Over the last year, enterprises have become more familiar with the latest videoconferencing technologies. But when they shift from an application-based conference call back to their business phone system, company leaders are often surprised to notice the drop in quality.
The biggest reason why is the underlying difference in technologies.
The history of residential telephone service in the United States dates all the way back to Wisconsin in 1877. Early phone systems used simple wiring to carry voice communications. Switchboards were established to direct calls – not only by the private telephone company Bell, but by counties and cities around the country.
The heyday of the telephone switchboard system lasted only about 20 years. Automatic switchboards quickly came to replace the manual ones that required operators to memorize every telephone subscriber’s name.
But what about the wiring that actually carries voice communication?
Truth be told, it has not advanced too dramatically. Standard copper wiring is a mainstay of the telephone network. The cabling materials and standards used today would not be all that strange to the earliest phone installation technicians of yesteryear. And that has significant implications for any business phone system.
Subsequent decades have brought changes that improve the capacity and resiliency of the phone system. But especially here in Central Florida, its limitations are evident. Summer storms and other major weather events can put a business phone system out of service even when the cellular phone network is still running.
Today, a business phone system needs revolution, not evolution. And that means voice over IP.
Voice Over IP Ushers Your Business Phone System Into The 21st Century
Because of Florida’s unique geography, it has often been one of the last places in the United States to introduce new telecommunications infrastructure. This is a vexing issue for companies that rely on their business phone system as one of their key connections with customers, vendors, partners, and investors.
Voice over IP (VoIP) is the solution.
VoIP pivots the focus of your telecommunications technology stack to what is most likely the strongest tool in your arsenal, your high-speed internet connection. A VoIP business phone system enables you to perform all calls over broadband internet. It also supercharges you with features a traditional phone system can’t match.
Choosing VoIP means you don’t have to worry about rewiring your office or introducing new hardware that adds cost and complexity. If you are already using broadband, then a complete switchover to VoIP may take as little as a few days – and that investment can future-proof your business for many years to come.
Here are some crucial signs you need a new business phone system:
- Low voice call quality, including things like static, echo, and audio distortion
- Dropped incoming calls, especially during times of peak customer call volume
- More frequent and noticeable problems as your business grows and scales
- Declining customer service or call center KPIs, potentially with staff complaints
- Growing need for mobile and other features not included in an existing solution
When you look for a business phone system, you will still find many that don’t embrace the benefits of VoIP. But now is the best time to make the leap. In the coming years, VoIP will be a critical plank in communications convergence for business – tying together mobile and site-based telecom systems for seamless integration.
This is especially vital for those Florida businesses who are considering a mobile-first approach to work – or reconsidering the conventional office footprint for something entirely new. Technology is what makes fresh business models possible, and your VoIP system is essential to becoming more nimble and flexible.
A VoIP Business Phone System Fuels Innovation With Forward-Looking Features
Quality concerns are a common driver of the decision to look for a new business phone system. But the choice to upgrade to VoIP doesn’t just maintain quality of service – it expands your capabilities in ways that no other phone can match. Installed correctly, it has the potential to mature into a true competitive advantage.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the VoIP features businesses care about most:
1. Complete Mobile Integration
These days, your workforce can’t afford to be tethered to a desk. An older business phone system is entirely handset-based, meaning most features stay in the office. VoIP means you can break free, empowering your field sales team, remote workers, and others with a mobile phone command center that goes everywhere they do.
2. Telepresence And Collaboration
Telepresence breaks down the barriers of distance, helping you make a presentation or give a report as if you were actually in the room. VoIP telepresence is backed by compatibility with a wide range of the most popular productivity apps, so your full toolkit is at your disposal no matter the situation.
3. Native Video Conferencing
Companies from coast to coast enjoy the power of video conferencing, but they aren’t in love with the price tag. Instead of paying an extra “per seat” licensing fee for video conferencing, you can have it all right onboard your phone system. That makes software incompatibility a thing of the past, too.
4. 24-Hour System Monitoring
VoIP makes your business phone system part of the cloud, allowing it to tie into other managed cloud-based services. Atlantic Communications Team will safeguard your phone system 24 hours a day, seven days a week to diagnose and troubleshoot issues before they develop into disruptive problems.
5. Centralized Call Data For Training
With VoIP, you can collect an unprecedented amount of data on each phone call. Precision data capture can proceed flawlessly across any call volume, equipping managers to help line employees perform better on the phone. At last, your phone system wraps easily into your continuous improvement strategy.
6. Unparalleled Call Quality
Say goodbye to muffled, distorted calls and hello to crisp, crystal clear sound quality no matter the weather. If your current business phone system is struggling under the strain of peak hours, VoIP will give an instant boost to the professionalism of every call that the public is sure to notice.
7. Scalability For Growing Businesses
Older phone systems simply were not built to flex, grow, and move with the times. VoIP puts complete phone customization at your fingertips. As with any cloud-based IT service, you pay for what you use, not for what you don’t. Efficient deployment allows you to rapidly stand up a new location or expand an existing one.
8. Robust Data Security
Many business leaders are not fully aware of the dangers of unsecured telephone infrastructure. Your business phone system is a potential vector of attack like your desktops, smartphones, and other network endpoints. A VoIP setup can be configured with built-in data security features to control the risk.
From copper cabling to fiber optic to wireless, Atlantic Communications Team leads the charge so Central Florida businesses like yours can benefit from the best technology available. To learn more about business phone systems from the pros, contact us today.