Why businesses need reliable voice calling solutions

Historically, voice calling has been the default method for businesses to interact with their employees and customers. Although more modern communication mediums have entered the market and even evolved, traditional calling remains a valued resource for business collaboration and success. The growth of the distributed workforce has also driven a need for alternate ways for companies to connect, and voice calling, powered by VoIP, has become an even more critical communications lifeline.

During the past year, companies turned to collaboration tools for video conferencing and workflow support. However, voice calling is still a non-negotiable in a communications toolkit, with the VoIP market projected to surpass $95 billion by 2027. As companies determine which telecom and collaboration tools best meet the needs of their employees and customers, it will be important for IT decision makers to partner with a communications provider that offers reliable voice communications no matter what the future brings.

Below is a checklist of the capabilities and benefits that decision makers should look for when evaluating cloud-based voice offerings.

Quick and Streamlined Setup

The setup process of traditional phone systems can be complicated and complex given the infrastructure involved. Thankfully, companies, in partnership with their carriers can easily and rapidly deploy cloud-based voice technology. The ease of implementation and lack of additional hardware installment makes it easier for companies to get telecom services up and running, avoiding downtime to operations. For example, companies can work with carriers that provide auto-provisioning, which allows users to get their phone service set up through the web.

High-Quality VoIP Connection

Voice communications are an essential part of business functionality. Reliable, quality voice systems mean that callers aren’t disturbed by issues such as latency or jitter. If a problem arises, sophisticated cloud-based providers can route traffic to other available networks. Because of this, companies can stay connected -- ensuring mission-critical teams, such as customer support, can continue serving customers with minimal interruption.

Scalability

With flexible voice calling, enterprises have the power to customize their communications and preserve the ability to respond to changes. For example, when call volumes are surging during a busy season or when a business needs to close a location and reallocate call traffic elsewhere. VoIP calling allows companies to add or remove phone lines, port numbers and adjust features whenever they need to while still benefiting from the capabilities of legacy systems. Scalable VoIP calling is an ideal solution for businesses that need to change the volume of resources deployed, allowing them to remain flexible and adaptable.

Sophisticated Telecom Features

VoIP calling is a viable productivity resource with features that make telecom resource management easier to handle. For example, some systems help users search through large contact lists, so employees don’t have to do it manually. Other telecom deployments enable users to create a priority status, so they never miss critical calls. As a result, hybrid workforces can rely on VoIP systems to effectively manage telecom resources while staying productive.

How to Evaluate Telecom Carriers

There is a wide range of telecom solutions and providers on the market. As such, companies should take a strategic and careful approach when vetting these organizations. For example, decision makers should first understand the objectives and priority needs that a communications solution will support. For some companies, for instance, international phone numbers will be critical. They would then want a provider who could deliver a solution that can operate and scale globally. Other vital boxes to check could surround reliability, account management, and strong customer support. Reading customer reviews to see what other customers have experienced is a wise best practice to ensure the provider selected will align with the company’s needs. If there are consistent themes or complaints in multiple reviews, teams should proceed with caution.

Another feature modern telecom carriers provide is customization. Company leaders should require some level of personalization, with the ability to select the services they want. They may also want to have the ability to closely manage telecom resources such as phone number selection and porting or call detail records. As a result, they should look for providers that offer this level of access and control. The right provider will deliver a modern solution that can serve the company's communication needs. Understanding these elements before evaluating providers will help companies make more informed decisions.

Though modern business communication tools have become part of the essential suite of resources for modern companies, voice solutions are still the backbone of business connections. VoIP solutions can be put in place quickly and offer the reliability and flexibility that today's businesses rely on. Companies that want to make the most of their calling should consider carriers that can provide customized solutions, high-quality service, and top-notch customer support.

Photo Credit: Brian A Jackson/Shutterstock

Darach Beirne is vice president of customer success at Flowroute, now part of Intrado. With more than 25 years of experience building and leading B2B customer success, Darach leads Flowroute's dedicated customer support team, driving strategy for customer success and improved customer satisfaction. Prior to joining Flowroute, Darach led professional service and sales engineering teams for providers such as Contenix, Huawei/3Leafsytems, InQuira, Siebel/Scopus, and Ingres. He also has assisted high-tech companies in developing strategies to improve the customer experience and increase scalability.