If it were possible to both lower costs and improve relationships in business, most businesses would be hard pressed to ignore any tool that promised to do just that. But a new report from Marlin Finance suggests that it's not just possible: it's already happening. What's driving such a development? It's voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), a service that's offering great new potential thanks to low costs and a wide array of features.

Improving business relationships is top priority for a great many businesses out there, and for those that don't have it as top priority, it's likely at least near the top. As noted by Voxilla, VoIP service has the potential to improve relationships with businesses and consumers alike thanks to the features found in VoIP service. Many of these features focus on making a better overall user experience—things like call forwarding, auto attendant systems, and call conferencing can help callers reach the right person in a business or get the answers to certain questions—as well as smoothing out the occasional rough spots that happen in any call between a business and a potential customer, like call-waiting systems. Calls can be made more rapidly as well thanks to the nature of the service, and that in turn can help the company that puts VoIP to work develop a perception of being quick to respond to issues and offering an excellent customer service experience.

That's a great start right there, but there are further benefits to be had. While it's not a permanent substitute, VoIP service can be used to trim business travel expenses, allowing some calls to be conducted via Internet connection rather than in person. Savings on phone bills can also be had, particularly in terms of long distance or calls to other countries, both often part of a business' daily operations. What's more, with reduced travel in place, companies also get access to green benefits, producing savings of the environmental sort as well. With a plane trip regarded as six times less efficient than an equivalent trip by car—though there are issues of economies of scale with that one; a 747-8I can, at last report, hold 467 passengers, removing that many cars from the road—and a car contributing emissions of its own, even shutting down one trip saves both economically and environmentally. We have videos on this and several other topics available at this link.

This combination of benefits makes sense for businesses to take better advantage of; when a business can get more done, even if it needs to pay more to do so, it can make some sense, as long as the return exceeds the investment. When an investment reduces the amount that needs to be paid to operate, it likewise makes sense in the right situation. But when an investment can both improve operations and reduce costs, then it's particularly hard to turn away unconsidered. That's both sides of the standard profit equation—improve revenue and reduce costs—operating at the same time, and that can have significant bottom-line ramifications.

Putting VoIP—along with its close cousins like video conferencing—to work in a business has substantial possibility for improved business to offer its users, so considering how VoIP can work within each individual business is something to consider. Staying connected may cost money, but it also improves sales and overall perception of a business. Staying connected in a less expensive fashion, meanwhile, provides benefits on several levels at once.