Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a communication platform that harnesses the power of broadband internet to conduct calls. Instead of using a traditional analog phone line, you can make voice calls using a computer, standard phone with an adapter, or a smartphone.
Apps like Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Google Voice all use VoIP technology to enable communication between users. This method is essentially the same when used as a phone service within a business.
Users of VoIP Services
The users of services offered by VoIP professionals include small businesses, enterprise-level operations personnel and even everyday visitors of popular apps.
Because of the ability to take calls virtually anywhere with a VoIP service, those who travel frequently (even internationally) and those who work in more than one location throughout an office typically prefer this type of communication.
How VoIP Benefits Businesses
Conference Calls
In a business, communication between all departments is crucial for maximum efficiency. VoIP services enable conference calls with no need for dedicated phone lines or pricey service features that add fees to each conference call.
Instead, the conference call feature already exists within the monthly rate of VoIP service, with the option typically already built into the software. This streamlines the entire process of conference calls, whether you’re calling an international client or a coworker on the other side of the office.
Advanced Features
While conference calls are one of the many advanced features businesses that use VoIP over analog phone lines have access to, it is only one of many.
Some of the most popular features included with VoIP services — often at no additional charge — include caller ID, voicemail, message forwarding, call logging, call screening, voicemail to email integration, call analytics and business text messaging.
These features allow your business to manage calls more effectively without shelling out additional money each month to pay for them.
Low Cost
Operational costs are crucial to a business’s bottom line. While the cost of a traditional phone line may not seem excessive, the bill adds up quickly when you factor in multiple lines and the cost of special features for each one.
Even with a business plan, many traditional phone services cost upwards of $50 per month/per line, whereas VoIP service typically costs less than $20 per month/per line. With traditional phone services, businesses must also purchase the phones and pay for the installation of each line.
With VoIP, the setup and installation are usually as simple as a software download that completes in minutes. When you take these factors into account, the savings can be significant.
Flexibility
One of the biggest business benefits of using the services of VoIP professionals over an analog one is the immense flexibility. With traditional phone lines, employees can only take phone calls at their desk or cubicle.
This can be a hassle when moving to a different area of the building or a new building entirely. It requires rerouting or reinstalling phone lines in order to conduct business as usual.
The same is true as a business grows and needs more phone lines. VoIP services often don’t require a physical phone at all, but when preferred, employees can simply carry their handsets or VoIP phones to wherever it is they need to work.
How VoIP Works and Why Businesses Should Use It
VoIP services work using packet-switching technology. Essentially, this digitalizes the audio portion of a phone call and transfers it into small packets of data. These data packets then move via an internet connection to the specified destination. Upon completing the journey, reconstructed packets of data return to their original audio format where the voice can be heard on the other end.
This allows businesses to eliminate the costs associated with traditional phone services while also garnering better voice clarity and granting access to a plethora of advanced features. It is also a flexible setup that you can easily scale as your business grows or you relocate from office to office or building to building.
Contact the VoIP Professionals at Telewire
Want to learn more about how using VoIP can help you take business communication to the next level? Contact the VoIP professionals at Telewire today.
