If your business makes or takes phone calls, you have at least one good reason to get away from traditional phone service and adopt a new telecom system based on internet protocol (IP) telephone service. If you have VoIP phones now, there may also be some benefits in changing the system and vendor that you use. Why? Technology evolves and prices change. A system with more capabilities and better call quality may cost less than your current IP telephone service. Finally, the world is rapidly moving away from Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) technology.
The Logic of Transitioning Soon
Technological change is leading us away from old copper phone lines that handle calls and technology that supports voicemail, conference calling and call forwarding. Businesses need a wider range of telecom services and have been getting them from a range of software providers, plus the phone company. Beyond those basic facts of technological evolution, the reasons for making an early transition vary by industry, and even by company within an industry.
A cloud-based system is more than just a phone. The technology supports remote video calling, conference calling, and more. Some vendors advertise a “unified communications system” covering voice, video, messaging, conferencing, and content sharing.
As technology changes, so do peoples’ expectations. Most everyone expects a click-to-talk function on a mobile-friendly site. While implementing that functionality is a web development challenge, the technology behind it is an IP telephone system.
Benefits of VoIP Telecommunications
VoIP telecommunications (or IP telephony) offers improvements in quality, lower cost, and new and valuable productivity tools.
- Higher call quality
- Improved productivity
- Enables remote work
- Cost savings
- Scalability
- Flexibility
DirecTech can help you work out the actual cost and savings for a VoIP system in your specific business. Let’s look at those benefits in more detail.
Better Call Quality
Assuming there’s good Internet connection, a business and its customers should enjoy better call quality with VoIP than without it. Video calls should also offer clear audio and stable video performance to make virtual meetings more efficient.
Improved Productivity
Typically, your VoIP provider offers features like Web conferencing, video calling, and call forwarding, systems that follow users wherever they go. These may be premium features, but they are often worth it.
Easier Remote Work
With the ability to have your phone follow you, web conferencing and conference calling a VoIP phone system makes it much easier to collaborate with a geographically dispersed group. If your business employs remote workers or uses a hybrid work arrangement like three days in the office and two at home, the argument is even stronger for going to IP telephony as soon as possible. Remote workers can be more productive than workers who must be at a physical office location each workday.
Reduced Telecommunication Costs
How much can you save? To get a rough estimate, a VoIP line costs $10 to $35 a line, depending on features and the usual variations in different vendors’ prices. Compare your current phone bills to the cost of operating the same number of VoIP lines. Then consider the set-up cost for that service, anywhere from $100 to $500 per line. This is the cost for using a virtual, cloud-based phone service versus the cost of purchasing your own hardware and software.
How much does the set-up cost? It depends mainly on whether you want to get all your telecom services from a vendor or set up your own system. Set-up costs, mostly in the form of phones and routers, can cost several hundred dollars per employee, just for phones and internet service. Outsourcing everything to a unified communications provider results in some considerable cost savings.
Getting new phone lines set up through a large telecom company is going to cost more. Then, the monthly billing per line is almost certain to be higher than an IP telephone service. Compare your current carrier’s rates to what a specific VoIP provider would charge. Paying less to add a new line or two is only one way that VoIP service is better for a growing business than traditional landlines.
Support for Business Growth
Adding new phone lines would be expensive. And, even if that is not an issue, adding new phones and phone numbers will cost money. A VoIP system will almost always be easier to scale up as your company adds users. Adding new capacity will be faster than getting a new phone line installed too. You might be able to save a little more by using softphones, software that looks and performs much like a regular telephone. This is a function most IP telephone vendors can provide.
Enhanced Flexibility
Your IP telephone system will be easy to use regardless of whether an employee is in the office, at home, or on the road. It will be easier to convert from in-office to hybrid work or let some employees work remotely. Their business IP telephone number can go with them wherever they work. In theory, this could reduce the need for office space and associated costs, creating indirect savings for each worker who no longer goes into the office every weekday.
Leverage the Power of Internet Protocol Telecommunications
Using an IP-based phone system to handle calls and other telecom needs is a sound decision for so many businesses that still rely on POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) lines for voice communication. Many Los Angeles companies using VoIP now could benefit from looking at the newest technology, with an eye to getting more for their money. If you would like to learn how DirecTech can help your business harness the power of VoIP communications, contact us to set up a short consultation.