The numbers don’t lie. Over 50 percent of U.S. businesses are tapping the powers of IP-based technologies, such as VoIP, to get ahead, save a buck and look like a pro.

A recent study from the folks at Voxilla.com says that companies are saving an upwards of 80 percent on communication costs with VoIP, and they have provided the top ways in which VoIP has given businesses a leading edge when it comes to how they operate on a day to day basis.

For one, VoIP increases productivity. How? VoIP is the technology behind remote working, therefore it helps those of us working at home do our jobs better, since working from home is known to boost overall output and work efficiency. In addition, VoIP keeps everyone connected, literally, no matter where people are located geographically, without costing an arm and a leg. The benefit there is pretty measurable in both cost and time.

Another way VoIP helps is it keeps people mobile. Mobile VoIP expands the call cost advantages of VoIP business phone systems to mobile or geographically dispersed workforces. Staff can make calls from their mobile phone as if they were sitting at their workstations, without incurring excess mobile charges. By integrating business VoIP technology on mobile phones, staff can access VoIP features that can increase productivity, including call forwarding, call recording, three way conference calling and software integration.

VoIP is cheaper to implement, so combined with the savings of hiring employees virtually, the trend to virtualize is something we’ll likely see more of in the future, along with expanding VoIP adoption.

VoIP also allows businesses to take advantages of features without paying extra fees. This includes voicemail, caller ID, conferencing, forwarding and “follow me,” making it easy to work remotely from any place with an Internet connection.

Another way VoIP gives businesses a boost is via its scalability. VoIP solutions are easy to add extra lines to, as they are most often priced per line, so it’s easy to use only what you need and add or take away as necessary.

The growing adoption of VoIP makes it easier for companies to employ more features in their phone systems. The increasing recognition of a need for efficiency with lower costs within an organization is an influence that's helping to drive the acceptance of VoIP in the business world.

Given all of its features and how said features have improved business function, it’s no wonder VoIP has managed to stay relevant and current amongst legacy technologies.