With so many different types of VoIP phones available, it can be difficult to know which one will fit in best with your company. For almost every business, the phone system in use is a vital part of the office. These days, it’s all about how your company communicates with clients, vendors, and other departments in-house, rather than just making and receiving calls.
It can be a tough decision to make when you’re thinking about upgrading or getting new phone equipment. This article will help you out if you’re not entirely sure which features, type of phone, or VoIP phone system will work best for your business.
What is VoIP?
VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol is a technology that allows voice to be transmitted over the internet. VoIP enables people to make and receive phone calls through their computers or smartphones. It’s also an excellent way for businesses to keep costs down by using one number for both business and personal use. (1) Read our blog post about why your business should use VoIP.
An Introduction to VoIP
Think of VoIP as the feature that carries the sound component of phone calls over the internet. VoIP is also a lot cheaper than traditional landline telecommunication, so businesses can save money while still offering exceptional phone services to their customers.
VoIP technology makes leveraging smart devices such as tablets, smartphones, desktops, notebooks, and even some office phones, nice and easy for businesses. Customers and clients can make and receive VoIP calls using these devices from wherever they might be.
Traditional telephone service has been around for decades, but it was discovered way back when that this type of telephony could be transmitted through an internet protocol network in order to offer more flexibility and reliability. (1)
Whether it’s a local call or an international one, VoIP has you covered (in most circumstances). The overall idea is that a user’s call is digitized into data packets then sent through the network using different media (phones, laptops, office phones, etc). Once these data packets reach a certain location, they are re-assembled into the original call so the recipient can receive the information passed along in its intended format.
VoIP is undoubtedly the future of communication technology. In order to fully understand it, it’s important to know how it works in its entirety and how you can take advantage of its benefits for your business.
VoIP Phones, Devices, and Equipment
VoIP equipment is generally much cheaper than traditional phone lines. This is because they rely on an internet connection rather than a physical wire to connect you to your call recipient. There’s also better security with VoIP technology, as the calls go through an encryption process before being sent out over the internet. In addition, VoIP offers many features that can make your workday easier such as conference calling and automated attendant services.
With a VoIP phone system, calls originate from your local area code, so callers do not need to pay for long-distance calling. Having a business VoIP system can actually save you up to 70% off traditional phone services because of reasons like this.
Additionally, softphones will work with virtually any VoIP service provider you decide to use and are usually free of charge. Check out our other blog article about the advantages of utilizing a softphone to get more information.
There are many options for hands-free devices, and many VoIP phones give users the ability to use wireless headsets because of Bluetooth connection capabilities. If that’s not an option, there are attachments available at most electronics stores that can allow anyone to go hands-free.
Video Conferencing Features
VoIP isn’t just about making voice calls over the internet. Video conferencing with Skype, Google Talk, or any other video conferencing apps available on the market today is seeing a higher integration rate as well.
Video meetings have been a great way to help teams and companies across regions and geographies connect. It allows coworkers to work together as if they are in the same room. Companies have seen that this allows projects to move along faster, and enables teams to have concise discussions. Video is the best way to connect when in-person interactions are scarce for reasons of location or sickness.
CallHarbor’s video conference platform is more robust and integrated than ever. On top of that, it’s a browser-based video conferencing platform. This means you don’t have to spend time rushing to download a specific platform before meetings.
CallHarbor video is fast to launch, so you don’t have to wait for three different windows to open. Our video conferencing platform has great capabilities for every business scenario. From sales calls, to interviews, to large web conferencing, we’ve got you covered. You can fuel multiple business scenarios with simple, modern CallHarbor browser video meetings.
Types of VoIP Phones
It’s true that VoIP phones are the most popular form of phone system in modern offices. As mentioned earlier, they’re inexpensive, simple to set up and maintain, and can be used with an internet connection. This makes them perfect for businesses that rely on the web for their day-to-day tasks and operations. However, it can be a little overwhelming with all the different options of phones available. So, where do we even start?
Physical Desk Phones & Hardware
Many people prefer to use a physical desk phone for many reasons. It is something familiar that they are already comfortable utilizing. Almost all business phone users are used to having a phone on the desk. It is the typical set up for most offices and businesses. It’s a nice, physical hardware that is always there and easy to use. There is minimal to no training required since it functions a little bit like your old telephones.
Especially if you are switching from a different VoIP provider, most IP phones have similar features and capabilities. They’re incredibly easy to use, especially for those already familiar with the phone system. Tech-savvy users will find softphones easy, but there is always onboarding training involved in the use of the web softphones.
CallHarbor holds a partnership with Yealink and Poly – two of the largest business phone system hardware providers. We truly take pride in the hardware we supply our customers. We always like to keep up with the most current versions and best products.
Softphones
A web softphone is a phone or feature for making telephone calls over the Internet using a computer rather than dedicated phone hardware. Employees can utilize the softphone through our internet web portal on a desktop, mobile device, or other computer. This also functions in the same way as our web softphone on the mobile app. It allows the user to place and receive calls, see their coworkers’ online status, and engage in chat and SMS.
By using a web softphone, employees don’t have to be tied to their desk to utilize their work phone number or all the other great VoIP phone system features. Web softphones are a great feature to utilize for flexible or remote workers.
The features within the web softphone in the CallHarbor portal are helpful to office workers and remote workers alike. You can start new phone calls right from the web softphone or begin a new chat conversation with your coworkers. You can also see your coworkers’ availability statuses, view your settings and toggle answering rules and greetings, and even more. (2)
Softphones are typically preferred over hard phones. This is partially because they don’t take up desk space, and they take full advantage of video calling options like Skype calls. Hard phones won’t support features like this. If privacy is an issue for you, make sure to research what data is being sent over the internet when you’re inactive or when you’re making calls. (1)
What Type of VoIP Phone Should Your Business Get?
VoIP is a great option for businesses of all types and sizes. Whether you’re a small business just getting off your feet, or a large company that’s been in the game for a while, VoIP can make it easier to connect and collaborate with colleagues from anywhere, provide your business with the latest in communications technology, and save you money on long-distance phone calls.
VoIP Telephone for Your Business
VoIP phone systems are a cost-effective and simple way to replace your out-of-date phone system with a brand new one that makes more sense for you and your business. For more information on the numbers, data, and statistics of VoIP, check out our blog article, 10 Useful VoIP Statistics for Small Businesses.
With all of the many benefits of VoIP systems, it’s no wonder that many businesses have made a switch over to VoIP technology in recent years. Is it the perfect time to update your business phone system? If you’ve been considering investing in VoIP, now is a great time for it!