Rob Seymour, Marketing Director, VoIPstudio, sat down with me and shared why he feels VoIP services are a necessity for SMBs. He said, there’s one factor that defines how much a business stands to benefit from VoIP telephony. A big part of that, which kind of telephony stack the company’s relied on, and how long the relationship lasted.
“Established companies with a history of using traditional PBXs, landlines, comms rooms, etc., will see quick gains from rationalizing the company’s infrastructure. These SMBs will also rid themselves of extra operating expenses like maintenance and support”
Seymour did add, cost savings should extend into more competitive call rates too, another plus of VoIP as he put it.
Customers will Always Call, Even if it’s Less
Some components of business remain consistent, according to Seymour. “People will always need to call your business.” Omni-channel, no longer a buzzword, has penetrated deep into the heart of unified communications and contact center environments, thanks in large to growing customer demands.
Seymour did not give off the vibe that he was trying to downplay the importance of omni-channel, but he did want to stress the mission-critical nature of voice services. “While this it’s important to have many different touchpoints, we find that voice is the preferred channel when issues are critical, or when a customer gets upset.”
As is the goal with all forms of communication, verbal, non-verbal, business, and personal – the interaction intends to convey a message the receiver clearly and concisely comprehends. This is why Seymour feels it is all the more important to ensure that calls are handled effectively and voice enables that with little-to-no hiccups. “Though the volume of voice calls is reducing,” he added, Seymour warned SMB leaders, “Don’t let that fool you, voice is still important.”
Features, Features, Features & Remote Work
Feature richness is a key component of a sophisticated small business telephony system, whether or not you’re powering a small contact center with a few agents, or a modest army of remote workers, features such as call handling, message management, and the ability to collaborate remotely are in demand, Seymour assured me.
Today, he maintains, SMBs continue to evolve. And as we enter a new decade, these companies will proceed to well into digital transformation to keep long term costs to a minimum. “The continued adaption of VoIP telephony will enable better access to remote workers, more efficient shared office space. Not to mention, the SaaS delivery model is built for the kind of agility SMBs need.”
Remote work has experienced a rise in popularity amongst Millennials, paving the way for millions of digital nomads along with full and part-time employees who make the world their workplace. Today’s companies have shifted away from the old school of thought regarding what employees need. Micromanagement, cramped offices with poor ventilation, and no windows no longer occupy their thoughts.
Leadership, in a sense, has given in to the demands of the workforce, a major win for work-life balance advocates, and an even bigger win for SMBs that leverage talent from a thriving global pool.
