Forget the high-tech features, VoIP phones make good business sense

There are four simple reasons to upgrade your business’s phone system to a VoIP solution: affordability, productivity, functionality, and security. Thankfully, you don’t need to know anything about IT to reap the rewards of internet-based telephony.

Affordability

VoIP systems are cheaper than traditional phones in Vancouver and throughout Canada. Full stop. It’s hard to put an exact number on the cost savings because calling rates and service plans vary, but there are a few constants:

• No new hardware is required to enable VoIP calling
• Managed IT services providers include VoIP systems in their support plans with no extra installation or maintenance costs
• You can add or subtract phone lines or features on the fly — no need to pay for a top-tier plan that only a few employees take full advantage of

Qualified providers can set up a new VoIP system in mere minutes. There’s no need to slowly phase out your old phone system, you’ll see telecommunications costs drop overnight.

Productivity

Can your employees make calls from work numbers while away from their desks? How much downtime is required to make changes to your analog phone system? Traditional phone lines are limited by outdated public infrastructure that’s expensive to update or repair. Despite a long list of features, VoIP systems are simpler and more reliable than traditional phones — especially when supported by managed IT services providers.

VoIP users make calls using software installed on office desktops, handsets, laptops, and mobile devices. The software is intuitive and easy to use, so onboarding is a straightforward and consistent experience that keeps employees productive at work, home, or from the road. All they need to do is open the VoIP app and make a call, and if they ever have issues IT support can fix problems remotely.

Functionality

Although we’re not covering them in this article, the list of high-tech features included in even the most basic VoIP plans is impressive. And since everything is software-based, new features are released like clockwork and enjoyed by long-term users and newcomers alike. For example, installing an automated voice attendant is as easy as installing an app on your phone, whereas this sort of upgrade on an analog phone system requires an on-site technician and extensive configuration.

The customizability of internet-based phones has given rise to Unified Communications, which combines voice, chat, and email into a single interface. Consolidating all your client interactions generates valuable business intelligence and creates new customer service opportunities that would otherwise require switching from phone system to computer and performing loads of manual data entry.

Security

Although making and receiving calls over the internet may seem less secure than traditional landlines, the opposite is true. For starters, VoIP systems encrypt audio data — a requirement for HIPAA and SOX compliance — and end-to-end encryption has no effect on call clarity or latency and surpasses the security of analog calls, which anyone can eavesdrop on as long as they have physical access to the phone cables or switchboxes.

VoIP also lets you monitor your entire telecommunications infrastructure from a single dashboard. The ability to see everything from connection rates to call durations make it much easier to spot suspicious activity on employee devices — which is especially helpful given the recent rise in phone scams and phishing campaigns.

Dyrand Systems has been helping Vancouver-based and international clients grow their businesses long before VoIP became a mainstream solution. Our technicians specialize in designing customized technology plans for companies in regulated industries such as finance, law, and insurance. Contact us today about a free VoIP-readiness assessment.