Communication is important in every business, and having a reliable phone system is essential. Traditional phone lines are becoming increasingly obsolete with the introduction of flexible working and cloud-based technology. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) allows businesses to make and receive calls via an internet connection, as opposed to a traditional line. This means greater flexibility, lower costs, and generally more features that can help improve the day-to-day operations for businesses.
If you are thinking about upgrading your phone systems, here are 5 reasons why your business should adopt a VoIP phone system.
1. Reduced Costs
One of the huge advantages of switching to VoIP that businesses often don’t realise, is the huge saving in communication costs. Traditional phone lines rely on analogue phone lines or expensive ISDN, whereas VoIP uses your existing internet connection to transmit calls. Many VoIP providers also include:
- Unlimited UK landline and mobile calls
- Competitive international call rates
- No expensive maintenance contracts
- Lower installation costs
VoIP provides a cost-effective solution, without compromising on call quality. For growing businesses with multiple office locations or remote workers, VoIP is perfect as internal calls between users are often free, regardless of location.
2. Supports Flexible & Hybrid Working
Hybrid working is the norm for many businesses now, any employees expect to be bale to work seamlessly from home, the office, or while out and about. A VoIP phone system makes this possible, meaning staff don’t miss out on important phone calls. As the system is cloud-based, the business phone number can be accessed from almost anywhere using desktop / mobile applications, laptops and also IP desk phones.
This means that employees can answer calls wherever they are, ensuring customers continue to receive the very best customer service. Calls can also be easily transferred between colleagues, and voicemails can be accessed remotely without relying on physically being in the office.
3. Improves Customer Experience
Customers expect to be able to contact businesses easily these days, and VoIP telephone systems help to make this a little bit easier, with the following features:
- Auto attendants
- Call forwarding / routing
- Voicemail to email
- Call recording
- Call queues
This also helps to reduce the pressure on receptionists, as automated greetings can direct callers to the correct department, and voicemail-to-email means that important messages can be passed on directly from the caller when employees are otherwise engaged.
4. Scales With Your Business
When a business expands, traditional phone systems have to be updated and often more hardware needs to be purchased. Let alone the costs associated with getting an engineer out to programme the new system. VoIP makes things much easier, as adding a new employee is as simple as creating a new user account and assigning them a phone number.
This makes VoIP perfect for businesses that have fluctuating numbers of staff, as users can be added or removed easily without significant expense
5. Future-Proof Your Business
The UK’s phone network is currently undergoing a huge change, and Openreach are getting rid of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) which essentially means that traditional analogue services are being removed as digital communication moves into its place. Businesses that are still relying on traditional phone systems will eventually need to make the move over to internet-based services such as VoIP.
By thinking about this in advance, businesses will not face any last-minute disruptions, and will benefit from modern communication technology straight away. VoIP platforms also integrate with other business tools such as Microsoft Teams – allowing employees to communication through several platforms.
Is VoIP Right For Your Business?
Whether you are a smaller business looking to reduce costs, or a larger organisation that is focused on supporting hybrid working, moving to a cloud-based phone system can provide the following benefits:
- Lower communication costs
- Greater flexibility for remote working
- Improved customer service
- Easy scalability
- Future-proof communications
At Reality Solutions, we provide tailored VoIP solutions designed to meet the needs of your individual business. From helping businesses move away from traditional phone lines, to integrating your comms with Microsoft 365, our team can ensure a smooth transition with minimal disruption to your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
| What is a VoIP phone system? | A VoIP phone system allows businesses to make and receive phone calls over the internet instead of traditional telephone lines. |
| Is VoIP cheaper than a landline? | In many cases, yes. VoIP can reduce line rental costs and often includes unlimited UK calls within monthly packages. |
| Can I keep my existing business phone number? | Yes. Most VoIP providers can transfer your existing business numbers during the migration process. |
| Does VoIP work for remote employees? | Yes. Staff can answer business calls from a desktop app, mobile phone or IP handset wherever they have an internet connection. |
| Will VoIP replace traditional phone lines? | Yes. With the UK’s traditional copper telephone network switch-off, businesses will need to move to digital phone services such as VoIP. |
*This article contains general information in order to assist all of our customers and is meant for guidance only – there are no guarantees that the information we provide will be suitable for your particular needs. If you require specific assistance, we recommend that you seek professional guidance on your individual circumstances. Reality Solutions are in no way responsible for any loss or damage arising from any information contained within our articles.
