VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a high bandwidth, low cost solution for small and medium businesses to implement. VoIP is currently under development and commercialization in various countries and is undergoing rapid expansion worldwide. Why businesses should invest in VoIP technology? The benefits are many, including:
No Costs: Imagine the cost involved in regular phone charges. How much do you spend on your mobile phone bill each month? If you have employees, how many times per month do they make calls? How many times per month do you take phone calls from other business firms? You need to compute this number over a year or so to see the real impact. You will be surprised at the low expenses involved with Voice over IP.
Minimal Service Costs: VoIP offers business considerable cost savings over traditional phone service. For example, if you use an ATA (analogue telephone adapter) to connect to your computer then you incur costs for the adapter and also the costs of the phone line itself. If you use a VoIP service provider, you only pay for the actual usage. This means that you are not paying for long distance charges, connection fees and so on.
Scalability: VoIP technology is scalable, enabling firms to grow with it. This means that as new needs arise, new features can be added. For example, if a firm wants to add more employees, then it can easily do so without any additional investment.
Reduced Service interruptions: VoIP is used most often when connecting people through Internet connections. There are several reasons for this. One is the fact that the service is reliable.
Better Customer and Company relations: Businesses that use VoIP have better customer and company relationships. This is because using VoIP reduces the need to take phone calls to be connected to one another. Instead, people use their computer’s Internet connection to make voice calls directly to each other. This makes communication much more streamlined and efficient.
Increased Profit Potential: VoIP technology can also increase a firm’s profit potential by allowing a firm to lower its overall expenses and increase its revenues. There are many firms which use this method. One such firm is call centers that face tremendous headwinds because they have to pay high call charges to customers for long distance services. When these services are replaced by VoIP, they will be able to cut their costs and increase revenues by utilizing their own computers to make calls. This means that VoIP could be used by firms in different industries-not just telecommunication firms.
These are just some of the advantages that business firms should invest in VoIP. The advantages discussed in this article are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more reasons why firms should use VoIP technology. The only thing that they need to do is to find the right partners in the technology sector.
Also Read: How to Influence C-Level Decision Makers in B2B Marketing
VoIP Technology
Partnering with an expert in VoIP is a very important decision for firms who are considering implementing VoIP in their business. This is because an expert in the technology would be able to guide them through the entire process. In addition to helping them implement VoIP, a VoIP service provider could also help them monitor VoIP implementation. They would be able to detect any errors or problems which may arise as a result of incorporating VoIP into their business. The firms should therefore choose VoIP partners that specialize in VoIP. They should never partner with a firm that is not specialized in VoIP technology.
Another way for business firms to invest in VoIP is to purchase their own equipment for making and converting VoIP calls. Many companies have already started using this method. Small and medium-sized firms have found it cheaper and more efficient to convert their analog voice traffic into VoIP traffic which they can then use for making cheap calls. Many large firms are now using such methods to cut down on costs which they would have incurred had they chosen to use conventional methods for making calls. Most large companies have also switched to VoIP.
Large firms should always consider whether they need to use dedicated servers to host their VoIP infrastructure. Some VoIP firms rent servers on which they store their data, while other firms use their own premises. Businesses that need to rent dedicated servers would need to decide if they need these servers for applications which are not related to their VoIP infrastructure. Such firms should therefore only consider this option if they are sure that they do not need such a server for at least a year or more.
Finally, firms should find out what is the maximum amount of investment they should make in VoIP. Smaller firms may find it appropriate to make just a single investment whereas larger ones need to look at making multiple investments to make the transition easier. Businesses should decide whether they wish to go with a VoIP provider who offers services at a low cost and requires a low level of investment or a VoIP service provider who charges much higher rates and does not provide services at all.
image credit: talk-business