If you own a small business and are considering using a cloud-based voice service, you might have some questions. For instance, what are the benefits? How much would it cost? What, exactly, is “cloud-based” voice and what does VoIP mean?
Well first of all, VoIP is cloud-based phone service. VoIP stands for “Voice Over Internet Protocol” and is exactly what it sounds like: a voice service that uses the Internet to make calls and utilizes offsite servers in the cloud to store data. And it turns out there’s quite a few benefits to using a voice service in the cloud.
Here are seven reasons your small business could really use a VoIP service.
1) The price is right.
The cost of cloud-based voice service depends on the size of your company, the service provider you utilize, what features you would want included, and many other factors. However, it does not have to be expensive.
At the most basic level, cloud-based voice service can cost just a few-hundred dollars a month (or even less for a small business). Typically there is a set price for all of your features, dial tone and even equipment that’s priced per your employee user (also referred to as “per station” or “per seat”).
Often, VoIP is much less expensive than premise–based phone services, especially when taking any usage-based domestic calling plans into account, as VoIP service providers often bundle long distance minutes into their predictable monthly recurring fees. Additionally a VoIP set up usually requires far less hardware.
2) You get invaluable data that will help run your business.
With a cloud-based voice service, you can more easily track and collect data that will help you run your business. Through available data solution options, you can easily store information you collect in your phone calls. With VoIP, you can even send your voicemail messages straight to your email inbox, making it easier to retrieve those messages without having to access your desk phone or dial into a voicemail system.
3) Phone call routing is easy to adjust.
When you use a premise-based phone system, it is much more labor-intensive to manage how calls are routed and especially difficult to make “on the fly” changes to how calls are handled.
However with a VoIP setup, in the event of a major weather event or loss of power in your building, any authorized person on your team can quickly change the routing of calls and can do so from home, on the road, or anywhere that they have access to the Internet.
4) Customer service is improved.
With better technology, data integration, connections, and call logging, the cloud can help you improve your customer service. Because you can track call information better, you can immediately pull up a customer caller’s account information on your computer and quickly get on to the business of answering their questions and concerns.
Customer service is an important part of your business, and improving it in any way can greatly improve your overall business. Moving your voice services to the cloud is a quick and painless way to upgrade your customer service, and do so in very short order.
5) You can be more productive.
What does all that ease of access do? It allows you to do everything more quickly and more accurately, which means that you are going to start being more productive.
Additionally, the cloud lets you be more productive in more places. Business VoIP phone systems can be set up on mobile phones, providing freedom of movement for your business; you can stay connected to your customers and continue working whether you are at home, at a business conference, in between meetings, or commuting.
6) It helps you focus on your business.
The easier you make your communication solutions, the more time you have to focus on your business. With cloud-based voice integrated with Unified Communications, you can handle many of your businesses needs at once. You can also easily connect your business to the resources it needs even if those resources are on the other side of the world. VoIP can free up telecommuting options for your business, which means you can find and hire the best employees without having to worry about geographical limitations.
7) It is easy to use.
Overall, one of the best benefits to a cloud-based voice service is that it’s easy to use. The user interfaces can be customized according to individual preferences, and regular software updates keep everything up and running.
Is this kind of voice service is right for you?
Connect with us today and let us show you how to get the most from the cloud.
