Small businesses face a lot of challenges while scaling up their services as they grow. They may not have the necessary resources and capital to set up the required infrastructure updates. Still, they will have to compete with bigger players who have better resources and service capabilities. Hence, many small businesses choose to subscribe to external business phone line services to carry out some common repetitive and customer-facing operations.
Voice calling, video, and audio conferencing systems are one such set of operations that can be optimized and well-utilized with VoIP systems and solutions. Effective communication is a critical part of managing your workplace and interfacing with your customers.
It is of grave concern that you need proper solutions to ensure smooth communication across all your different communication channels, especially when managing remote teams. You do need powerful solutions to help you ensure uninterrupted communication and collaboration among your teams. VoIP systems provide effective solutions to meet such needs and all you need is to look for an IT company who can help you.
Here is a brief overview of the various aspects of VoIP and how it can be used to help maximize your business growth potential.
What is a VoIP Phone System
VoIP, short for Voice over Internet Protocol, comprises various communication-based services over the internet inclusive of voice calling, audio, video conferences, team messaging, cloud PBX, and more features as required to fit the needs of an organization.
VoIP systems provide a way to communicate and collaborate with remote teams, customers and carry out all kinds of long-distance communication with an internet connection. It does not rely on a regular telephone system and is completely based on internet-based technologies.
Thus, a VoIP solution can be used without any geographical restrictions and are a lot more cost-efficient. It does not require expensive hardware and thousands of miles of copper wires used to connect with international callers as used in a regular telephone system.
How Does VoIP Work?
VoIP works very similarly to every other internet service. For instance, when you send an email, the data is sent in textual and mime-type content with the relevant headers over the internet. Similarly, VoIP streams real-time voice or audio data over the internet and allows for two-way communication, much like a regular phone call. It converts the analog audio into data packets and streams them over the IP network.
In most cases, VoIP systems also allow the flexibility to choose between a regular phone connection or an internet connection to make the calls. To allow for regular telephone calls, you may have to add an ATA adapter to your network. Thus, VoIP can be used in many ways, including using all standard communication devices like landlines, cellular and more.
As VoIP systems are run over the internet, they can also be integrated with other software applications and cloud-based tools like contact management solutions, calendars, project management tools, and more.
Advantages of VoIP
As already mentioned, VoIP is simply the better option for long-distance and long-duration calls compared to the traditional telephone systems. It effectively streamlines your communication operations and makes it easier to interact with customers and remote teams. It improves collaboration and subsequently the productivity levels of your teams.
Here are some reasons why VoIP fares better than your phone connection.
# Does not require any additional hardware setup and just requires a stable internet connection and support applications. VoIP allows you to use a single service for both the internet as well as voice communication. Thus you don’t have to install an on-site server or expensive end-user hardware.
# Does not cost extra to implement faster connections, as is the case with regular telephone connections
Can be used on a pay-as-you-use price model and does not tie you to monthly contracts.
# Upgrade and updates can be made easily and often at free of cost.
# Excellent customer support services.
# Easily manageable with the help of the relevant applications. VoIP applications are available for use with smartphone devices, as well as web applications and desktop applications.
# Let you add or repurpose lines anytime as per your requirements.
# VoIP also allows for additional features that are otherwise not possible with a regular landline connection.
# You can send voicemails directory to an email address.
# You can create cloud-based PBX systems.
# Make use of virtual Fax systems without the need for installing a FAX machine,
# Assign more than one DDIs (Direct Dial In) to a phone line,
# Plug and Play capabilities.
# Import cloud data.
# Remote access to VoIP solutions.
Wrapping Up
All in all, VoIP solutions have emerged to be a savior for small businesses with budget constraints. This is also the reason that VoIP solutions are used by about 30% of businesses, and the industry is all set to touch $55 billion by 2025.
VoIP solutions are cost-effective, scalable, and come with minimal hardware requirements, thus ticking all the essential boxes for a small business.
