Is your business still hung up on a landline system? Do you find you’re missing out on sales because your current phone setup isn’t accessible, portable, or scalable enough? Is your speed dial more of a slow dial?
There’s a reason that traditional phone systems are known in the industry as POTS. It stands for Plain Old Telephone Service , and the description is right on the money. POTS is snail-paced. outdated, bereft of special features, and won’t provide the platform you need to get the most of your staff and resources. But what will?
Well, as it turns out, the future of communication also has a handy, four-letter acronym – VoIP . It stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and, long story short, allows you to make and take calls over the internet.
We won’t get too caught up in the ins and outs of how VoIP works, though. And we don’t need to convince you of VoIP’s popularity – its 204.8 billion existing corporate subscribers should account for that. No, what we’re really interested in is the question of what VoIP can do for your business.
Should you adopt VoIP? If so... why?
The answer is productivity, of course. VoIP systems have been shown to increase workplace productivity by up to 20%, but their importance goes beyond what the statistics suggest. So read on for our top four reasons why you should ditch the copper wire, and boost your business productivity with VoIP.
1. Less overheads, more productivity
Sources seem to be conflicted about how much VoIP will save your business. Telzio’s research, for instance, suggests switching to VoIP can reduce a small business’ telecom costs by up to 50%. Tech.co, however, claims businesses can save 40% on local costs, but a massive 90% on international ones .
So, though the numbers don’t always agree, the common theme is this: VoIP saves you money . But how does this increase productivity?
Well, research tells us that happy workers are 13% more productive. So consider this – the less you’re paying for a telephone system, the more money you can devote to making sure your staff are happy.
Whether that’s splashing the cash on a company picnic, handing out a few bonuses, or hiring Tony Robbins to come and give an inspirational team talk, there are plenty of ways to boost morale around the office.
Your employees will appreciate the effort, and they’ll be both happier and more productive.
2. Packed with features
VoIP systems are, quite simply, stuffed full of features designed to boost business productivity.
Let’s take conference calling, for instance. Almost half (45%) of meetings in the workplace happen via conference calls – yet it’s still not a feature you’ll see included in any bog standard POTS telephone. VoIP, though, connects everyone to the same network; allowing you to facilitate video conference calls in HD , and improving office-wide collaboration to boot.
But wait – there’s more. VoIP also offers an intelligent call-forwarding system, channeling rings through to the right person, so you’ll never miss a call. On top of this, you’ll get call waiting , auto-attendant , and smart voicemail features, all included as standard.
As well as happier customers and a more streamlined workflow, VoIP’s range of features provides your staff with the arsenal of tools they need to deliver a superior level of service, and achieve maximum productivity. Not bad, huh?
3. An accessible, flexible solution for remote work
It’s the 2020s, and the workforce is more mobile than ever before. A preference for flexible hours has replaced the standard 9 to 5, and remote work is fast putting paid to the reliance on office-bound collaboration.
It follows, then, that you need a solution that’s as adaptable as your business is.
Here’s where VoIP comes in. Remember, all VoIP calls are made through the internet, rather than relying on a single line to manage call traffic. This means your employees can make calls on the go, from wherever they are in the world – whether it’s closing a deal from the hotel bar while traveling, or contacting a lead from their own living room.
Basically, VoIP frees you and your staff from the anachronistic confines of desk-based work.
Plus, VoIP ties in with the increasingly popular BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) strategies helping companies thrive. This empowers employees to use their own devices for work, and in turn makes for a more mobile, more versatile, and – most importantly – more productive workforce.
4. Use data to drive decisions
Growing a business is hard enough. But, when you don’t have any idea what you’re doing well – and what could be improved – the task of scaling up your operations becomes all the more difficult. That’s why you need the insights VoIP has to offer.
A VoIP system allows you to log calls, track wait times, and record calls . So how does this help?
Well, let’s take VoIP’s call recording ability as an example. You could use a recording from a call made by top performer Julia and play it to the wider team, so they can learn the secrets of her success. Likewise, if Jamie is struggling, recording his calls could help you both identify where his blind spots are, and enable him to improve.
VoIP also integrates with a large suite of different productivity-boosting software throughout the workplace. It functions particularly well with CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tools; making it easier to sort prospects, leads, deals, and existing clients – and call them with a click.
Before you go, ask yourself a question.
“Does my current phone system satisfy the unique demands of my business?”
And we’re not only talking about you. We’re talking about your staff, your stakeholders, your reputation, and your all-important customers.
If the answer to that question is a ‘no’, then bad news – you’re doing all of the above parties a disservice. The good news, though, is that there’s something you can do about it.
Switching to a VoIP telephone system will save you money . Its innovative call features are a necessity in today’s fast-paced working environment, as are its capacity to enable flexible, remote work. Better yet, it’ll slot straight into your business’ existing set of tools – allowing you to gain (and employ) insights from a day’s work, in order to plan for the future.
So, now you know that VoIP will improve your business’ productivity – we’ve taken care of that. Now, the next (and only) step is to adopt it at your business...
… we’ll let you do that part