If you’ve ever had trouble hearing someone across the other end of the phone due to crackling, you probably know how inconvenient landlines were back in the day. Fortunately, times have changed, and technology has come to our rescue once again.
With the advent of VoIP, communication through phones has become seamless. No more static, no more voice breaking, just crystal clear voice! In fact, the technology’s business implications have been astonishing. But more on that later. So what is VoIP?
Voice over Internet Protocol, or simply put, VoIP, is a cloud-based medium of voice communication that uses the internet to connect to or more phones together. However, you can still use a VoIP service via a landline or choose from this list of UCaaS Providers.
All you need is s VoIP adaptor, a service provider, and you’re good to go. You can download applications with in-built VoIP features such as Skype and ZOOM for your PC or smart devices.
If you have a dedicated VoIP phone from a professional VoIP service provider, it will already have applications within itself. This is, of course, highly recommended for business owners.
And since we’ve come back to the benefits of VoIP, there are many reasons why you as a business owner should opt for the first in a VoIP vs Landline debate. Here are a few:
Cost
The biggest thing to consider while installing a telecommunication service for a business or organization is its cost per year. After all, there are maintenance costs, and variable costs depending on the amount of communication.
Even though it is harder to believe, but VoIP is much cheaper than a landline. VoIP has considerably low installation costs as it merely requires a strong internet connection.
On the other hand, a landline service is not. Its installation costs a lot of money due to the required hardware, and every call charges the user a certain amount of money. This can quickly skyrocket operational costs, and you wouldn’t want that, would you?
Extra Features
VoIP services come with a ‘ton’ of extra features that a landline service cannot offer to its customers. These include 3-digit dialling and automatic call forwarding. The latter is essential for business people and professionals who are busy in meetings and travelling and frequently require calls to be redirected to other numbers.
Another salient feature in VoIP is the ability to set up a Virtual Receptionist. This is your virtual assistant who can record calls and messages for you. It can redirect calls to whoever you want them to be attended by. And last but not least, there’s voicemail-to-email, which converts voice messages into an audio file and sends them via email.
What extra features does a landline provide? More static and crackling!
Scalability
Scalability is another critical consideration in the whole VoIP vs. landline debate, especially in growing organizations. And once again, VoIP is a clear shot winner! Be it expansion in terms of square footage or geographical boundaries, non-fixed VoIP-enabled numbers are hands down the cheaper option.
As mentioned above, all they require is a stable internet connection. Moreover, by enabling VoIP on a toll-free number, your business can have a virtual presence worldwide. Your business customers will not be charged for making calls to you over the internet.
Connectivity
Your business’s location also plays a key role while setting up a telecommunication system. Sometimes landline services can have problems providing quality services if your office is not located in an ideal place.
This is not the case with VoIP because, as stated above, VoIP requires a good internet connection to make all calls perfect for both parties. Moreover, VoIP-enabled phones can be reached anywhere and anytime worldwide. In an era of rapid digitalization and remote-working, this is nothing short of a blessing! When it comes to mobility, a landline simply cannot beat VoIP
Privacy and Security
Privacy over calls is an important thing to look into while thinking of installing a telecommunication service. Unfortunately, the truth is that neither landline nor VoIP is entirely secure.
However, VoIP’s call screening function allows business people to redirect all incoming calls to them, thus eliminating the need for a secretary. Additionally, enabling VoIP services on a vanity number gives the added benefit of encryption.
Time for installation
The time required to install a VoIP cloud system is considerably less than setting up a landline network. For instance, if you go for landline service, it could take a few days before the whole office can effectively communicate over a landline.
However, it will take less than a day to get a stable internet connection, enable dedicated VoIP devices and start seamless communication.
Conclusion
Effective business communication is essential for utilizing resources to the fullest and maximizing revenue. As they say, time is money. And time wasted due to poor telecommunication is money lost.
VoIP is evidently a better choice for seamless communication both within an organization and externally. It is cost-effective, has better scalability and reachability, and most importantly, static-free!