VoIP for Business has become commonplace in the business and personal marketplace.  Most businesses use it, bringing them many benefits.  The increases in Increased remote working and working from home following the restrictions imposed by the pandemic has meant many more small businesses using VoIP for Business.

Originally VoIP meant a level of expense that put out of the reach of the smaller business, but shelf-units and PC-based virtual PBX software have brought VoIP for Business well with the reach of even the smallest business and SoHo users.   The increasing availability of Internet access, especially the roll-out of fibre to the home, is also providing benefits to digital telephony. That has, in turn, driving a need for VoIP in smaller businesses.

Before VoIP, whenever an employee left the building they were by and large uncontactable, with the possible exception of catching them at a client, at home in the evening or in their overnight accommodation. This meant communications between staff, the office, and each other were difficult at best.  All that has changed with the advent of affordable Business VoIP. Simply put, with Business VoIP and its inbuilt video-conferencing capability, individuals and teams need never be uncontactable, inside or outside the office. It is now possible to be truly mobile.

The Benefits of Voip to Small Businesses

Cost Benefits

Cost savings are probably the leading reason for adopting VoIP.  A leading cost-saver in being able to call individuals or multiple attendees using VoIP is a great cost-benefit.  Because the transport is now the Internet, rather than the PSTN,  toll charges can be pretty much avoided.   This is particularly beneficial in calls and conferences involving long-distance and international connections.

Improvements in the Mobility and Accessibility of Staff

The ability of smart devices like tablets and smartphones to support VoIP calling over WiFi brings great benefits in accessibility and mobility.

Staff can make and receive voice and video calls and join the group and individual video conferences on their smart device anytime and anywhere.  Other VoIP features such as call forwarding and pick-up, voicemail placing and retrieval are available, though depending on the specific handset.

For remote workers, what is has changed is WiFi availability at both clients’ premises and in public spaces.  WiFi is common in business, and many public spaces provide free WiFi, either themselves or through their tenants.  Most hotels now have free WiFi for guests, and some municipalities provide it as a public free service.

Remote and mobile workers can now connect using a VPN to the Internet and the corporate network from anywhere that has WiFi coverage.

Remote and mobile workers can now be full members of the workforce.

Business Profile

Using VoIP can significantly improve the business profile of a small business.  Automatic call forwarding from a remote office to a central depot or call centre can give the impression that the business is local.  A business can give the impression of being a national or even international business. Other image enhancement techniques are to create departmental numbers, for example, calls to “Sales” are directed to a single extension.  This gives the impression that the organisation is larger than it is.   Using a SIP profile on a smart device that allows it to act as a network extension means that individuals are in touch with the phone network wherever they happen to be in the office or on-site, again enhancing the image of the organisation.

Improvements in Workplace Efficiency

As an example of improved efficiency, staff no longer need to always organise formal meeting locations and facilities for video conferences.  All participants can participate from where they are.

Workplace efficiency and effectiveness can be greatly enhanced by having staff available anywhere and any time. This will bring significant improvements to the company’s business profile.

Looking at VoIP for small businesses, the business accrues significant benefits from adopting it throughout the organisation.  It reduces communications costs and improves communications among the staff. Finance is delighted with the reductions in comms costs. Management look at the improvements in intangibles like customer relations and teamwork and staff morale.