Business VoIP

Types of Business VoIP

There are three types of Business VoIP, each with advantages and considerations for businesses seeking to improve their communication capabilities.

• Hosted VoIP: Also known as cloud-based VoIP, a third-party service provider provides and manages this solution. Hosted VoIP systems are hosted on remote servers and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, making them highly flexible and scalable. The service provider takes care of maintenance and upgrades, freeing up businesses from the hassle of managing their phone system.
• On-premises VoIP: This type of VoIP system is installed and managed on the business's servers and equipment. On-premises VoIP systems are for larger organizations that wish to have complete control over their system, but they also require more significant upfront investment and ongoing maintenance costs. Since all the equipment is on location, it only supports workers at that physical site.
• Hybrid VoIP: Hybrid VoIP combines traditional telephony and internet-based communication technologies. By blending elements of a Digital Phone System and an Internet-based (VOIP) Phone System, calls are made and received using SIP Lines, Digital Lines, and/or even Analogue Lines. A hybrid telephone system can be considered a stepping stone between a traditional analog phone system and a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) phone system.

Hosted and on-premises VoIP systems offer similar features and functionality, including call forwarding, voice mail, and call waiting. Still, the choice between the two will largely depend on the specific needs and resources of the business.

Benefits of VoIP and Why Your Business Needs It

There are numerous benefits of using business VoIP:

• Cost savings: VoIP eliminates the need for separate phone lines, long-distance charges, and expensive on-site equipment, reducing the overall cost of business communication. Businesses typically spend around $50 per line per month for a traditional landline phone system (POTS) which covers only local (and sometimes domestic) calls. In contrast, VoIP plans are significantly more affordable, with rates starting at less than $20 per line per month.
• Increased flexibility and mobility: Business VoIP can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, allowing employees to stay connected and productive from anywhere. Furthermore, VoIP can adapt to employees' working habits, allowing them to work remotely without being physically present in the office. Employees can work from anywhere using their computers, smartphones, or tablets, making the VoIP system a versatile and flexible solution for modern businesses. VoIP provides business continuity in the case of a disruption of service at a business's location, such as a natural disaster, power outage, or unexpected event.
• Higher scalability: If given a choice, most business owners would opt for a phone system that can scale with the growth of their business. Fortunately, VoIP offers a solution that eliminates the need and the lead time to purchase and deploy costly hardware or dedicated lines as the business expands. With cloud-based VoIP, businesses can easily add new lines and features in minutes to accommodate their growing communication needs, making it a cost-effective and convenient option for businesses of all sizes.
• Versatile features for any team: By utilizing features such as call forwarding, simultaneous ring, call waiting, and automatic call distribution, businesses can provide their customers with uninterrupted access. Additionally, VoIP systems offer extensive features that may not be available with traditional phone systems, including SMS messaging, efaxing, audio and video conferencing, and more. These features make VoIP an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes looking to improve their communication capabilities.
• Call Quality: VoIP technology offers a superior calling experience with clear, crisp sound quality and no issues of latency, lag, or call dropouts. This is possible due to innovations such as faster IP networks and advanced audio compression, allowing VoIP phones to deliver exceptional sound quality that rivals or surpasses traditional phone systems. With these advancements, businesses can enjoy a seamless and high-quality communication experience that enables them to better connect with their customers and stakeholders.

A reliable and efficient communication system is crucial for success in today's fast-paced business environment. Business VoIP provides a cost-effective and flexible solution that can help businesses stay connected, improve collaboration, and enhance customer service, making it an investment worth considering.

Do You Need a Business VoIP System?

Your business may need a VoIP phone system if you are experiencing the following issues:

•  Remote and on-the-go workers that need softphone applications (on a computer, tablet, or cellular phone)
• Limited features
• Inadequate visibility and control of a system
• A costly or end-of-life on-premises phone system        
• You are growing and need to quickly and affordably connect additional staff and locations.
  
  

Challenges of Business VoIP: How to Ensure a Successful Implementation

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) provides a cost-effective and flexible alternative to traditional on-premises phone systems, making it an attractive option for businesses seeking to improve communication and collaboration. However, despite its many benefits, implementing a VoIP solution can have various challenges impacting the project's success. 

