4. VoIP Benefits

  1. Cost Savings


    The number one benefit you’ll get when you switch to a VoIP solution is cost savings.  First, you’ll save on your monthly phone bill- since calls cannot be originated geographically, long distance charges can’t be attached.  If you make long distance or international calls frequently, this can add up to several thousands of dollars a month in savings.

    You’ll also save on the maintenance and equipment costs that come along with traditional phone systems, especially if you choose a hosted system that routes calls through the providers’ location first, before routing them to your office. 

    VoIP service providers also offer advanced features and upgrades for far less than they would cost using a traditional phone system.  Any way you slice, it. VoIP is just cheaper all around, without sacrificing quality- that’s why most people switch.


     
    Increased Productivity


    An incidental benefit of switching comes in the form of increased productivity.  This can be especially apparent at a large company with multiple office locations, where calls might need to be transferred to a different geographic location.  Using traditional phone systems, it’s virtually impossible (and a lot more expensive in terms of setup and equipment costs) to transfer a call from an office in San Francisco to an office in New York.  With VoIP, this is easy.  You can have calls transferred to mobile phones, computers, or any other location that is able to take the call. 

    This can result in huge productivity gains.  If customers, vendors, and employees are able to communicate more effectively, everybody wins.



    Extra Features


    VoIP phone systems provide many “standard” features at a cost far less than that of an analog or even hybrid digital phone system.  You’ll have the following options available in a VoIP plan:

     

    Call Blocking –Numbers listed as “blocked” will not be ring to your phone.


    Call Forwarding – Incoming calls can be forwarded or transferred to a different phone number or to another employee- even one in another city.

     

    Caller ID – The number of the person calling is displayed on your phone or computer screen.

     

    Voicemail – This feature works the same as it would on a traditional phone.  Unanswered calls are transferred to a voicemail account, where callers can leave a recorded message.


    Faxing – Faxes can be sent and received.


    Conference calling – Callers can speak with multiple parties at the same time.

     

    Here are some advanced features that rely on computer-telephony integration (CTI) technology:

     

    Auto-attendant, hold music or hold information – Calls can be answered outside regular business hours by an automatic answer function, where callers can hear hold music as their calls are transferred to the appropriate voice mail box, or recorded messages about your business.

    Outlook Integration – You can make and receive calls using your Outlook email box.

    Find Me/Follow Me –This feature routes calls to different phones in a pre-determined order, for example, by ringing to your desk phone first, then your cell phone. 


    Conferencing     – VoIP allows for videoconferencing in conjunction with a webcam or other device.

     

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