology only requires one-time hardware costs and a monthly subscription based on service plan rates. Long distance calling rates vary among providers but many offer unlimited calling along with competitive international rates.
Easy setup, lower costs, and robust features make VoIP a great solution for business communication. It's no surprise that VoIP is seeing rapid growth with no signs of slowing down in the coming years.