VoIP, which is also short for Voice over Internet Protocol, is fast replacing traditional modes of business communication worldwide. It’s an application that allows telephone calls to be made on the same network as other data and information which are transmitted over the Internet. In some situations, it is extremely useful, including those involving shipping, education, healthcare and international relations. But the one area in which it does not belong is business Continuity. In the business world, continuity of operations is vitally important.
There are a number of companies today offering hosted IP telephony services.
Most companies offer hosted IP telephony at varying prices. While all these companies have different features, they all offer some basic capabilities like call forwarding, video intercoms and some basic call management features like call recording and call blocking. But the one thing they don’t have is business Continuity. This feature is what sets many businesses apart from their peers.
Business Continuity allows you to have a single communications infrastructure that supports your entire business model. Instead of having to deal with a multitude of communication devices like pagers, phones, cordless phones or Blackberries, you can have unified communications infrastructure that allows you to make VoIP calls across all your devices. All your devices will have exactly the same VoIP device as yours, which will allow you to make and receive calls and even fax and send e-mails. The beauty of this is the increased efficiency you’ll experience. Your company will no longer need to spend money on purchasing multiple communication devices and then maintain their hardware, software and networks.
One of the biggest reasons that VoIP business services allow you to have this type of convenience is because the technology eliminates long distance charges. Most providers have integrated ringtones and call reports which automatically charge your monthly bill. With traditional phone calls you have to manually enter the charges, make a prediction on how much you’ll spend for your upcoming phone calls and then hope that your phone bill fits in your budget. This process not only wastes money but it also gives you inaccurate predictions and can lead to mistakes in your billing.
Another feature that VoIP business services allow you to enjoy is video intercoms. This allows you to be able to intercom with other departments like human resources without having to use your phone. For example, if you’re in a meeting with clients and you need to make a point, a traditional phone cannot suffice. Also, some providers have integrated with HD Voice so you don’t have to worry about the quality of the voice over the phone. This will ensure that all of your calls are crystal clear and your voice comes through loud and clear.
business VoIP services also allow you to enjoy advanced call distribution. Some providers allow you to filter out certain callers and ignore the rest. This can allow you to maximize the amount of time you spend talking to clients and customers. Additionally, it can greatly reduce the amount of time that you spend on the phone since you won’t have to deal with random callers who interrupt your talks.
VoIP offers many benefits that you may not be aware of.
Business owners who are looking for a way to cut their costs or lower their overhead can take advantage of this great technology. Since VoIP is simply a telephone service combined with voice and video communications, it doesn’t take any more equipment than normal phone lines. This means that you can easily integrate your voice service provider into any area that has an internet connection.
- As you can see, there are a lot of benefits to switching over to a voice system.
- You don’t have to worry about limited bandwidth or expensive costs. You can make calls around the world for free.
- Your customers can call your office for no charge. And, you can cut costs by implementing a voice service.