Considering Options with Business VoIP

For a business, there is probably no greater asset than the telephone in all its forms and technologies. Communications with customers and with fellow employees is vital. Organizations today need to be global and operate in real-time, and have room to grow. They also need telephony features that were once complex, such as conferencing, “find-me-follow-me” and presence. At the same time, they need to keep costs down and reliability up, which means using a solution that offers flexibility and good call quality. For all these features, organizations of all sizes are turning to business voice over IP, or business VoIP.

If you’ve made the decision to go with business VoIP, you’re not alone. The technology, however, comes in different flavors and configurations, so before you spend money, consider your company’s needs and budget.

According to Kyley Del Bosque writing for Business2Community, companies have a number of options. You might choose a peer-to-peer system, which enables internal communications but doesn’t involve the public network. You might choose “VoIP in” or “VoIP out” calling, which allow outside calls only into and out of your VoIP network respectively. If your needs a broad, you may wish to choose a two-way service that allows all sorts of calls in both directions.

“Your company’s specific needs will depend on the business applications you have in mind,” wrote Del Bosque. “Consider your employees and the work they do. For example, sales reps who place a lot of calls to potential customers will probably want the capability to dial outside their network, while customer service reps will care more about the capability to receive calls, not place them. It all depends on the workflows you’re managing.”

While you’re making the decision about the type of business VoIP that will work best for your organization, be sure to speak with your IT team and ensure you have the right hardware and network for the solutions you’re considering. Reliable broadband Internet connectivity is a must for a successful business VoIP system. New business telephones may or may not be necessary, depending on the provider and type of solution you choose.

“If you have a good understanding of what you need in a VoIP system and how it will fit into your overall plans, you can begin to look for a provider,” wrote Del Bosque. “You want one that’s reliable, affordable and well-suited to your company and the industry you operate in.”