Unexpected Benefits of VoIP For Small Businesses

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a way of taking telephone analog signals and transforming them into digital data over the Internet. This means you can skip the phone company and the charges that go with it to make a call. You can also communicate without using a telephone. All that’s needed is a computer with speakers, a microphone and a working Internet connection. Even use your mobile phone and certain land line phones. More and more businesses are using VoIP as part of their unified communications systems. It’s not only large companies that are reaping benefits of this technology, but smaller ones are finding that it helps their bottom line.

Free Perks With VoIP

There are lots of professional features included with VoIP that would have extra hidden fees with a landline service. A few of these perks include:

• Call forwarding
• Unlimited long distance
• Caller ID
• Voicemail
• Call conferencing

Keep Up With Larger Companies

With all that VoIP offers, it makes your small business look larger than it is, making VoIP an equalizer. With a premium setup, you could receive an “auto attendant” feature that allows callers to experience an interactive menu and pick the correct extension. Your business will be more professional and on par with the big boys. VoIP suppliers offers packages to suit your needs, and they can include features that help you stay competitive:

• Music on hold
• “Follow me/find me” call routing for employees on the roadway-safety
• “Do not disturb” during important meetings
• Door buzzer integration
• “Presence” technology to see if an employee is available and how to get in touch with them

With the above features and more it would be difficult to distinguish a small business from a major corporation.

Cut Costs

VoIP helps you cut costs in so many ways. First, you trim long distance charges that come with land line services. Travel expenses are reduced because of web conferencing, video calls, “presence” technologies and other collaborative devices. Save money on having to invest in a new infrastructure or hardware equipment maintenance. Your small business will be able to stay up to date without the need to put in extra time and effort in keeping up with evolving technology. Your VoIP provider will do that for you. If there is a problem with the system, the VoIP provider will take care of it, instead of handling communication problems in-house, which takes up valuable time. This way you can focus on your core business and not be worried about technical difficulties that arise.