What is one overlooked thing about VoIP that you wish more people knew about?
To help small business owners understand VoIP, we asked CEOs and business professionals this question for their best insights. From getting voicemails transcribed to texting from anywhere, there are several things to note about VoIP as you consider your options.
Here are nine things that small business owners should know about VoIP:
- Increase Your Productivity
- Enable Do Not Disturb
- Opt for Cloud Faxing
- Scale Communication With Ease
- Get Voicemails Transcribed
- Save Money Over Time
- Create a Local Number
- Text Message From Anywhere
- Plug Directly Into a Modem
Increase Your Productivity
The pandemic required business owners to use technology to streamline and automate business operations. One strategy that gained traction was the use of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Dropping landline services for a VoIP solution for your business phone line can result in cost savings and a more flexible way to communicate, especially with so many companies who are still working from home or have chosen to transition to remote work permanently. Like our company, VoIP is a powerful tool that increases productivity and profitability.
Anastasia Avgerinou, Comidor
Enable Do Not Disturb
I think something about VoIP that people may overlook is the Do Not Disturb (DND) function. I know. Why would you want to mute phone calls when VoIP is set up to help you assist with calls? But if you’re using a VoIP for your business phone, having a DND function can be really helpful if you’re going to be out of the office for extended periods of time. You’ll be able to set up a voicemail message that you’re out of the office with your return date, and if you get a call, it will redirect the call to the voicemail. This can give you peace of mind if you need to leave the office but don’t want to bother people with your phone incessantly ringing.
Guy Katabi, Lightkey
Opt for Cloud Faxing
One thing that is often overlooked about VoIP that more people should be aware of is the difficulty of faxing over an IP network or VoIP service. VolPs take all of the pieces in your communication and convert them into a series of data packets that are sent across your network and are reassembled to recreate the original. This has to happen extremely fast, and VoIP packets are very time-sensitive. Fax machines have very little tolerance for when any of these packets are delayed, which often means the fax arrives out of sequence. One option you have to solve this issue is to move to a cloud fax model. A cloud faxing solution, such as iFax, is an ideal platform for delivering faxes because users can send and receive faxes directly from the app with a trail of what was sent and received.
Eli Patashnik, iFax
Scale Communication With Ease
Because VoIP systems don’t require the installation of hardware that landlines do, scaling the number of lines your business needs is simple. This feature can be especially beneficial for businesses that are heavily impacted by seasonality. Adding lines in high periods and scaling back in less busy periods is simple with a VoIP system. Lines can also be reassigned from one employee to another. Convenience is a key advantage of VoIP.
Claire Routh, Markitors
Get Voicemails Transcribed
I feel that VoIP phone services, especially those offered via the cloud, offer too many benefits to ignore. Many of the tools your employees use every day, such as voicemail to Email or Text. Many commercial VoIP providers offer voicemail transcription as part of their service is something I wish more people knew about. This program converts all of your voicemails to text or email and sends them directly to your inbox. You can save time and still get the information you need by not listening to voicemails. The entire message may always be listened to later, but transcription is a great way to get important information quickly and easily.
Eric Rohrback, Hill & Ponton
Save Money Over Time
One thing about VoIP that I wish more people knew about is just how much cheaper it is in the long run than a traditional phone system. Sure, the upfront costs are expensive, but when you amortize this amount over the course of a few years, the cost is much cheaper. With that being said, you are also getting a superior solution that will make it much easier for your employees to connect with customers. It’s a win-win.
Darren Litt, MarketerHire
Create a Local Number
With VoIP, you can create a local phone number for any international destination. This allows you to communicate quickly and cost-effectively with clients anywhere on the planet. For example, if you live in the U.S. but have customers in Germany, you can create a German phone number to chat with your customers.
Randi Shinder, SBLA
Text Message From Anywhere
The company I use for VoIP is a game-changer. One thing that might be overlooked with VoIP providers is that it allows you to easily text message anyone from your computer. This is a much more efficient way of texting someone than typing a text message via phone. I use it to provide updates to my clients and clients seem to love it.
Tate Meagher, Meagher Law Office, PLLC
Plug Directly Into a Modem
I’ve heard people complain about the quality of VoIP calls when the issue is actually their WiFi. If you don’t have a good internet connection, then it doesn’t matter how good the VoIP service is because you are still going to struggle with lag and dropped calls. Instead, try plugging your computer or VoIP device directly into your modem via a wired connection. The result should be a much more reliable and stable voice connection!
Melissa Kelly, Virtual Team Building
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