Your Guide to Voice Over IP for Businesses: Why You Need It and How to Get It
Do your employees receive a deluge of phone calls every day? Do they ricochet between the phone, their desktop, and the fax machine for hours on end?
This flood of activity can leave employees feeling drained and scattered as they run from one task to the next, attempting to keep customers happy and communication with other employees clear and productive.
But there’s a better way. One with the potential to streamline communications across all sectors of your business.
This “way” can significantly cut your operational costs, too, without diminishing your brand’s customer experience. In fact, when harnessed to its full potential, it’ll actually enhance your company’s ability to keep customers satisfied.
Sound too good to be true? It’s not.
Welcome to the brave new world of voice over IP for businesses. Read on to find out more about how today’s tech is revolutionizing business communications.
VoIP 101
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) replaces your existing analog phone line. How? By tapping into the power of the internet for all of your communication needs.
With a simple digital connection, you can nix the need for phone lines altogether. That’s because VoIP uses a digital signal to handle all of your communications, from phone calls to faxes.
No more expensive, clunky business phone systems. Or, middlemen peddling exorbitant service contracts to accompany them.
What’s more, employees will no longer have to bounce back and forth between their phone, desktop, and fax machine.
Let’s explore which business types benefit from the transition to VoIP.
Which Businesses Need VoIP?
Does your business have a substantial customer service role? Do you receive many inbound calls, faxes, and other communications from customers every day?
If the answer’s yes, you need VoIP.
But what if your current call volumes aren’t manageable? Would a VoIP system do you any good?
Consider it if you have any mid-to-large sized online store that sells products or services.
After all, sales and services require communication with customers. Installing a VoIP system ensures those communications are professional.
Other Businesses that Should Consider VoIP
For restaurants who rely on a reservation system, VoIP proves crucial to your success. It keeps you organized and able to professionally accommodate customers.
Even when Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or Valentine’s Day puts a serious strain on your reservations system.
But what if you have an online reservation system? Does that negate your need for VoIP?
Nope. Here’s why.
Seventy-two percent of diners make reservations over the phone as opposed to online. If you don’t have a solid phone reservation system in place, you’re losing customers. Bottom line.
VoIP makes sense for hosting providers, too. It offers the optimal solution for staying in close contact with customers. It also allows you to offer assistance when emergencies happen, no matter how far you are from the office.
What Can VoIP Do for Your Business?
VoIP not only streamlines how you receive calls but it offers other powerful capabilities.
These include the capacity to:
- Save contact information
- Keep detailed logs of phone calls
- Create and store recordings
While these represent basic functions from a telecom perspective, they’ll save your business time and money over the long haul.
When it comes to businesses that stand to profit from VoIP, they don’t stop with customer service-heavy workplaces, restaurants, and hosting providers. But these industries provide diverse examples of how VoIP can contribute to solid solutions.
In today’s business world, it’s safe to say most mid-range businesses would benefit from VoIP. Especially since Verizon and other telecoms are aggressively phasing our ISDN and analog lines.
But what’s the best way to convert your old system? Wholesale SIP trunking provides a new way for businesses to quickly get on board with the latest technology.
It represents a flexible, solid phone service. Check out this option for wholesale to learn more.
A Basic Functional VoIP System
When it comes to finding the best VoIP for your enterprise, here are some important things to look for.
Find a system that can handle a variety of communication types, from video conferences to phone calls and faxes.
A good system should allow you to communicate with your team through private messaging functionality, too.
It should permit you and your employees to use both your desktop and your smartphone to manage calls. Finally, it should let you use your own phone number.
Features to Look for in a Great VoIP System
If you’re looking for more than bare-bones functionality, check out phone service providers that offer a full suite of cloud applications.
By moving up to a mid-range system, you can better control every aspect of your company’s customer experience. This includes everything from setting up greeting messages to controlling how calls get redirected.
Remember, a great customer service experience, whether over the phone or in person, remains crucial to forging loyal relationships with customers.
Depending on the type of business you’re in and your location, you may never have the luxury of in-person communication with customers. This makes your phone and video communications even more crucial to sustaining a successful brand.
For enhanced customer service, look for VoIP systems that can configure what your customers hear the moment they dial your number. Such systems should also include streamlined features such as automatic voicemail forwarding to your email.
Why Voice Over IP for Businesses Makes Sense
If you’re serious about making your first impression your best impression, then invest in voice over IP for businesses. It’ll give you a clear advantage when it comes to communications with customers and the members of your team.
It remains the best solution for small business communications. Upgrade your legacy phone system now and start enjoying the many features of VoIP. It’s a win-win-win for you, your employees, and your customers.
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