Tag Archives: #WorkFromHome

The Four VOIP Features Most Used in the Office

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Close up focus on call center headset device at VOIP system on telephone with virtual interface of communication at office desk

How much more efficient would you be if you had all these features?

Internet phones go by many names. Cloud phone, VOIP, and Unified Communications (UC) just to name a few. But no matter how you say it, phones that work over the internet instead of through the old phone system are undeniably useful. Numbers follow you over multiple devices and calls can be managed through advanced software features.

In the business world, VOIP is even more useful because of the flexibility and control over communications that internet calling has to offer. After all, everything else is on the internet. But how does a switch to VOIP influence your every-day office experience? A good way to measure that is in the top four VOIP features most used around the office.

Voicemail to Email

Checking voicemail is a time-honored hassle. This usually involves calling the voicemail service and listening through every single message. Then, if you want information from the voicemail, you have to listen closely and sometimes play the message several times to take notes.

VOIP makes this easy with the message being saved as a file attachment in your email.   In other words, you can finally check your voicemail by skimming your email. You can catch names, numbers, and details without having to be in the office. So it’s no surprise this is the most popular VOIP feature used every day in the office.

Find-Me Call Forwarding

The next most popular feature is based on device flexibility. A VOIP number can call to and be answered on any device with internet access and the right software installed. This means you can answer a work number from your cellphone, your home office, or multiple business locations as you travel.

Find-me, follow-me is the name of the feature that rings all of your devices to “find you” when a call has come through your VOIP number. This feature often prioritizes whichever device you are most likely to be using to ring first. In daily office life, this kind of smart call forwarding gives professionals the ability to leave the office without missing calls and to have one work number instead of multiple location-based numbers.

Availability Scheduling

One of the best features of VOIP for the modern professional is the ability to build a schedule. With availability scheduling, you can indicate which device to ring based on the weekday and hour. You can also block out times where you are not available at your work number so that your cell doesn’t try to “find you” for work calls during the night or on weekends.

This kind of scheduling can also be used for dynamic call management. You can change which voicemail plays based on a schedule and multiple people can even share a work number based on there availability.

Call Routing

While the previous features are useful for individuals, call routing is the most used feature for business infrastructure. Thousands of businesses distribute customer service and inter-office calls using VOIP’s inherent call routing capabilities. Not only can internet phones be used for call pools and cues, but the software nature of VOIP allows businesses to write custom call routing protocols for every communication model.

Call routing provides for everything from cloud-based office switchboards to virtual call-centers of remote technicians.

For a modern business looking to the future of business communication, VOIP is an essential technology. Voice communication should be handled through the cloud. The possibilities are endless when every device and business location keeps you equally connected to your network, both internal and external.

If your business is ready to choose a new communication infrastructure, consider the power and potential of internet phones. Contact us today for an initial consultation.

Remote Work and The Technology That’s Made it Possible: Everything You Need to Know About Telecommuting

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Man woking remotely from home, web conferencing with VoIP systems

Flexibility to work from home is key for a lot of people

Recent years have seen a drastic increase in the popularity of telecommuting (employees working remotely from home). In fact, from 2007 to 2017, the number of Americans working remotely increased by 115% with 43% of Americans reporting they worked remotely at least part of the time by 2017. While telecommuting continues to grow across most sectors, it has become particularly popular amongst businesses in the tech industry as well as among those in finance and media (telecommuting is least common in education and retail).

 

The Primary Reasons Telecommuting is on The Rise

Seeing the statistics above, you may be wondering why telecommuting is on the rise. Wouldn’t having employees together reduce hassle and increase productivity? However, studies have shown this assumption to be false. Here are just a few of the benefits telecommuting can provide.

  • Telecommuting Increases Productivity
      • Offices Can Be a Distraction: While many would think it would be to everyone’s benefit to have all employees in the office, the fact is that modern offices have become very distracting places full of unnecessary meetings and constant distractions from fellow employees. In fact, a recent study found that employees who worked from home performed 13.5% more efficiently than when they were in the office due to reduced distraction.
      • Commuting Reduces Productivity: Not only does being in the office reduce productivity, but so does the act of commuting to the office. Studies have found that long commutes have a drastic impact on employee health by increasing rates of obesity, heart disease, and depression, which resulted in absences and poor work performance. Telecommuting can then make employees happier and healthier while simultaneously increasing their productivity.
  • Telecommuting Saves Businesses Money: Perhaps the greatest way businesses can benefit from a remote workforce is in the money they will save on business expenses by having employees telecommute. Every employee who works from home limits the amount of money a company will have to spend on office space, furniture, technology, supplies, and utilities, which can represent substantial savings. In fact, it is estimated that each year companies save upwards of 100 million dollars on their office leases by using remote employees.

Increased productivity, a happier workforce, and substantial savings on business expenses are just a few of the many reasons why telecommuting continues to rise in popularity amongst businesses. However, part of the reason why there has been a rise in telecommuting in recent years has been due to the advent of technology that has made remote work possible.

The Technology Needed for Telecommuting

The current rise in telecommuting has been made possible by current technologies that allow for remote collaboration. While telecommuting can prove beneficial for many businesses, there are a few technologies that businesses must first invest in to make this possible such as:

  • Cloud Computing and Electronic Document Management Software: An essential tool for developing a remote workforce is cloud computing and electronic document management systems. For companies looking to develop a remote workforce, electronic document management is key as this will allow individuals to locate files and retrieve information digitally rather than needing to physically locate these files from a drawer somewhere. Cloud computing software then allows individuals to access these files, as well as software and applications, remotely and securely through the cloud from wherever they are working.
  • Web Conferencing and VoIP Systems: Another critical piece of technology companies developing a remote workforce need is a modern VoIP phone system. These phone systems utilize the internet rather than a traditional phone line to send and receive calls, which allows individuals to use their phone service wherever they are as long as they have an internet connection. This allows employees to use their work phone line to communicate with colleagues, business partners, and customers from the comfort of their own home. Modern unified communications systems can be particularly beneficial for a remote workforce as these systems also often include features such as web chat and video conferencing, which can be vital in allowing remote employees to collaborate together from anywhere in the world.

Telecommuting continues to grow in popularity not only because of the benefits it can provide to businesses and employees alike but also due to the fact that technological advancements have made remote work easier and more convenient than ever before. Contact us to learn more about telecommuting and how it could benefit your business.