The Associated Press reports that New York State has seen a 55% drop in landline phone usage over the last 10 years, and some experts estimate that landlines will be completely obsolete by 2025. Landlines are being replaced by mobile and voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones in homes as well as businesses.
VoIP phones offer all of the features of PBX and other complex phone systems at a fraction of the cost, and often come with features unheard-of in landline systems. You can listen to your voicemail in your email, utilize call diversion, call presence, and call recording, and partake in conference and multiparty audio or video calls with ease.
However, the benefits VoIP phones can bring to your business don’t just stop there.
Dramatically Cuts Costs
The simplest VoIP systems only require a computer in order to make a call, while the most complex require specialized wiring and equipment. However, even the most sophisticated system can save your business money in the long run
According to ComputerWorld.com, when the Seattle Times Company switched their phone system from PBX to VoIP in 2001, their dial charges dropped from $50,000 to $2,000. Because they only needed one LAN wire to supply both the phone and the computer, their cable installation costs were cut almost in half.
Oregon Corrections Enterprises’ call center needed to expand its call capacity while also reducing costs. Within 60 days of installing a VoIP system, their monthly telecom charges dropped by 40%. (Case Study, Dialogic Corporation, 2007).
Automated Call Statistics
VoIP telecommunication systems can help your business by providing automated calling statistics for your staff. You can use this information to your advantage to analyze your sales staff’s efficacy and time usage.
Call statistics break down each salesperson’s daily, weekly, and monthly call activity. It registered the number of total calls made, the number of calls that were answered, the length of each call and its total cost.
One Number Everywhere
Whether you’re in the office, at home, or on your mobile phone, VoIP can route callers to a variety of phones on your system so that you never miss a call. You can also make calls from any device on your system, and your business name and number will always be displayed in the recipient’s caller ID.
This feature helps keep you connected to your customers no matter where you are, and makes you look more professional by always having a consistent number on display.
Emergency Recovery
Keeping your phone system on a hosted VoIP server can protect your business in case of an emergency or disaster. Whether it’s struck by fire, flood, or blizzard, your business can keep functioning no matter what’s happening outside its doors.
If you can’t get to the office, you can transfer your VoIP phone to your laptop or mobile phone, preventing a disruption in your business.
If your VoIP system is hosted in the cloud, you can have all your data – including messages, voicemails, etc – backed up and easily accessible anywhere.
The market for VoIP phone systems is expected to reach to nearly $76 billion in revenues by 2015 according to Infonetics Research, a market research firm. Furthermore, the number of VoIP customers is predicted to increase by nearly a factor of ten – from 47 million in 2010 to almost 410 million by 2015.
VoIP phone systems offer a wide array of features that both mimic traditional landline systems as well as go far beyond anything previously thought possible for a business phone system. Take advantage of the unique qualities of a VoIP system to improve your business in ways you never dreamed of.
Photo credit: voicebuy.com
Source: http://www.resourcenation.com/blog/voip-improving-your-business-in-ways-you-never-knew/35430/
