According to an IP telephony industry commentator, streamlined IT support requirements and reduced operating costs are just two of the reasons why more businesses should be making the switch to voice over internet telephony (VoIP) business phone systems.
Writing for mybroadband.co.za, Gail Holt points out that the purchase of an expensive communications infrastructure is no longer a necessity for a small to medium business; as a business VoIP provider can manage this aspect, substantial savings can be made. In addition, technical support can be provided via an internet based interface, lowering the cost of any IT support.
Holt goes on to say that further savings can be made on any capital investment needed to set up a business phone system, as other than handsets and mobile phones, there is no large expense to depreciate over the passage of time. Holt states:
“Hosted VoIP is an operating expense rather than a capital expense, so all businesses need to pay is an affordable monthly service fee to have access to a range of capabilities that can improve productivity and connect the business to advanced telephony.”
Other advantages to such a system include ease of scalability; as hosted business VoIP is highly flexible, it can accommodate the growth of any company with ease, and do so immediately with minimal cost. Hardware upgrades will also no longer be necessary in order to take advantage of any advances in technology; any upgrades can be carried out by the host automatically, meaning that a business will always have the latest iteration of VoIP software that is available.
Holt also states that IP telephony can allow a business to focus on its core capabilities. The flexibility offered by VoIP and cloud computing means the employees need no longer be desk-bound, as it gives them access to its features regardless if they are present in the office, at home, or out on the road.
