How to Tailor Your VoIP Solution to Match Your Business Needs

Every business is unique and has its own characteristic style, set of objectives, and method of doing things. Communications are a part of this, and a business telecoms system needs to address both the functional and operational aspects of an organization’s work and its singular identity or brand.

VoIP, with its characteristic blend of traditional telephony and contemporary digital information handling has the variety and versatility to allow it to be customized to fit the unique requirements of any business — including yours. Here are some ideas on how…

Mix The Old and The New

If you still have an on-premise PBX or PSTN lines, you can use a VoIP gateway to connect them with a hosted PBX server. This can provide you with the benefits of both worlds, and serve as your first step in a phased transition to IP telephony.

On The Ground or in The Cloud?

If your budget won’t stretch to on-premises hardware (with its associated management and maintenance costs), a fully hosted PBX would be a cost-effective and flexible solution assuring you of a fully supported and well-managed service (with the right provider, of course) that’s rich in features and configurable to your circumstances.

If you’re operating in an industry where intellectual property or regulatory compliance conditions demand a greater level of hands-on administration of data and processes than you’d be willing to entrust to a third party, then an in-house IP-PBX may be your best option.

Use Appropriate Hardware

VoIP technology makes it possible to use much of your existing equipment, or to supplement in-house desktop or laptop systems with low-cost peripherals like headsets, to set up soft-phones. You might also consider buying in some SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) phones, which are specifically designed for making and receiving calls across the internet. Find more about hardphones, softphones and how a VoIP phones work in our ultimate guide.

Since VoIP is a cloud-based technology, your workers will of course be able to access your system from their Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) sanctioned mobile phones and tablets.

Appropriate Software and Platforms

VoIP software and mobile apps are available across the full spectrum of desktop and mobile operating systems, so make sure to order a set of applications that are compatible with all the platforms that your company and workers use.

Use Bridges to Span The Globe

With a VoIP solution, it’s easy to use gateways to create bridges that connect your phone lines over the internet. That way, you can ensure that your entire workforce is able to stay in touch with your offices and each other. And if your company makes a lot of long-distance or international calls, you can use these bridges to reduce the costs of communicating with your customers, suppliers, and partners.

Ask for Assistance When You Need It

A good VoIP provider will be on hand to give expert guidance and help in setting up your ideal system initially — and will always be available for support and assistance as conditions change, and as your business develops and grows.