Is it Time to Ditch Your Landline?
For many small to midsize businesses (SMBs), the shift to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service is still yet to come. Even though moving to VoIP makes sense, budgets and communications resources are usually limited. However, the upside to this shift can be substantial. VoIP offers several significant advantages over traditional phone systems:
- Employees are always connected, regardless of their location—perfect for today’s work-anywhere office cultures.
- Many VoIP solutions include employee tools for file sharing, group messaging, video meetings, and real-time collaboration.
- VoIP features like CRM integration, automation, and analytics can help streamline employee workflows, reducing administrative tasks, and improving customer interactions.
Cost savings of up to 75%
An analysis of total cost of ownership is likely to favor Voice over Internet Protocol as well. VoIP typically costs much less than traditional landline services, both in terms of setup and ongoing expenses. In particular, hosted options put VoIP in the operating expense column rather than the capital expense column. There’s no large cost upfront and, as with anything in the cloud, it’s all scalable—down as well as up.
If you weren’t already considering the move this year, it’s worth running the numbers on a VoIP hosted solution. Cost savings are estimated at up to 75%, depending on what it’s costing to maintain your present equipment.
Is VoIP for you?
Can your network support a new phone system?
VoIP transmits calls over the Internet, so it needs a good connection. The more simultaneous users you have, the more bandwidth you’ll need. If your network can support it, then VoIP may be a good option.
Is your workforce mobile or remote?
If your employees take a lot of their calls on mobile devices in the office or on the road, VoIP might be a good bet for your business. Your customers and colleagues will be able to reach you seamlessly. Additionally, VoIP numbers are virtual and fully portable, so your business and your employees can keep the same phone number regardless of your location, even if your business changes address.
Will VoIP integrate with your other cloud apps?
If you’re moving calls to the Internet, they might as well integrate with your other cloud apps, like Microsoft Office 365. Some VoIP systems will pull in data from relevant apps to bring them up during your calls.
The biggest reasons to consider a hosted VoIP solution
Market research firm IHS found that cost wasn’t what drove most businesses to VoIP, however. The biggest reasons for the switch were the enhanced capabilities and features VoIP offers.
That might not once have been enough for small and medium businesses because of the cost of implementation. Hosted solutions now put those costs onto the provider, not the customer (although the customer still needs adequate network capacity and to provide physical phones or software equivalents).
What to look for in a VoIP provider
If the numbers add up for you, it’s time to look for a reliable Voice over Internet Protocol provider. You need to evaluate:
- Service guarantees
- Security
- The ability to support the deployment type you need
- Ongoing support
Be sure to ask:
- Who is managing the bandwidth connection
- Does the provider do pre-network qualifications to make sure your existing network will support the shift?
You don’t want or need to become a VoIP expert. That’s why you’re going with a hosted solution. You want to be able to describe how your business works and what you’re trying to achieve. Your VoIP provider should be able to match those requirements to technology. Then the productivity benefits are all yours.
Have questions about VoIP providers or IT management? Want tips for speeding up your network? Call Ace Tech Group at (610) 640-4223 for IT advice.