VOIP Communication: Improving Your Business’s Communication Network
New technologies and techniques are constantly being created, many of which bring innovative methods of operating a business. One such technology is VOIP, or voice over internet protocol. Put simply, it is a form of communication that enables traditional phone services to transmit voice, in the form of data packets, over the internet.
This technology alone can work wonders for a business’s communication network, both internally and externally, yet despite it having been around for some years, many businesses seem blind to the benefits it could bring. This is also true for other novel communication technologies, such as Whatsapp or CRM platforms, though the effects of the pandemic have seen a steady uptick in the use of these technologies.
That said, the rate of adoption is still very slow. Innovative technologies that stand to streamline business operations and improve customer interactions are not used to their full potential, much to the detriment of businesses that refuse to upgrade their communication network.
While it’s true that making any sweeping change to a business presents its challenges, refusing to take advantage of new technologies is a surefire way to make a business obsolete. With communication being such a core part of any business, regardless of industry, it only makes sense to keep it in competitive condition. To that end, here’s how VOIP and other communication technologies can benefit your business.
Improved communication increases efficiency
One of the main areas an improved communication network effects is efficiency. Smoother communications quicken the rate information travels around your business, thereby equipping your employees with what they need in order to act. The quicker your employees know what needs to be done, the more productive and efficient the workplace becomes.
Several tools exist that can help improve your communication network. The first, and our main focus, is VOIP. By implementing VOIP across your business, your employees will have an effective means of communication throughout the workplace. While this is of course beneficial, this is a minor point in comparison to the main benefit, that being the ability to communicate effectively and securely from almost anywhere in the world. Naturally, this brings considerable benefits to workplace efficiency as your employees will always have a good line of communication should they be away from the office. Additionally, as employees will have greater control over where they can work, they are much more likely to be happier. Needless to say, higher employee satisfaction makes for a much more efficient workplace.
In light of the pandemic, this benefit has been made clear, as organising employees working from home without a strong communication network has been a nightmare for many businesses. Were they to have built it up beforehand, the trouble caused would have been mitigated.
While certainly an effective option, implementing VOIP is not the only means of improving your business’ communication network. Other methods exist, such as the use of Whatsapp or other, similar, communication apps. By integrating such apps into your communication network, you can rely on the speed and ease of access provided by instant messaging, rather than on email, a means of communication that is more cumbersome in comparison.
Streamlined communication improves customer experience
Similar to how VOIP allows employees to work away from their desks, customer calls are made more flexible too. Once set up, VOIP allows employees to answer calls not only from their workstation, but from home and also on trips, provided they are equipped with a laptop that has access to your business’ communication network. Additionally, VOIP allows for other employees to easily jump in and out of calls, making troubleshooting problems that bit easier. If your business can accommodate customer calls more flexibly, your customers will thank you for it.
An additional benefit to using VOIP is the data that comes with it. By using VOIP for your customer interactions, you can easily collect data on where your calls originate, peak times for calls, and how long they last. The benefits for doing so are twofold; with this data, you are better equipped for accommodating your customers and streamlining how you provide assistance, whilst also gathering good data that can be used in employee training. The positives to improving customer service speak for themselves, while improving your employee training cuts down on time and resources spent bringing them up to speed, in addition to achieving a higher level of performance more quickly.
VOIP reduces communication costs
Lastly, though certainly not a dull point, is the costs VOIP can save your business. This can be in several forms. Firstly, by investing in VOIP and making your network more flexible, any employees working from outside the office will reduce costs simply by not using office equipment and utilities. Over time, this will be quite beneficial, but isn’t the end of what VOIP can save you.
International calls are a considerable drain on any business that interacts with customers on a global scale. They aren’t cheap, and once a business grows large enough, they are an inevitability. However, by implementing VOIP communication, you can cut the costs of international calls significantly. This is largely due to VOIP using the internet to make calls, rather than traditional means, which allows call rates to be much more competitive. This is true regardless of device, or whether you intend to make or receive calls.
Final thoughts
Improving and updating your business’ systems is important, and that goes for your communication network too. Though older technology might be doing the job for now, it is quickly becoming obsolete, and a less efficient option compared to newer alternatives. VOIP is one such alternative, offering a much higher quality of life to both your business and your customers, boosting productivity and efficiency throughout the workplace, and even saving you some money on communication costs.
Considering the benefits offered by VOIP, alongside some other communication technologies, businesses should make it a priority to take advantage of this young, but more than effective, communication technology.
