Why VoIP Phone Services are Perfect for Small Businesses

Even though it is the age of live chat, messaging, and email, small businesses still require a reliable phone system. Traditional business phone systems, unfortunately, can be quite expensive to install and operate, making it quite unaffordable for smaller businesses. Enter VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), a system which transmits the voice and message over the internet as data. It gets the job done very effectively and efficiently, and has numerous benefits over traditional phone lines.

VoIP usage statistics are extremely impressive. In 2017, VoIP use increased by a whopping 21%, with close to 30 million subscribers for VoIP in the US alone. With close to 40% of all small businesses over the world having switched from traditional hardwired phone systems to the more technologically-advanced, cutting-edge VoIP, it’s time to understand what VoIP is really all about and why exactly it makes sense for small businesses to have VoIP. The reasons for the same are listed below.

No more phone switches
Running businesses over traditional systems earlier meant the presence of phone switches – and lots and lots of them at that. not only was there a full closet of physical phone lines, but also hardware to run it, a technical support team for its management, and other support for fixing it when something went wrong. The entire process was time-consuming, expensive, arduous, and highly non-productive, to say the least. In VoIP, the system itself is the phone switch, with the network transmitting voice data over the Internet and replacing the physical switch entirely. Its space-saving, easier to use, and flexible. VoIP allows users to make calls from their laptops or desktop PCs, and even have calls forwarded to their smartphones. All these features are integrated instantly as the system is setup, and don’t require separate hardware or software to install or use.

Great remote customer support
The old-time office phone lines boded well for last-century markets but are impossible to work with the needs of today’s businesses. The interface is time consuming and complicated, to say the least. VoIP’s up-to-the-minute systems are technologically-advanced, web-based software which can respond to market changes quicker and better than traditional phone systems. Moreover, VoIP has a whole lot of other technological advantages. It has over-the-phone as well as web-based customer support and assistance, it eliminates the need for technicians and what-not, and minimizes delays in problem-solving. It can be setup to be up and running easily, and businesses are astounded by the marked difference of service as compared to traditional phone system providers.

User-friendly interface
Mastering complicated instructions for sending calls to mobiles, forgetting the password to work voicemail, and struggling to forward calls these were the joys of traditional phone systems when it came to the employees of the business. Often, such features are difficult for employees to comprehend and figure out, especially since today’s workforce is more at ease with smartphones and the web. The best part about VoIP technology is that it is already integrated into systems which the current workforce uses such as smartphones and the web. Call forwarding is a cakewalk, complete with integrated “follow-me, find-me” features allowing employees to answer calls anytime, anywhere. VoIP also allows employees to be able to access their voicemail from email or directly hear it off their smartphone in the form of a message, no more crazy code remembering. Today’s VoIP systems have user-friendly features that are more aligned with what today’s employees would come to expect in phone systems.

Empowering small businesses
No matter how small the size of one’s business is, VoIP gives them the presence, the power, and the appearance of being a much larger enterprise. What cost a fortune once upon a time is now available for a fraction of the costs, be it to conferencing, auto attendant, or a whole slew of newer features such as file sharing, mobility, and instant messaging. Small businesses get the appearance of being a largely-staffed company with VoIP, thus not only bolstering their morale but also increasing the confidence their customers have on them. Calls are never missed, always answered, and routed correctly, all ending up keeping customers happy and potential clients impressed.

Apart from the above obvious advantages, VoIP also saves a lot of time and helps streamline business processes. With an enhanced customer support experience, easy-to-use features, and cutting-edge functionality, VoIP is particularly suited to the needs of small business. They are flexible enough to respond to the changes and requirements of small businesses, bolstering business communications as well as productivity and efficiency.