7 Key Differences Between Your Old Phone and Your New VoIP Device
VoIP is already the number one phone service choice, and given its steady growth, its presence is sure to expand. Why are so many companies moving to a VoIP device? The main reasons are flexibility, mobility, collaboration and reliability.
If you’re thinking about making the switch, you probably want to know the details about how VoIP outpaces your old land-line system. Consider this your guide to what you can get with your shiny new VoIP device.
1. More Flexibility
IP desk phones deliver a modern call experience, while mobile apps enable work from anywhere, and softphones give employees instant access to calls with just a headset. All of these options mean a VoIP device frees you from the tethers of your old phone. Employees can easily work from anywhere, using any device, with full access to all the communications tools they need to stay on top of their work. Seamless transition from desktop to smartphone lets them move about as needed, without missing a beat.
Flexibility is particularly important for smaller businesses that need to get maximum performance out of smaller teams.
2. More Mobility
If you want to attract and retain talented employees, you’ve got to provide them with a quality mobile communications solution. A VoIP device is designed to support mobility, which is critical to today’s on-the-go employees. Even those who spend most of their time in the office demand the freedom from their desk, but they still need to be reachable at all times. VoIP gives your team the mobile support it needs and wants.
Mobile apps for iOS and Android, as well as the ability to text co-workers from their business line with SMS, are just some of the ways a VoIP device supports mobile workers. Other possible features include Siri and Bluetooth integration, which keeps your employees safe with a hands-free experience while they’re on the road.
The ability to work easily from any location also increases employee satisfaction, increasing retention rates. And let’s not forget that happy employees perform better, which trickles down to more satisfied customers.
3. Better Collaboration
Logging extra hours at the office for a big project? Working from home so you can make it to your daughter’s band concert? No matter where you are, a VoIP device makes collaboration a snap. Join a conference call with a single click (yes, that means no annoying passcodes to remember!). Get a quick chat answer or text from a member of your team. In either case, individual and group messaging has you covered.
You can take collaboration to a whole new level with the right VoIP device–some VoIP phones actually include an application like Mitel Teamwork. Employees can communicate from any device, even starting a conversation on one and continuing it on another–seamlessly. Improve collaboration on projects using shared workspaces that track and assign tasks, and also share files. When each team member has a VoIP device in hand, deadlines meet their match.
4. More Productivity
What business doesn’t list increasing productivity among its top goals? A VoIP device helps you hit that target in more ways than one.
The days of basic call functionality on your old phone are in the past. The right VoIP system comes with game-changing features, such as audio and video conferencing, desktop sharing, individual and group chat, built-in VPN and business SMS. With so many options, communication is always on. Giving employees the option to communicate and share ideas over multiple channels gets the job done more quickly. Can your old phone do that?
5. Integrations
Modern businesses use a range of communications tools and systems to support their operations and serve their customers. Jumping from one platform another wastes time and makes it more difficult for employees to do their jobs. The right VoIP system, with the right VoIP device, provides all of the integrations a business needs to excel.
Simple email and calendar integrations let team members schedule events quickly and stay on top of the latest company and product information. CRM integration gives employees instant access to detailed customer and client data, making interactions more personalized. Web dialer and telephony integrations allow workers to manage calls from a web browser and connect directly from emails or calendar events. They can even view a contact’s presence to see if they’re free to talk.
You can integrate your business’s contact center with your VoIP device, too. A service such as MiCloud Connect CX offers intelligent routing, real-time and historical reporting, workforce management and other features that enable the contact center team to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
6. Great Reliability
Stop worrying about dropped customer calls and bad connections. A VoIP phone system that’s built on a reliable and secure network removes the headaches associated with outdated phones that break unexpectedly and are expensive to repair. MiCloud Connect, for example, is built on Google Cloud, providing the ultimate in reliability and security. Instead of worrying about whether or not a call will go through or how quickly a repair will get done, you can focus on strategic plans and growing the business.
MiCloud Connect also supports HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance and is deployed out of highly secure Tier 4 data centers, the highest rated data centers, with several layers of redundancy. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is.
7. Easier Scalability
Phones connected to land lines and wires don’t scale easily. There’s just too much hardware involved. It’s exactly the opposite with a VoIP device. Adding lines is simple and fast.
A VoIP device also allows you to mix and match the functionality necessary to best support your business. As your needs change, a VoIP system grows and changes with them. Upgrade permissions in real time. Subscribe only to the features your employees require. If you’re not ready for CRM integration, then don’t pay for it. If your team is small, opt for conferencing and sharing options for a small group so you don’t pay for seats you can’t fill. As you expand, you can increase your coverage easily–no hassle and no headache.
When your old phone goes to head-to-head with a VoIP device, the results are clear: VoIP wins by a landslide. Employees have access to a wider and more robust suite of communications tools and can access them from multiple devices, even switching between devices seamlessly. On top of all that, VoIP is easy to install and use. That means you can give a farewell call to your land-line phone. Make the switch today, and your team will be up and running on with minimal training and loving the power of VoIP. It’s a no-brainer.
This article was first published by Mitel.