Cloud-based phones, otherwise known as voice over internet protocol (VoIP) is becoming increasingly popular over the years. But how do you know it is time to make the switch? Here are 6 signs that it is time to upgrade to VoIP telephony.
- More of your employees are working remotely
After the success of remote working during the pandemic, many employees are turning to permanent remote contracts or hybrid office models for flexibility in their working patterns. VoIP can keep up with this – as long as you have a device that is connected to the internet, it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, your call will still appear as though it originated from the office.
- Your communications protocols are inefficient
Traditionally, business landlines, mobiles, text messaging, email, and other communication methods have been operated through totally different applications across multiple devices. As you can imagine, this can make communications extremely inefficient.
To improve the efficiency of your communications, consider investing in unified communications tools such as voice, data and mobile services by Gamma. Instead of having to search for what you need, you will find everything you need in one, easy to use software.
- Phone systems are prone to outages
Traditional phones are extremely prone to outages, which is particularly concerning in 2022. This year has seen its fair share of storms – this month alone has witnessed the aftermath of Storm Malik and Storm Corrie, followed by the arrival of Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice.
Whereas natural disasters can potentially knock down outdated infrastructure which leaves traditional phones unable to function, VoIP systems are hosted in the cloud, and thus can still be used as long as you have access to the internet. Even if your VoIP system goes down, problems can be troubleshooted remotely and fixed instantly.
- It costs too much to run
Switching to VoIP technology can save you an average of 32 call minutes daily, roughly saving businesses around 30 – 50% of their telephony costs. And, it’s only going to get cheaper – it is estimated that VoIP costs will decline between 3 and 5% annually, as more advancements and innovations come to fruition.
- You are planning to expand or downsize
If you are looking to expand or downsize your business, this will likely require you to manually install or uninstall telephone handsets and extension numbers. This can take a long time, especially if you are completely moving offices.
However, with VoIP, your phone system can grow with you. Users can easily and instantly be added to your package through the online portal. This means you can scale your VoIP to perfectly suit your needs, never paying for what you don’t use, and without the need to wait for any new handsets to be installed.
- Poor quality
Having a poor-quality phone line can make businesses seem unprofessional. Your call cutting out part way through a conversation could be the make or break to you winning a customer. As traditional phones send and receive data throughout every call, this can lead to poor sound quality, broadcasting feedback and crackles. On the other hand, VoIP systems broadcast and receive voice data in high definition, keeping your calls crystal clear.
And there you have it – 6 signs that it’s time to upgrade to cloud-based telephony in 2022.
