Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology delivers multi-media communication over the internet. This can include voice, voice messaging, SMS, fax, and video. The first mass marketing efforts of VoIP technology began in 2004 and allowed users to place phone calls over their broadband internet connection rather than requiring a traditional public switched telephone network (PSTN).
At the time, this seemed little more than a novelty. However, as the technology has evolved over the past decade it has revolutionized how businesses are able to manage their communication needs.
Maximize Telephone Communication
Telephone communication was once limited to the location at which your telephone service was installed. People began to have a little more freedom when call forwarding allowed calls to be automatically transferred to a home or cell phone instead of a business location, but the process was cumbersome. With VoIP solutions from established providers like MegaPath, it is possible to have high-quality telephone communication from anywhere in the world.
VoIP services allow business to make local numbers for any location they serve. This gives international customers the option of contacting a firm anywhere in the world with a number they recognize and that will not cost them international fees. It provides even small businesses with an international presence without the astronomical fees associated with opening firms in multiple countries. In addition, you also gain the great benefits of business call tracking.
VoIP phone services allow calls to be directed to virtually any device that has an internet connection. Your digital switchboard can route calls to your tablet, cell phone, or computer depending on your schedule and preference. Many VoIP providers and third-party applications allow even small businesses to have a sophisticated phone system that utilizes automated operating systems, extensions, and voice mails for numerous employees. Only a few years ago these types of services were only available to the businesses that had a large communications budget to invest in the hardware necessary to set up and maintain a phone system.
Leverage Video Conferencing
Video conferencing was once nothing more than science fiction. The idea that people in different parts of the world would be able to sit down with a cup of coffee and talk to one another face to face via video seemed implausible. Even when the technology first became available, the cost associated with the equipment needed was prohibitive.
Now it is possible for anyone with a smartphone, tablet, or computer to quickly have a face to face meeting with anyone else with no additional cost by using their VoIP service and free applications. This is a powerful advantage if used appropriately in any business.
Clients and customers crave a personal connection amidst the digital noise. As more companies communicate with their clients base via newsletters, blog posts, and social media updates, people want to experience the personal connection of going to a meeting and watching the other person’s facial expressions and body language as a way to learn more about them. Video conferencing does this effectively without limiting people by their geographic locations.
Data and Details
As great as it is to know you can talk to customers face-to-face and that it is easier to take calls from any location using VoIP, most business owners assume that such amazing technology must be cost prohibitive and complicated. This is not true.
The technology needed to operate a VoIP system is usually stored in the cloud and as easy to use as a phone app. The price tends to be less than a traditional phone line and offers far more functionality. But the cost savings and the technical requirements are features that are beneficial to everyone. One of the overlooked powers of VoIP is the ability to data mine the way employees are interacting with others using the phone system. Depending on the service chosen, business owners can track the amount of time spent on a call, transcribe call logs for review, record calls for training and evaluation, and log the number of calls each department or individual is managing each day.
The functionality and affordability of VoIP technology is increasing each day. The service provides greater productivity and communications scalability that can give even the smallest business the same advantages of the largest established megalith in the industry.
