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Why You Need a VoIP Phone Service
Most people want to know if VoIP services are as useful as they claim to be.
13:05 22 September 2020
Any business that is looking to communicate effectively over the phone already knows that a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is one of the best options out there. These services address the many needs a business has when it comes to telecommunication. However, it doesn't take long to hear someone complain about these services. Because of this, some business owners are concerned about purchasing a VoIP phone service.
It turns out that there are many benefits to using them. Read on to learn more about how VoIP services, such as the Ooma softphone, can help you decrease costs and increase productivity.
Lower Cost per Call
As you may have guessed, VoIP phones use the Internet to make calls. Instead of using traditional phone lines, they send information over IP networks. The IP network your business uses could be your Internet connection, direct access to your phone service provider, or a combination. The most important thing is that you are guaranteed service on this network. Note that if you are strictly using an Internet connection, you may lose this at some point.
Also, calling someone over a traditional phone line means that this line is taken up by the two people talking. Since there are only so many lines available, using a conventional landline can be expensive. Using the Internet to make your phone calls can make this type of communication cheaper. Many VoIP companies offer businesses the ability to make domestic calls for free. This means that if your phone number is based out of the United States, you will likely be able to call anyone located within the lower 48 states for free. Free and low-cost calls are a must for any business.
Service Mobility
If you work from home or the road, VoIP services are a necessity because they can come with you. On a traditional phone system, your business will be given a landline that is assigned its phone number. Any time you travel, you have to go through the pesky process of remembering how to call into your office phone to listen to your voicemail. Also, you will wind up wasting a lot of time getting your phone number transferred to a new location if you ever decide to move your business to a new location.
However, VoIP services eliminate all of this. You are not physically limited to one location. You can take your phone with you when you travel and efficiently move your business to a new location if needed.
Versatile Features
VoIP services are available on a variety of devices, meaning that you can multi-task and be as productive as possible. Suppose you have to call a supplier and are placed on hold. While you are waiting, you can read the voicemail to text transcriptions that are sent to your email and get ready to return calls when you have finished talking to your supplier. You can also forward voicemails and messages quickly. If you receive a critical voicemail, you can deliver it to several people with just a simple click or tap.
These features, plus many others, are available with most VoIP services. Also, you can find ways to customize your plan based on which features you use the most. In other words, VoIP services can change with your business and help it grow. Therefore, you need to have them.
Simple Conference Calls
The cream of the versatile features is the simple conference calls. Since all of your VoIP services use a converged IP network rather than a traditional phone line, starting a conference call just got so much more enjoyable with VoIP services. Additionally, video conference calls are so much easier as well. Although these sorts of conference calls are generally only used when face-to-face interaction is impossible, having this service a great addition to your business tool kit.
While traditional phone lines also let you host more than one caller at a time, you often have to pay a fee. However, these services are a VoIP phone's specialty. Instead of paying extra fees, conference calls are already included in your plan and waiting for you to take advantage of them. Simple conference calls that are free to use are a necessity for any business.
Efficient Client Interactions
In today's globally connected economy, businesses can be located anywhere. This often means that you will have to travel. With VoIP services, you can take essential calls and forward critical documents anywhere you are.
Recently, you may have seen the trend of eliminating voicemails among larger companies. While this move may not be your best bet, answering voicemails takes up a lot of time. But VoIP services lets you decide where you want your phone to ring and for how long. For instance, you may have the first three rings take place at your office. If you don't answer that phone, you can have it go to your cell phone for three buzzes and then your laptop for three more. This means that you don't have to miss any more calls. That is a bonus for your business.
Understandably, any shift in how you operate your business sounds suspicious. It may also be confusing, especially since there are so many phone services out there. Sifting through different contracts can only make this confusion and frustration worse. But know that having these services is an excellent improvement for your business. It can help you decrease costs and improve your productivity.