1. Planning and training prep: The success of a VoIP implementation also depends on user adoption and training. Determining who will represent the company's interests during the procurement and implementation processes is essential. This individual or team should have a clear understanding of the implementation process and be able to ensure that it is executed efficiently and effectively. 
2. Network preparation: Another common challenge is ensuring that your network infrastructure has the capacity to support the increased network traffic. VoIP calls rely on a stable and high-speed internet connection to function correctly. Businesses must ensure that their network infrastructure, including routers, switches, and cabling, can handle the additional traffic without compromising call quality or causing downtime.
3. Cost management: Cost is another important consideration when adopting a VoIP system. While VoIP can offer significant cost savings over traditional phone systems, businesses must be careful not to underestimate the expenses associated with the transition. These costs include hardware purchases, software licenses, configuration, and installation fees. By carefully evaluating the costs of VoIP and planning for these expenses, businesses can smoothly transition to a more modern and cost-effective communication system that meets their specific needs.
4. Security is still crucial: When it comes to Business VoIP, security is paramount for protecting sensitive information and communication channels. This is why it's important to choose a VoIP provider that implements 2-factor authentication, encryption, firewalls, and anti-virus software to prevent unauthorized access and safeguard against potential cyber threats. Additionally, regular software updates and security audits can ensure that the system remains up-to-date and protected against the latest security risks while also staying compliant with industry standards such as HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI-DSS to protect sensitive data.
5. Consider the business: Business VoIP systems are complex and require a detailed understanding of the system's requirements, which makes it vital to establish a realistic timetable for the transition. This timetable should consider factors such as the availability of staff, time to port phone numbers, potential downtime, and the need for additional infrastructure or equipment. Additionally, businesses must decide what to do with their old phone system, whether it will be sold, recycled, or repurposed. Finally, it's essential to plan for the worst-case scenario, such as unexpected downtime or technical issues, by having a contingency plan to minimize disruptions to business operations. 

12 Must-Have Business VoIP Features

VoIP technology has revolutionized the way businesses communicate. It has especially proved to be a game-changer for small and large companies that need to handle calls efficiently and effectively. When choosing a VoIP solution for your business, it is essential to ensure that it has the following ten must-have features:

#1. Auto Attendants 

Sometimes also called a virtual assistant, an auto attendant is a voice menu system that routes callers to the correct agent or extension without the intervention of a human receptionist. 

Auto attendants can improve customer satisfaction because they optimize call handling. Customers are more likely to get routed to the right person initially, with a reduced risk of dropped calls. They also improve employee productivity because employees only receive calls they're qualified to handle and don't spend time manually answering and transferring calls. 

#2. Voicemail to Email

Voicemail to email is a convenient feature that allows businesses to receive voicemails directly in their email inbox. This eliminates needing to call into a voicemail system and listen to messages individually. With voicemail to email, employees can easily manage and prioritize their messages and even forward them to colleagues for quicker response times. 

This feature can be a game changer for businesses looking to improve communication efficiency and productivity for multiple reasons: 

• Voicemail to email is highly convenient for businesses with remote workers or employees who travel frequently, as it allows them to access their voicemails from anywhere with an internet connection.
• This feature also helps businesses to stay organized and efficient by keeping all voicemail messages in a centralized location that can be easily searched and retrieved.
• Additionally, voicemail to email can provide security for sensitive business communications by ensuring that voicemails are delivered directly to the intended recipient's email inbox.
  
  

#3. Video Conferencing

Video conferencing enables real-time audio-visual communication between two or more remote participants, fostering constant dialogue and team collaboration. With features such as screen sharing, meeting recording, and file transfer, it is ideal for product demos, live presentations, webinars, and online interviews, making it a vital tool for remote teams who can't meet face-to-face.

#4. Interactive Voice Response

An interactive voice response (IVR) works in tandem with Automatic Call Distribution (ACD). This technology allows customers to select an option that best describes their needs by pressing a phone button or voice command. IVR systems can handle basic requests such as paying bills, finding account information, routing to the correct department, or finding hours and locations.

These IVR menus allow customers to do some of the work independently, freeing more agents to handle more complex queries or requests. The most effective IVR menus include no more than five options and always allow people to speak directly to an agent. 

#5. Virtual Fax (VFax)

Vfax, or virtual fax, is a feature in Business VoIP that allows users to send and receive faxes online rather than through traditional fax machines. With Vfax, faxes can be sent and received via email or online, eliminating the need for physical fax machines and associated costs such as paper, ink, and maintenance.

Additionally, Vfax offers features such as digital signatures, automatic archiving, and the ability to send and receive faxes from anywhere with an internet connection, making it a convenient and efficient solution for businesses. This saves money on the cost of physical fax machines and paper supplies, streamlines communication, and makes storing and organizing important documents more accessible.

#6. Call Parking

A VoIP system allows call parking, where you put a caller on hold in the cloud. A parked call can then be answered by anyone in the organization by dialing the park extension number. This is particularly useful for businesses that rely on teamwork and collaboration, as it enables users to quickly transfer calls to colleagues without physically moving to their location. Call parking also allows for efficient call handling during peak call volume, ensuring that customers are not left on hold for extended periods of time.

#7. SMS Text & MMS Messaging

SMS (Short Message Service) is an essential communication tool for businesses utilizing VoIP technology. SMS and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) messages can be sent and received from any device with an internet connection, making it easy for businesses to stay in touch with customers, partners, and employees regardless of location. SMS and MMS can be used for various purposes, such as sending appointment reminders, providing order updates, and sharing important news or announcements. By incorporating SMS and MMS into their VoIP strategy, businesses can improve communication efficiency, enhance customer engagement, and, ultimately, increase revenue.

#8. Enhanced 9-1-1 (E911)

The E911 feature is a critical aspect of Business VoIP systems that provides enhanced emergency services. This feature includes:

• Direct Dialing of 911 (Kari's Law)- This allows individuals to directly call 911 in an emergency without dialing an additional digit or prefix to access an outside line.

