Benefits of VoIP for small businesses

One of the biggest misconceptions in the business telecoms industry is that VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) systems are only suited to large organisations.  In actual fact, VoIP is perfectly suited to small and medium-sized enterprises in all industries, even start up organisations. VoIP phone systems operate over an internet connection and offer a number of benefits for SMEs.

Call Quality

Call quality is arguably the most important factor for SMEs to consider when choosing a phone system. Call quality will directly impact the opinions of those calling your business so high call quality is essential. VoIP offers better call quality than traditional phone systems working on analogue lines due to the internet connection it runs through.

Multi-functionality

VoIP phone systems offer more features than traditional phone systems. They offer other communication services such as; instant messaging, teleconferencing and video calls.

The video conferencing capabilities that VoIP offers are a huge differentiating feature. Video conferencing saves small businesses a lot of travel costs and also means that remote workers can remotely attend meetings. Video conferencing isn’t a VoIP add-on or upgrade, it is a standard feature of VoIP technology. So, if you have a video-enabled device, such as NT Multimedia, you will be able to make video calls as standard.

Security

Unfortunately, telecoms fraud is becoming more and more popular in the UK with businesses four times more likely to be affected by telecoms fraud than credit card fraud. For small businesses security is especially important as a security breach would cost large amounts of money to correct, not to mention the knock-on effect on the company’s reputation. Fortunately, VoIP systems are actually more secure than traditional analogue telephone connections. This is because data within the calls is passed through terminals which are routed to the appropriate destination meaning the information is encrypted.

Portability

With the number of remote workers increasing at a rapid rate flexibility is essential. Small businesses often have a number of remote workers so having a phone that can be used both at work and at home is important. VoIP phones offer portability as they can be used anywhere, offering accessibility for workers who aren’t always physically in the office.

Extra Features

VoIP phone systems come with a lot of “added extras” as standard, compared to traditional phone systems. These features were created to make processes easier and more automated. The auto attendant feature means that callers get to the correct department much quicker. Advertising on hold, professional voicemail, CTI and professional voicemail are just a few of the many features associated with VoIP phone systems. Call recording, which is entirely compatible with VoIP phone systems, is essential for small businesses as it can be used for internal training and can resolve disputes, saving small businesses money.

Cost Effective

Although the price isn’t everything, it does count for a lot (especially when it comes to start-up businesses) which is why VoIP is such a good alternative to a traditional phone system. The system itself is cheaper to purchase and install with very little hardware costs. In addition, as calls are made over an existing internet connection the call costs are significantly cheaper when compared to traditional phone systems.

If you are looking to upgrade your small business telephone system get in contact with our sales staff who will be willing to answer any questions you may have.

Want to find out how our telephony solutions can help you increase your productivity and reduce your costs, or just some friendly, impartial advice on the best tools to make comms a breeze? Contact us today via our live chat, 0333 3603 723, or email enquiries.uk@enreach.com.