Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has been proven to be able to deliver significant benefits to the organization, yet some still have not made the transition to this technology. Some businesses have neglected to make the leap due to fears of potential implementation costs, quality issues or putting their network at increased risk.

 

The fears are not uncommon and in fact, research shows that many small and large enterprises are uncertain about the benefits that such technologies can provide. According to Forrester Research, 55 percent of North American and European companies reported that they are confused about the value that unified communications, including business VoIP, can deliver to their organization.

 

As this confusion continues, so does the barrier to expanding business VoIP implementations. For the most part, companies do understand VoIP – how it works, how it is implemented and why it is beneficial for the company. But, if they fail to understand how it can blend with unified communications platforms to deliver optimal performance, ROI and increased efficiencies, they are less likely to implant VoIP at all.

It is for these reasons that business VoIP vendors must first set out to educate their customers as to why VoIP makes sense for the business, whether it is a small company or a large enterprise. Nextiva offers affordable business VoIP solutions specifically for small to medium-sized businesses. With Nextiva, all the essential business VoIP features, such as Automated Attendant, Voicemail, flexible call forwarding and find me/follow me, are included in all its business VoIP packages.

One of the most important things to highlight in the education step with the customer is that VoIP has come a long way since it was first introduced into the market. What was once considered a risky endeavor that delivered less than desirable call quality is now a secure, high quality technology that can lower communication costs, streamline processes and allow for increased mobility.

 

Forrester Research has determined that mobility is a top priority for companies in 2008, with 64 percent of respondents citing it as a priority and 23 percent calling it a critical priority. In order to continue to increase mobility and extend to companies the functionality they want to be efficient and productive, a move toward business VoIP makes sense.

While it is true that there are no one size fits all solutions for the enterprise, the reality is that VoIP does make sense for businesses of all sizes in more ways than one. It delivers greater functionality and flexibility, to help to promote mobility and most importantly, it drastically reducing communication costs while maintaining expected levels of quality.

Companies such as Nextiva, which focus on delivering business VoIP to the enterprise, design products and support options that ensure that the needs of the business are met in a single solution. In doing so, the company helps to promote greater adoption and satisfaction.