• Specific Dispatchable Location (Ray Baum's Act)- This requires businesses to provide specific dispatchable location information to emergency responders to facilitate quick and accurate response in case of an emergency. An example is - office #203, on the second floor, hallway A, on the right.

•  Address Detection and Verification-This feature automatically detects and verifies the caller's location through IP addresses, which helps ensure that emergency responders can quickly and accurately locate the caller in case of an emergency, even if the caller is unable to provide their location. 

• E911 Dialed Call Notification- This aspect of E911 notifies designated personnel or groups when a 911 call is made from the system. This feature provides an additional layer of safety and security by alerting the appropriate personnel to the emergency situation, allowing them to take appropriate action quickly.

With E911, businesses can ensure that emergency services can quickly and accurately respond to any situation, enhancing the safety and security of employees and customers alike. 

#9. Call Recording

VoIP phone systems include software for recording calls, an indispensable feature for many businesses. Call recording is the process of capturing audio or phone conversations for training and documentation purposes. This feature lets you quickly capture, playback, and archive audio files to gain valuable insights into every customer interaction. Once activated, all incoming and outgoing calls are securely converted into audio files. Other advantages of call recording include the following: 

• Compliance: In specific industries, most notably in financial services, all verbal communications must be recorded for the purposes of monitoring by the government. 
• Liability reduction: Miscommunications potentially lead to costly lawsuits, and call recordings can help reduce the chances for legal action. 
• Improved security: Companies that record their communications see fewer inappropriate calls and interactions than those that don't. 
• Sales coaching: Managers can use call recordings to coach and train sales teams, providing feedback on areas for improvement and identifying successful techniques.
  
  

#10. Call Transcription and Sentiment Analysis

The latest must-have VoIP feature is call transcription. While a recording is often helpful for training and quality control, it's not easily analyzed or searched. Call transcription allows your company to treat every call as part of a vast data set that can be analyzed to glean all kinds of insights. 

And thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), call transcriptions have even more power when combined with sentiment analysis (SA). This feature is the process of mining customer data (in this case, call transcripts) using keywords to determine emotions and attitudes. On an individual basis, this means that callers who appear angry can be routed to agents who are adept at handling difficult situations. On a larger scale, sentiment analysis results can provide a holistic view of customers' feelings, which is valuable for sales, marketing, and product development. 

#11. CRM and Third-party App Integration

Your business is an incredible mine for customer-service data and insights--but only if you're tracking the action. Integrating your VoIP system with your CRM and other apps (such as Microsoft Teams) allows you to maximize the value of this data across your organization. 

A CRM integration makes call data available immediately, without your employees having to manually enter notes about each conversation. Meanwhile, your sales and marketing team can use these insights to better understand customer behavior, which can help refine buyer personas and marketing strategies. 

#12. Softphone/ Mobile Applications

Softphones and mobile applications are essential components of a business VoIP system, allowing employees to make and receive calls from anywhere using their preferred devices.

• Softphones are software applications that can be installed on a computer or laptop, enabling users to make and receive calls using a headset and microphone.
• Mobile applications, on the other hand, allow employees to use their smartphones or tablets as a VoIP endpoint, providing them with the flexibility to work remotely without compromising the quality of the communication. 

Maintaining and Optimizing Your Business VoIP System

VoIP systems have become an integral part of modern business communication. The technology offers numerous benefits, including cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and scalability. An optimized and secure VoIP system is essential to protect your business communications and ensure that sensitive information is confidential.

Maintaining and Optimizing Business VoIP Systems with Analytics

To get the most out of your VoIP system, it is important to optimize its performance. You can maximize performance by tracking and reviewing analytics, ensuring you get the most out of your VoIP system. This includes:

• Update software and hardware: Regularly updating software and hardware ensures your VoIP system operates optimally. This includes updating the operating system, firmware, and applications. Upgrading hardware components, such as routers and switches, is also essential.
• Test and evaluate: Regular testing and assess your VoIP system are critical to ensure it functions correctly and identifies potential issues. This can be done through regular performance monitoring, stress testing, maintenance, and audits.
  • Tracking usage patterns: Analytics can also track usage patterns on your VoIP system. This includes information such as the number of calls made, the duration, and the times of day when calls are made. This information can help identify trends and patterns, which can be used to optimize the performance of your system.
  • Monitor network performance: Your VoIP system's performance heavily depends on your network's quality. Analytics can be used to monitor network performance, including metrics such as bandwidth utilization, jitter, and packet loss. By monitoring these metrics, businesses can identify any issues affecting network performance and take action to resolve them.
  • Optimize resource utilization: VoIP systems consume a significant amount of bandwidth, and it is vital to ensure that this resource is used efficiently. Analytics can monitor resource utilization, including the amount of bandwidth consumed by different applications and devices. 
• Keep security measures up to date: Keeping your VoIP system secure is essential, including updating security measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption. Regular security audits and software updates can help protect your system against potential threats.