Everyone knows who Alexander Graham Bell is, but why don’t we teach our kids about Alon Cohen? We acknowledge how revolutionary the telephone was, but we also know a thing or two about technology new and old. In 1989, Mr. Cohen invented an audio transceiver that went on to become what we know today as voice over IP (VoIP). Fast forward 28 years to today and VoIP has got traditional phone systems on the ropes.
Do web-based voice communications have what it takes to knock Mr. Bell’s telephone down for the count? Yes. While the average VoIP salesman will pitch you on the mobility of virtual phone numbers that redirect to whatever device end-users are currently logged onto or web-based voicemail inboxes, VoIP is so much more than that.
Quality
The most relevant place to start any conversation about VoIP technologies is call quality. It’s one of the most persistent myths about the service, and one of the most common reasons companies don’t adopt it. To be fair, this misconception was borne out of a real problem that has long since been solved. In years past, data entering and exiting your network could be likened to a three-lane highway packed full of your staff’s internet requests. If you made a VoIP call while others were streaming cat videos and downloading oversized files, your call would probably sound as though it were recorded in a less-than-metaphorical traffic jam.
With cutting-edge technology from the team at Spectrumwise, your network will benefit from a sort of digital flyover lane for your VoIP traffic. This lane rushes your calls to the front of the line while it pushes the video of Bugsy pawing his newest toy in the back of the line — where it belongs. As long as these protocols are in place, your calls will always be a top priority, and the audio quality will reflect that.
Features
Call quality being on par with legacy phone systems is great, but it’s not exactly a reason to make the switch. What will convince you is all the extra features accompanying a professionally installed and managed VoIP solution. Gigantic corporations have been hogging the best enterprise-level phone features for decades, but today even the most cash-strapped businesses can enjoy the likes of automated call menus, hold-line messages or music, and virtual queuing — all easily customizable from an intuitive and user-friendly online dashboard.
Those additions may attract some new sign-ups by creating a more professional face for your organization, but they’re not going to keep the lights on if implemented alone. Deeper functionality such as call analytics, and integration with communication and customer relations management software is where the real money is made. When you get the most out of these services, you can enjoy up-to-the-minute information that enables you to tailor your message and strategy to individual clients.
Expanding your VoIP network
We’re bearing down hard on public switched telephone network solutions, and our next blow comes right on the nose. As your company grows, there are two ways to augment your voice communications. Within the traditional system, this process involves notifying your provider you need more lines and want to schedule complicated and time-consuming hardware installations and wiring. Worst of all, this process will be subject to technician availability and building capacity.
With managed VoIP services, it’s as straightforward as making a request. Purchasing more hardware is totally optional, and adding lines doesn’t take any longer than it does to create new user logins and profiles. This flexibility means your budget zeroes in on exactly what you’re using instead of roughly estimating future needs in an attempt to avoid more technician visits. Speaking of budget, it’s time for our knockout punch…
Cost savings
Arguments for and against just about any small business solution always boil down to price. And no matter how much we talk up the sound quality and extra features, the deciding factor for most companies will almost always boil down to whether or not VoIP costs less money than traditional telephone solutions. If you haven’t gathered already, our years of experience has shown us one thing: internet-based voice communications are the cheaper option in 99% of workplace scenarios.
With advances in technology, buying new phones isn’t even a prerequisite for migrating to a VoIP-based communications framework. And the perks don’t stop there; in most cases you’ll enjoy free calls to anywhere in the world. By eliminating setup and maintenance fees in favor of a low monthly subscription, you’ll be upgrading your phone system and paying less — in most cases approximately 50% less.
Partnering with Spectrumwise is a win-win. Our years of experience allow us to examine your business model and apply a special brand of technology to cut costs and improve capacity and performance. You get reliable, managed technology, and we get a new business partner. With our VoIP solutions, dialing a phone number could be as effortless as clicking a link. Unfortunately, you’ll have to pick up the phone and dial us yourself this time around — call today.