There’s no doubt about it; technology has revolutionized the way we do business. Whether it’s improving the quality of a product or service, or speeding up business processes, companies must keep up with current innovations if they want to remain competitive.
Although VoIP technically isn’t a brand new invention, it’s now more accessible than ever before, and if you haven’t already implemented this sophisticated communications technology into your business, you could be missing out on a myriad of great benefits.
What is VoIP and how does it work?
If you’re unfamiliar with VoIP, the chances are you’ve already used it many times before without realizing it, as platforms such as Skype, Zoom, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp all use VoIP technology to facilitate communications between parties.
In short, it works by taking your speech, converting it into compressed data packets, and then distributing them over an internet connection. Interestingly, the data can be stored, manipulated, and combined with other software before it’s sent out over your broadband line.
It’s an extremely useful technology that allows a business to make and receive calls from any computer, VoIP phone, or compatible data-driven device. It also gives access to tons of services, features, and benefits that are simply not available when using regular telephone lines. With that said, let’s take a look at the main advantages a company can enjoy from making the switch to a VoIP telephone service.
Lower costs
The lower a company’s costs, the higher its profitability. That’s why it’s in every business owner’s interest to seek areas where costs can be reduced without sacrificing quality or impacting sales. Let’s see how a VoIP can do just that:
- VoIP system’s operating costs are substantially lower than traditional telephone lines, making both domestic and international calling more cost-effective.
- You save time and money by only dealing with a single network provider. There’s no need for a business phone bill anymore as all of the phone, mobile, and data services can be moved into one package.
- In general, VoIP systems don’t have data limits or different price points for calls made during certain times of the day.
- There’s no need to install an expensive phone line to your business as everything is done online. Once you have chosen your provider, all you have to do is plug in and start callin.
Improves customer experience
Providing excellent customer service is vital to any business, which is why it is important to offer an accessible point of contact for your customers at all times. This helps to maintain a loyal customer base, improve customer retention, and allows businesses to recoup their customer acquisition costs and achieve sustained business growth.
With that said, let’s take a look at how a VoIP service can help improve your customer relationships compared to a regular telephone line:
- Improved audio quality
- Customer details are readily available on the screen (name, notes, sales history, complaints, etc.)
- Every call is answered
- Reduced customer waiting times
- Simple queries can be answered on an automated system
- Added features such as voicemail, automated attendants, and call forwarding
Some VoIP providers offer mobile apps that install an integrated phone system to your employee’s personal devices. This is great if you have any teams that work remotely as it means you don’t have to spend money on extra equipment or expensive installations.
If this sounds like something you would benefit from, check out the best VOIP that works with mobile devices to find the best solution for your business.
Boosts sales
Empowering your workforce with VoIP technology can help boost sales and improve conversion rates since your staff will have access to the latest and most important customer data live on the screen every time they are communicating with them.
Not only does this create an improved customer experience, but it also unlocks new sales opportunities that may have been otherwise missed. If a sales advisor has the ability to view an existing customer’s purchase history on screen, it’s far easier for them to recommend relevant upsells and cross-sells.
Secondly, as VoIP systems automatically route calls to an available agent, it means there will be fewer missed calls and squandered sales opportunities. Even if a call does go unanswered, the VoIP software can deliver a voicemail directly to agents’ email inboxes, who can then respond to the query as soon as possible.
Gives access to wider markets
Lastly, VoIP systems grant you the ability to expand into markets more efficiently, allowing your business to scale and attract clients globally. How so? Well, with most VoIP systems you can use virtual phone numbers that make it appear as if you’re calling from a specific city or country of your choosing.
This mitigates the need to set up a new office or customer service team in every country you wish to expand to, drastically reducing the barriers to entry in foreign markets. This is a fantastic feature as it’s widely understood that customers prefer when they feel like they’re dealing with a local business, and with VoIP, you can give off that very impression.
In Summary
Implementing a VoIP system is a great way to equip your business with the tools it needs to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and boost sales. Depending on what software you use in collaboration with the system, your employees can also benefit from increased mobility and flexibility thanks to the ability to access work calls on their personal devices. Lastly, VoIP systems allow call handlers to access important customer information in real time. This means they can provide a better experience for the customer which ultimately boosts business growth via increased sales and a higher level of customer satisfaction.