An Overview of VoIP Phones

VoIP, or voice over IP, is a way to make and receive calls over the internet. It allows you to avoid telecommunication costs and use new technology to streamline business communications.

It would be best to have a broadband connection and a computer or specialized phone to use VoIP. These devices connect to your IP network through a router or gateway.

Cost

VoIP phone service is an excellent value for money, and it can save you a lot of time and effort. It’s also inexpensive for international calling, so it’s a perfect choice for global companies communicating with multiple locations.

However, VoIP phone services can also come with hidden costs and a confusing set of fees that may need to be clarified at first glance.

The cost of VoIP phones varies from provider to provider, but a good rule of thumb is that it’s usually less than a legacy phone system. In addition to the initial cost of a new VoIP phone system, you will likely also pay for ongoing expenses such as maintenance and service fees.

Call Quality

Call quality is a critical factor to consider for your business. If your customers are experiencing choppy calls or need help understanding what you are saying, you may lose customers before you can build rapport.

You can also negatively impact your brand image when you provide poor-quality communication.

Jitter is a common cause of VoIP call quality issues and can be fixed by using jitter buffers to prevent packets from arriving out of order.

Bandwidth is another critical factor for VoIP call quality. Enough bandwidth allows your internet network to accommodate the volume of voice traffic it carries without dropping or compromising voice quality.

Packet loss is a common VoIP call quality problem caused by faulty connections and network congestion. Telecommunications experts recommend a packet loss rate between 1% and 2.5% for acceptable quality.

Call Routing

Call routing is a VoIP feature that allows businesses to direct live calls to specific departments or agents. It helps reduce hold times, prevents endless calls from being transferred to multiple agents, and improves the overall customer experience.

The process of routing calls varies depending on several factors, including customer needs, the time of day, agent skills, and more. Regardless of which route is chosen, it is essential to continually optimize the process so your business can get the most out of its phone system.

The process starts with the caller providing information to the auto-attendant or interactive voice response (IVR) menu. This information can include the caller’s name, account number, or other criteria the system admin has set.

Mobility

A key benefit of VoIP phones is that your staff can use them from anywhere with WiFi. Therefore, it is essential if your team travels or works remotely.

The mobility offered by VoIP is a vast improvement over traditional phone services. Previously, staff on the road or outside the office could always be uncontactable if they needed an internet connection.

However, business VoIP can now be used with smart devices to allow mobile workers to contact the office for free. It is beneficial if your team needs to transmit or receive sensitive information such as sales orders or regular sales information.

Presence management is another great feature that allows calls to be rerouted to the employee’s device wherever they are, in and out of the office. It gives your clients the impression that they are talking to a staff member at their desk, ensuring your employees never miss a call.