For years businesses have been using the traditional public telephone networks for conducting business. After so many years it is very easy to remain in a comfort zone and be skeptical about new ideas. This is how some business owners feel about using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in place of conventional phone services.
Part of the reason for the skepticism is that VoIP only started being used more widely as high speed Internet became more easily available. Although more companies have been considering it or in fact they are already using VoIP, there are still many questions that pertain to this fairly new concept.
Why should you use VoIP for business? Is it really better than a traditional phone service? Is it reliable and efficient? Why route calls over the Internet when you already have a traditional phone line? These are all questions that come to mind when businesses hear about VoIP calling. If you are one of the people that are skeptical about VoIP here are some of the advantages that VoIP has over conventional telephone circuits.
Reduced Equipment Costs
With a public switched telephone service the equipment required to establish connectivity for internal telephone lines can be quite costly. In addition, the cost of implementing this type of equipment can often exceed the budgets for most of today’s businesses.
When you implement VoIP for business the equipment you must implement for a traditional phone service is not necessary. All you need is a VoIP capable network, a high speed Internet connection, and a router for directing phone calls over the Internet instead of through a traditional phone line. The VoIP provider will take care of the actual technology that is required to handle the volume of calls for your company.
It is No Longer about Location
VoIP systems provide a more cost-effective means for business calls from multiple locations because you do not have to make long distance calls over a company network and through a traditional phone service. For large companies that have branch offices this is a definite plus since location is no longer an issue.
With VoIP for business staff members can be in one country and call another staff member in another country simply by dialing an extension number which is routed over the Internet. This reduces long distance calling charges and allows companies to save as much as 75 percent on their phone bills.
Cheap VoIP Calling
When you use a traditional phone service or Public Switched Telephone Network as it is also called, there are countless regulations that must be met in terms of communications and equipment regulations. These costs are passed on to the consumer which is why business calls using this method can be rather expensive. When you use VoIP the packets of information are routed over the Internet as opposed to a traditional telephone line. VoIP calling does not have nearly as many regulations as traditional telephone service lines which means calls are cheap. One fixed monthly fee takes care of all business calls regardless if they are local or long distance.
Wide Array of Features
VoIP for business is capable of offering an endless array of services that go beyond the basic features such as call forwarding, call waiting, voice mail, and other basic services. When you implement VoIP in a business setting it opens up more possibilities for company employees in terms of versatility.
VoIP calling systems are capable of handling faxes over the Internet, conventional faxing, conference calling, and many features that assist employees when they are traveling. With a VoIP service you can take your VoIP equipment with you when you travel and the same business number you have on site travels with you wherever you go.
Flexibility
When you use a traditional phone service most of their charges and fees are set in stone which leaves businesses with very little wiggle room. With VoIP you have more flexibility since most VoIP providers offer different plans including pay as you go. As your business expands you can add services as needed without the expense of installing the added infrastructure.
In addition to flexibility, a quality VoIP service will assess your existing infrastructure and then customize a plan that meets the needs of your business. This also leaves room for price negotiation and a support and maintenance agreement that works with the type of infrastructure you use.
If you are skeptical about VoIP or you are not familiar with the technology these are some of the reasons why it is worth the time investment to consider VoIP calling. With the inception of high speed broadband Internet VoIP systems have become more reliable and functional and, if you choose the right VoIP provider it will help your business to save money while increasing productivity.