VoIP for Small Businesses: Next Generation Business Landline Phone Systems

For years, traditional business landline phone systems have been the backbone of many small and medium-sized businesses. Salespeople rely on them for client prospecting, procurement specialists to place orders, and teams to come together to brainstorm. Traditional phone systems, however, use technology that’s increasingly becoming obsolete, hence the limited features.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and other modern communications systems are fundamentally changing how businesses operate, making them faster, more efficient, and better able to compete with larger firms. Below are just some of the ways VoIP is good for your bottom line:

Lower Maintenance Costs

One of the greatest benefits of using a VoIP communications system is lower maintenance costs. Traditional public switched telephone networks (PSTNs) require running miles of phone lines through office buildings to connect them to the grid.

VoIP simplifies communication by utilizing wireless networks that connect to Internet landlines off-site, which means significantly lower maintenance and upgrade costs. Business landline phone systems require hardware for maintenance and upgrades, while VoIP systems only require software. With a VoIP system, you get:

  • Less hassle
  • Lower costs
  • Faster upgrades

Reducing maintenance costs alone provides a great ROI for VoIP, but the features are where these communications solutions really stand out.

Portability and Improved Productivity

Landlines tether employees to their desks, literally. Traditional communications systems dictate how you work and where you work. VoIP can transform your workforce and make the "office" anywhere with wireless Internet.

This is particularly helpful for distributed workforces in construction, agriculture, or if you have employees across the globe. VoIP can be installed on any connected device so employees are never out of contact, as long as they have access to the Internet. The combination of VoIP and mobile applications allow employees to take their office with them.

Flexibility and Pricing Certainty

In terms of costs, another benefit of VoIP is flexibility. PSTNs are static. Once they are installed, you are bound by the capacity of your existing system. VoIP provides far greater flexibility to scale your communications network to suit your business needs.

For example, retailers earn a significant portion of their annual revenue in the last several months of the year. During that holiday season, retailers need a greater capacity to manage contact centers, connect procurement teams, and drive sales.

Outside of the busy season, retailers can scale down their subscription plans to better suit their business tempo and enjoy a better VoIP ROI. This also provides greater price certainty when projecting operating costs, as there's little risk of exceeding purchased capacity when you can scale for your expected needs.

VoIP Systems for Better ROI

Lower cost, flexibility, and greater productivity mean that VoIP solutions are allowing smaller businesses to better compete with established firms. Being nimble and productive is a recipe for stealing market share, but in order to compete, you need the right tools.

Get a cost-effective phone system for your small office or home-based business. 8x8 provides you with unlimited calling, HD audio and video conferencing, business SMS and more.