Is VoIP a Sensible Option for a 1 Person Business?

Many of us start looking at business phone providers and realizing the expense, we’re put off big time from getting a business going.  Indeed, BT landlines often charge for every single landline installed.  This can be a pretty hefty expense and I remember my business once paying over £300 per quarter for the landline.  Since then, I’ve moved to VoIP and it’s become a much more practical scalable and usable solution for my business.  The truth is that now I work from home, I need to be able to work from wherever I base myself.  If I move to the Greek Islands for a week, I need to be able to get online and use my phone.

This article will look at why VoIP is a good solution for many small and large businesses and the benefits that it holds. 

Business Phone Providers through VoIP

There are a number of different ways to get VoIP with domain to being

·         Online platforms

·         Hardware plugged in to your router

Online Platforms

There are a number of online platforms such as Skype and other business related solutions that offer you the opportunity to make calls with an internet connection.  Effectively, all you need for this to work is an internet connection, the requisite software or online platform, and a microphone.  The microphone should give a decent quality in order to operate at a good level, however, many of us get away with the built in microphones on a decent laptop in order to make phone calls.

Solutions Plugged in to Your Router

Some business providers offer solutions that enable you to plug your VoIP devices into your router and therefore connect directly.  This can be one of the most reliable to get online through your broadband and it provides the opportunity for people to use a handset much like they would with a traditional landline.  It’s a simple set-up and a plug and go way to work.  Normally, you’ll have an online interface where you can see the details of your calls too. 

Which is best?

Both solutions have their merits and are right for different types of business.  If you need to get online on the go, and make phone calls, then a Skype type VoIP solution is probably better for you.  If you are an office based environment with a fixed basis then a plug-in VoIP solution may work just as well if not better.

The Benefits of VoIP

VoIP tends to be much better on price for all types of phone call.  You will save money on both the line rental costs and on the call charges.  Indeed, with Skype you can spend under £5 and get unlimited calls to landlines at any time of the day.  Many businesses are switching and there are good price point reasons to do so. 

Stability of Business Phone Providers through VoIP
it’s been demonstrated that business phone providers are pretty stable when they offer VoIP.  One of the main challenges is that you have to have a very good internet connection that doesn’t drop out in order for it to work well.  If you have an intermittent connection, slowdowns or problems during peak hours as many connections do, you should consider going for a fixed line solution. 

Indeed, you’re also at the mercy of power situations as your phone will go off if you don’t have the power to charge it through VoIP on a fixed basis.  However, VoIP solutions that are through your laptop and online platform or software based should not have this problem as you will be able to continue making calls as long as you have an internet connection and you have battery on your laptop.

It’s not uncommon for people to be sat on the beach making business calls using a VoIP style connection.  This indeed is one of the most compelling benefits of the VoIP solutions.  It allows as to take our phone number with us and receive and make calls wherever we are in the world.

A Little Bit About Skype

Most of us know about Skype and its merits for consumer personal use.  However, it also has been taken up as a business solution too.  The service is in fact very simple, you download a software on to your devices and then you can buy a number that will become your own.

You can choose any type of UK number such as a 0207, a 02380 and so on.  That becomes your number for taking calls and for making calls.  And we’ll presented to the person you’re calling when you call out.  You then have an admin control panel through which you can buy credit and buy packages and also add additional options such as voicemail redirections and so forth.

With this overall package you have ultimate flexibility in your phone calls.  On top of this, you gain the possibility to use Skype to Skype calls for free to anywhere in the world.  This is a fantastic option if you are in the technology space because many people are on Skype all the time anyway.  You can also engage with face to face video calls enriching the medium of communication and enhancing business relationships.

Business Phone Providers Offering Larger VoIP Solutions

It’s possible to get VoIP solutions for whole large organizations.  Indeed, chief technology officers have predicted that landlines will play no part in business in ten years’ time.  VoIP is so much more efficient and frankly so much better.  With fibre optic cables running in to big businesses these days, VoIP and wireless phones are certainly the future.  With VoIP it’s possible to scale up your solution very quickly.  Adding phone by phone to your network.  It’s also possible to monitor the performance of your employees very easily and the solutions are becoming more and more sophisticated for the business environment.

There are more call centres in the UK using VoIP based solutions nowadays than there are using landline solutions.  And this is only going to become more evident over the coming years.

Certainly, VoIP can work for most types of business.  If you are looking at a solution you should compare the different types of offering available such as online platform or plug in systems and you should think about the scalability factor for your business.  It is well worth talking to different providers and finding out what their recommendations are and how they will be able to support your business into the future.

By having an agent or account manager to help you make decisions and inform you about the different options available, you will certainly move forward faster.  In addition, it’s good to jump on to forums and find out what businesses in your industry are using.  Each industry has its own particular preferences and it may be that Skype will work very well for you in your sector.