Why You Need VoIP Services for Your Hybrid Workforce

Working from home used to be just a growing trend, but that all changed after 2020. Fast forward to 2022, telecommuting has become a staple in the business world. More organizations than ever have embraced full remote work or have at least adopted a hybrid model.

Certain challenges have surfaced with this significant change in typical operations. These difficulties require innovative, but reliable solutions to keep your business running smoothly. One of these challenges has been establishing and maintaining consistent and timely communication. The solution to this particular problem is voice-over internet protocol (VoIP) services.

VoIP Services: What You Need To Know

Before you can understand why a hosted VoIP phone service is the perfect solution for your hybrid staff, you need to know what it is first. So let’s take a moment to break it down. Unlike a traditional phone that uses copper cables to send and receive calls, VoIP instead uses the internet. VoIP solutions use the same infrastructure and methods used to distribute other information on the web, like emails.

A hosted VoIP phone refers to a VoIP service offered and managed by a third-party provider. Essentially, you’re outsourcing the equipment and infrastructure needed to use VoIP. It’s an affordable and unified communication solution that works great for small and medium-sized organizations.

VoIP Services: How Does It Work?

VoIP Services work by connecting your phone system to an IP address. This address allows different devices to find and communicate with each other over the web. As a result, you can call other people just like how you would with a landline phone.

With VoIP, your voice is transformed into a data packet. These data packets travel between your VoIP provider and can be sent anywhere in the world within a second. When you’re ready to make a VoIP call, the call follows these four steps:

Your system connects with a switch (a networking device that allows you to connect multiple devices together in a network) or router in your local area network (LAN).
After you dial a phone number, the phone tells your VoIP provider who you’re trying to reach.
Your VoIP provider then establishes a connection to the phone you’re trying to reach and sends data packets to and from your phone.
Your VoIP phone converts these digital packets back into sounds that you can understand.

Since VoIP services use the internet, these phones can be customized to include a variety of features. This is one of the benefits that makes VoIP such an attractive business phone option. Some of these features may include:

An Auto Attendant
Extension Numbers
Simplified Number Changing
Instant Messaging
Video Conferencing
Faxing
Sophisticated Call Management

VoIP Services: How It Fits Into a Hybrid Work Model

Arguably, the biggest advantage VoIP has over traditional phones is its flexibility. VoIP doesn’t require additional hardware to use it. Instead, all you need is an internet connection and an app. As a result, you don’t need a desk phone because you can access your VoIP services from your smartphone, computer, or even tablet.

The flexibility of VoIP provides a new level of freedom to communicate from wherever you are. Having the ability to communicate on any device means you don’t have to send equipment to your employees to use in their home office. Rather, they can rely on the technology that’s already available to them.

VoIP Services: What Are the Benefits of VoIP?

We’ve gone over a couple of the beneficial aspects of this type of business phone, but there are plenty more we have yet to mention. If you invest in VoIP services, you could experience benefits such as:

Improved Scalability: With traditional landlines, there’s a physical limit to how many phone lines can be installed for a building. These limitations are virtually nonexistent for VoIP. Since VoIP is an internet solution for communication, all you need to do is connect your new phones to the internet. Additionally, new users can be added easily for little cost.
Ease of Integration: VoIP is known for its ability to easily integrate with other platforms. For example, VoIP can be integrated with Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and other cloud applications. This functionality can improve productivity and make your operations more seamless.
Simple Setup: You don’t need an instruction manual to tell you how to set up a VoIP system. With VoIP services, your provider can get your solution up and working in no time so you can hit the ground running.
Better Collaboration: VoIP is great for connecting with clients, but it’s also exceptional for facilitating employee collaboration. Instead of paying for a separate service or special equipment for connecting departments, VoIP connects all employees to one network. This allows your team to perform collaborative actions like video conferences or screen sharing sessions.
Cost Savings: Not only does VoIP help you to avoid the cost of buying new hardware, but it also allows you to make international calls at a fraction of the price of traditional phone lines.
High-Quality Sound: How often does it sound like you’re talking to a disembodied muffled voice on your traditional phone? This is a problem that VoIP fixed a long time ago. Most VoIP services provide high-definition audio so you can hear the person on the other end clearly.

Get the Best in VoIP Services With SOS

Superior Office Solutions is a leading managed print and office solutions provider in the New York area. We offer a range of products and services, including hosted VoIP services. Our solutions could help you save 30% or more on your business phone.