How Business VoIP Can Transform Your Business
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is rapidly taking the place of traditional telephone lines as a preferred means of communication. Business VoIP, also known as IP Telephony, is a technology which enables you to use an Internet connection to make telephone calls. The technology is relatively new and the current broadband speeds for accessing Internet are not fast enough to use it for making long distance calls. Nevertheless, business communication is being made much easier with the advent of business-voip service providers.
There are several types of service providers available today. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages. While some providers have higher rates, better features and lower fees, others may have disadvantages in terms of reliability. To get the most from your business phone system, you should select a reliable provider.
Small business VoIP services provide inexpensive communication solutions for small businesses. These providers can be found by referring to Internet directories or calling up Internet service providers. They offer various packages including unlimited long distance, international calling, and so forth. Some providers even provide call conferencing services in addition to the normal facilities provided. This enables your team to collaborate more effectively and reduce costs. Most of these service providers are compatible with all major operating systems and can be tailored to meet specific business requirements.
Business VoIP services offer better features than conventional telephone services. For example, they are often feature-rich, and allow call recording, two-way calling and automated attendant. Advanced features include call queue, automatic redial, call transferring, and voice mail to email. Some providers offer a service called Business VoIP calling plans that offer additional features at cheaper rates. Such plans include unlimited local calls and call waiting.
A business phone system provides integrated communication services. It is especially helpful for companies that have branch offices across the globe. When you use this service, your entire company’s workforce can get access to the company’s network. For instance, employees in the U.S. can make calls to other employees in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. This facility helps you cut costs as well as improve productivity and efficiency.
Business VoIP service providers can help you expand your business. They have tie-ups with international carriers and thus enable international calls at comparatively cheap rates. The high-speed internet connection facilitates making business VoIP calls from any location. Thus, you need not worry about the connectivity issues and can talk to your customers irrespective of the place they may be located. Business VoIP also offers advanced call distribution features that help you increase the productivity of your team members.
Business VoIP also provides several other benefits apart from making calls. You can connect your office to the web using a high-speed internet service and thus connect your employees to any office-wide system (whether it is email chat or voice-conferencing). You can monitor the productivity of your employees with real time data logs. This enables you to set goals and give rewards to your employees based on their performance. You can measure productivity with the help of a tool called ROI, which measures the value of a customer relationship management plan.
There are many VoIP service providers in the market. However, it is essential to choose the right service provider, who can meet your business’ unique needs. It is possible to opt for a hosted VoIP solution or pay as you go, which has numerous advantages. Hosted solutions are generally more reliable as they are provided by large telephone companies. However, if your business has specific requirements such as video conferencing, voice over IP phone or advanced call distribution services, then it would be better to go for a pay as you go plan which allows you to have a hands-free phone system along with free VOIP minutes.
