What can a Voice over IP phone system do for my small business?
Nick Pegley
Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is a term used to describe the transmission of telephone calls using a data network, rather than over traditional phone lines. It is a simple concept, but one that is having a very significant impact on the world of business communications.
VoIP is itself enabled by a much broader technological evolution, namely the convergence of multiple forms of communication, including voice, video and data, into a single network. This transformation is creating a revolution in the way communications works, and it has the potential to offer major benefits to your business. It can help your company grow by broadening your communications capabilities, it can save you money on your telecommunications costs, and it can enable more productivity, mobility and flexibility in your workforce.
Many small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) around the world are already benefiting from the advantages of VoIP systems, many of which are well suited to these kinds of organizations. Here are some examples of why VoIP is making a major impact on business communications for SMBs:
It provides the ability to use an integrated voice and data
network at a lower cost than the separate parts.
It offers the
SMBs communications capabilities on a par with the largest of
companies.
It can open the door to new services and
applications that can drive additional revenue and help cope
with expansions in customer demand.
It can lead to increased
employee productivity by giving employees a more flexible means
of communicating and allowing more mobility, while increasing
the flow of information.
There are different ways for SMBs to take advantage of the benefits from VoIP. An upgrade to an existing phone system, when available, can allow VoIP communications between different locations, without any major disruption to the infrastructure in each office. Alternatively, a new VoIP system can be purchased to replace an old phone switch and open up new capabilities. Yet another option is to pay monthly for a Service Provider to provide a hosted VoIP system, without buying any capital equipment at all.
Small and medium sized businesses are often good candidates for VoIP systems, and have represented a majority of the early adopters of technology. While large companies have complex networks, with a multitude of different phone systems that can be difficult to integrate into a single converged network, small companies' networks are more straightforward, allowing an easier transition to VoIP.
However, some companies have found that there are complexities or difficulties that get in the way of them maximizing the impact of the new technology. Lack of good advice, a misconceived plan or a deployment by inexperienced personnel can all led to problems.
The keys to a successful transition to a VoIP based network start with a clear understanding of the business case behind it and an implementation plan that best fits the companys overall objectives.
There are certain circumstances, however, where the technology is likely to have a more significant impact than others. If your company is in one or more of the following situations you will tend to get a faster payback:
expanding and need or likely to need larger offices
have a
significant percentage of employees that travel on business or
work full-time or part-time from home, using laptops
making
acquisitions and need to integrate with other business
have
international offices
have a growing volume of incoming calls
have not replaced or upgraded their phone infrastructure in
the last 5 years
have a good penetration of Ethernet cabling
and have communications equipment that is less than 3 years old
operate in an industry with dynamic competition where strong
customer service levels are essential
Overall, VoIP based phone systems offer great potential for small companies and can help to keep costs under control while growing a successful business.
About the author:
Nick Pegley is President of smbINFO Inc a technology information
services company specializing in the needs of small businesses.
With more than 20 years of experience in the networking,
telecommunications and small business markets, Nick has seen
first-hand how small companies can use technology to become more
competitive, more responsive and more profitable when they know
how to use it correctly.
For more information visit www.smbinfo.com