Small Business VoIP Channel

Small Business VoIP

Small Business VoIP Featured Article

August 16, 2011

Small Business VoIP - The Best May Be yet to Come

By Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor

It’s easy to assume that small business and VoIP should go hand in hand. After all, VoIP was the business tech catch phrase just a few years ago. Today, VoIP has become a standard in telephony and small businesses are benefitting from the cost savings. One question on many IT managers minds when it comes to small business VoIP: what’s next?

This was the question asked in this Small Business Computing article. The technology behind small business VoIP has certainly not changed, but the quality, number and maturity of VoIP applications has definitely grown. The true answer to what’s next is not found in the technology, but instead in its ability to drive Unified Communications (News - Alert) that small businesses can leverage for optimal performance and efficiency.

Small business VoIP will become the foundation for the Unified Communications (UC) in any business. Without this technology, video conferencing wouldn’t be possible. This platform allows for collaboration between employees while they work remotely. At the same time, video conferencing cuts travel costs.

Business processes are also expected to become simpler with the use of small business VoIP. Communication-enabled processes that can run over small business VoIP enable employees to work on a document at the same time and then collaborate over the Web, video or IM. The implementation of such technologies can help the small business to meet deadlines and budgets.

The implementation of small business VoIP also allows for the introduction of mobility. This is considered to be a significant competitive advantage for small businesses. As the number of remote employees increases, wireless VoIP will continue to evolve from a luxury to a necessity. It also enables single-number access, regardless of the location of an employee.

Open source VoIP is another option to extend out the benefits of small business VoIP. Open source options prove to be more affordable, yet they can also be more difficult to implement. Open source does offer significant room for customization, yet can be intimidating for those not as familiar with the technology.

When considering small business VoIP, a company should keep a few things in mind. First, even with improved capabilities on today’s networks, bandwidth is still a commodity. It is important to ensure the service provider can support the applications being moved to the small business VoIP platform. Second, security is always an issue and IT managers have to be on their toes with VoIP applications. Communication should be secure, accessible and conducted in accordance with industry-specific regulations.

Small business VoIP can be a great asset, when it is leveraged and managed appropriately to drive success.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.

Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Stefanie Mosca