by Joe Taylor Jr.
With VoIP providers competing for small business accounts, many company owners wonder whether Internet phone service will impact their bottom line. Small business owners that successfully switched to Voice over IP often cite seven ways in which the new phone service benefits their companies:
1. VoIP Providers Slash Long Distance Costs
Instead of traveling across long distance copper wires, voice over IP calls get broken into data packets that surf across the Internet. Without expensive cables to maintain, VoIP providers can radically reduce the cost of overseas calls while offering flat rate pricing for most domestic conversations.
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2. IP Phones Can Travel With Employees
Road warriors appreciate the flexibility of today's voice over IP services. Employees can connect a remote IP phone into any data connection, such as a hotel room broadband port or a bookstore wireless hot spot. Call forwarding options can automatically transfer calls to cell phones as a last resort, saving small businesses a lot of money on roaming fees.
3. VoIP Phone Companies Make Small Businesses Feel Large
Many VoIP providers offer sophisticated business options that include auto-attendant features and dedicated extensions. "Virtual PBX" systems can expand on the fly, based on a company's current staffing. During seasonal cycles or unexpected surges in activity, third party call centers can be seamlessly woven into a service offering with little to no additional cost.
4. Voice over IP Enables Collaboration
VoIP phone companies catering to business professionals offer the kinds of collaboration features that used to rack up major charges from traditional providers. For instance, many VoIP providers now offer on-the-fly conference calls. With a mix of voice chat applications and handset functions, employees can avoid the high fees of traditional bridge lines.
5. VoIP Providers Improve Productivity
Many IP phone subscribers have discovered ways to turn calling features into productivity gains. In most cases, incoming voicemail can be routed to e-mail inboxes. Likewise, most VoIP phone companies allow subscribers to quickly send voice memos to each other, bridging the gap between team members who prefer different modes of communication.
6. IP Phones Enable Fast Customer Service
Most VoIP phone companies also provide "find me, follow me" services that allow callers to reach the right contact quickly and transparently. Incoming calls can be routed to alternate personnel when particular contacts are busy or unavailable. In call center environments, data from incoming calls can be matched to customer relationship management systems that can queue callers based on their purchase history or on the severity of their problems.
7. Many VoIP Providers Can Consolidate Voice and Data Costs
Early critics of IP phone services worried that too many voice calls would burden Internet data lines. In reality, many VoIP phone companies now offer their own broadband data connections to maintain peak call quality. Consolidating voice and data transmissions into a single line from a single carrier often results in major savings for small businesses.
Even More IP Phone Benefits on the Horizon
As competition between VoIP phone companies encourages them to innovate, small business owners can expect even more timesaving and cost-effective features. In the meantime, most small businesses can start enjoying these seven benefits right away. Since small business owners can inexpensively test a single line with voice over IP, it's easier than ever to experiment and discover the real value of Internet phone service.
Sources:
Jupiter Media
ZDNet
Joe Taylor Jr. is an internal business consultant for a Fortune 500 company, who writes about finance, culture, and design. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Ithaca College.
