Advantages of Using VoIP Technology For Small Businesses
Business VOIP services use a telephone line to facilitate smooth voice communications. The basic premise behind business VOIP is easy to understand – simply put, you make use of your existing telephone system to make telephone calls rather than going through a PBX system. In its simplest form, VOIP simply refers to having your telephone service via the internet. There are both business and residential VOIP services available, and these days, more companies are starting to offer business VOIP services than commercial phone services.
The advantages of business voip services are numerous, but they all essentially have one common trait: you will be able to receive calls using your VOIP account at less than the cost of traditional telephone lines. VOIP technology ensures that you do not need to pay exorbitant monthly rates for long distance and international calls – even for domestic calls. Furthermore, you will be able to receive calls free of charge, even to your cellular phone or landline. You can now get all your voice services – both voice mail and high-quality audio communication over the internet for virtually no money at all.
VOIP does away with the usage of traditional phone lines, and this is probably the biggest advantage that it offers. If you are looking at making long distance calls, then VOIP may very well be your cheapest option. With business voip solutions, you are able to save considerably on the cost of long distance calls, as well as substantially lower costs for your voice services. As far as voice services are concerned, they are actually very cheap when you consider all the other options you have. For example, you can receive free voice mails, web conferences, dial up services, etc. Thus, you really do not lose anything by going in for voip business solutions rather than the regular phone lines.
One of the major disadvantages of voip business solutions is that they run on a server, which means that you will need to maintain your own hardware. Thus, if you happen to move or you are transferring to another address, you will need to incur extra expenses for new equipment. You will also have to inform your phone company about switching to a voip system, as the phone company may charge you a huge fee for changing from the analog system to the digital signals.
Another major disadvantage of voip business solutions is that you may have problems with connectivity. In fact, there is a significant risk of connection failure between your VoIP provider and your normal phone systems. For instance, while most VoIP providers promise an excellent data rate, it is not uncommon for them to fail to meet this promise. In such a scenario, there is a great likelihood that your call might be delayed or even cut off. This is because of poor connectivity.
Moreover, all VoIP technology involves considerable expense. Even if your internet connection is excellent, it will be difficult for you to manage the huge number of calls you will need to make every day. This will result in an increase in the costs, which will adversely affect your business. However, in case of small businesses, a low-cost VoIP solution will be sufficient enough to ensure smooth communication, without any major loss of cash.
Finally, it must be pointed out that business voip solutions are perfect for businesses that do not require optimal phone features. If you just want to make calls, it can be sufficient enough for you to take advantage of the features offered by a typical VoIP provider. On the other hand, if you expect to use VoIP for faxing as well as for video conferencing, you will have to rely on a dependable high-end VoIP provider. As such, it is always wise to consider different options that you can take before settling for any specific VoIP provider. In fact, you can even ask for recommendations from various sources, like friends or colleagues.
In summary, there are three main advantages of using business voip solutions for small businesses. Firstly, it will allow you to maximize the efficiency of your office, since all calls made within the company will be very cost-effective. Secondly, it will reduce the overall expenditure you might be facing due to long distance calls and international calls. Finally, it will allow you to improve the productivity of your employees. All in all, it is a perfect choice for any kind of business.