VoIP phones are the top systems outsourced IT support teams use, and many businesses leverage its inherent benefits. SMB owners can upgrade from the old, on-premise PBX-based phone lines to modern devices, softphones, and online calls. But is VoIP worth it? Most managers will reply with a resounding yes.
Here is how VoIP is critical to the success of modern enterprises.
5 Reasons Why VoIP Is Worth It for Small Businesses
Small businesses can shift to VoIP setups for many reasons, such as cutting costs to scalability, competition, and trends. Review your business needs for VoIP telephony, the best options and plans, and the impacts on your operations. Here are five reasons why investing in VoIP is a worthy course for small businesses:
1. Lower Cost
Reduced cost is one of the top benefits of voice over internet protocol telephony. Unlike traditional phone lines, VoIP systems require minimal hardware. Phones, computers, and internet cables are all you need to upgrade your system. Less equipment means low initial investment, installation, and maintenance costs.
Traditional phone lines cost more to install and maintain, but most small businesses rue the high calling costs. Compared to VoIP prices, calls made using old phone lines are significantly expensive. VoIP calls are also cheaper regardless of whether call destinations are domestic or abroad. Small businesses will save more on phone bills, upfront capital, and maintenance.
2. Advanced Features
VoIP systems offer a significant improvement from traditional PBX lines and come with various advanced features. Businesses are no longer limited to a typical voice call. They can explore several other features, including internet fax, conference calling, and auto attendant. VoIP telephony also offers the following advanced features:
• Call forwarding, routing, and transfer
• Toll-free numbers
• Call recording and call-log access
• SMS and email notifications
All features are part of a customized telephony solution for achieving remote calls anytime, anywhere over the internet. VoIP systems will enhance your communication and provide instant access to support, personnel, clients, and partners. You can also leverage outsourced IT support to help manage your networks and channels.
3. Quality & Connectivity
VoIP systems offer better sound quality than traditional phone lines. The voice data is transmitted in packets and can leverage modern high-definition codecs to provide the highest quality. It might seem like a slight advantage, but some businesses rely heavily on voice communications. You can upgrade to VoIP to guarantee the best audio quality.
VoIP setups also provide better connectivity than land-based phone lines. You can connect with employees in multiple remote locations, including abroad. It’s also easier to forward calls to the main center for consistent support. With a VoIP system in place, employees can bring their phones everywhere they go and will be able to send and receive calls.
You can set up multiple phones to ring at the same time. When you pick one of the phones, the rest will get canceled. This feature suits businesses with various locations and where employees work from different stations. VoIP call quality is consistent across all devices (phones and headsets), and users can achieve quality communications on the go.
4. Scalable & Compatible
VoIP systems are easy to scale to your business demands. When you have new employees, the process is as simple as ordering extra phones from the VoIP online interface. Once you have the phones, plug them into the Ethernet, and you are ready to go. Scaling down VoIP systems is also much easier since no massive initial installations are involved.
Whether you are expanding the business or downgrading, the setup makes it easy to add and delete phone lines as necessary. The company can quickly scale existing plans and infrastructure to meet current demands. New phone purchases are also significantly cheaper than the hardware needed for similar crews using traditional phone lines.
VoIP systems are also backward compatible with most office and business systems. Your old analog desk phones are still useful in a VoIP setup. All you need is an ATA to connect the phones to the virtual system and use them to send and receive calls. The system also relies on the cloud and doesn’t need manual software upgrades; the provider will handle all updates.
5. Easy to Use/Troubleshoot
Usability is a vital review aspect when installing VoIP telephony. Your teams should know how to use the system to maximize its benefits. VoIP setups are straightforward, so a short orientation can bring everyone up to speed. There’s nothing much to learn once everything is connected/ready to go, but you can train general maintenance and troubleshooting.
With VoIP telephony, you’ll worry less about complicated technical issues. Your outsourced IT support will also have fewer incidents, so you can save more. Diagnosing and resolving problems when a VoIP system goes down is easy and fast. You can’t say the same about traditional phone systems; fixing old PBX calls for experienced technicians can be frustrating.
VoIP is more user-friendly, so your teams can achieve various checks and maintenance to keep the system at optimum performance. Businesses can still leverage outsourced IT support to streamline communications, secure deals, and fulfill other mission-critical objectives. The system is less prone to issues and more effortless to troubleshoot with minimal assistance.
Will Your Business Profit From VoIP?
Every business can benefit from VoIP if you upgrade the setup from old phone lines. You’ll need to thoroughly review business activities and determine if switching to VoIP makes sense at the time. The priority is to make ROI-conscious decisions when investing in tech and maximize the benefits. Here are some questions to ponder before installing VoIP telephony:
• What are your current network status and quality?
• Do you have enough upload bandwidth for the expected amount of phone calls?
• Can your bandwidth cover other traffic on the network?
• Will your firewall/router prioritize VoIP traffic over other internet traffic?
• What features does your business need?
VoIP providers offer call forwarding/recording/screening, voicemail, on-hold music, virtual receptionists, instant messaging, and voicemail-to-email. Other features include conference calling, missed alerts, call logs, and video conferring. You don’t necessarily need all these features. Consult with providers to establish the ideal package for your business needs.
Do You Need Outsourced IT Support for VoIP?
VoIP comes with the added need for IT services and support. Outsourcing this area to third parties can free your teams to focus on other matters. Haber Group has been providing a people-focused brand of tech management for small businesses since 2000. We offer enterprise-level services/solutions in and around the NYC area and focus on helping your business succeed.
