You hear it mentioned everywhere: IP telephony.
But what exactly is it?
Is it really necessary, or just the shiny new gadget of the day? And above all, will we be more productive with this technology?
These are all good questions! We're going to answer them by highlighting the advantages of switching to IP telephony when you're already using traditional telephony.
So, what is IP telephony?
IP telephony, also known as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), is a technology that enables voice transmission via the Internet. Unlike traditional analog telephone lines, which use the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), VoIP uses the Internet to carry voice communications.
Sounds familiar? Of course it does. VoIP has been around since the 90s! You're probably already using it on a daily basis without even realizing it, with applications like Skype, Messenger, WhatsApp or FaceTime.
Why is VoIP now relevant to the workplace?
Initially designed for private use, these applications have become essential for the workplace following the changes brought by COVID. Most companies have turned to tools such as Zoom, Teams and Google Meet, which are professional versions of these technologies.
However, these tools do not cover all a company's communication needs. A typical company has many communication channels: phone lines for office days, cell lines for working from home, videoconferencing applications, instant messaging platforms, mailboxes, and other software needed to complete your team's daily tasks.
It's a lot of management, and above all, it gets expensive in the long run.
That's why there are complete telecom infrastructure management solutions to support your operations, including Internet connectivity, phone lines, phone system, videoconferencing, local data network management and WIFI access points.
The need for VoIP technology
Every working environment is unique and requires different tools. The real value of VoIP lies in diversifying the tools available to your organization. Depending on your industry and day-to-day tasks, the transition to VoIP can be revolutionary.
To illustrate, here are some advanced features of IP telephony and some specific benefits for different industries.
| Advanced features |
Industry |
Advantage |
| Automatic answering machines |
Customer service |
Direct customers quickly to the right service, reducing waiting times and improving agent efficiency. |
| Simultaneous ringing on cell phone |
Sales and field (remote work) |
Enables sales teams on the move to receive business calls on their cell phones, ensuring that no important call is missed. |
| Voice message transcription |
Legal |
Law firms can benefit from automatic voicemail transcription to easily document and archive important customer communications. |
| Schedule processing |
Health |
Clinics and hospitals can define treatment schedules to redirect after-hours calls to on-call services, ensuring 24/7 availability for emergencies. |
| Paging |
Education |
Schools and universities can use the paging function to broadcast important announcements to all staff or students instantly. |
| Incoming faxes by email |
Real estate |
Real estate agencies can receive faxes by email, simplifying document management and providing quick and easy access to contracts and other important documents. |
| Queuing |
Finance |
Banks and financial institutions can use queues to efficiently manage customer calls, reducing waiting times and improving customer satisfaction. |
| Active listening and supervision |
Customer service |
Supervisors can actively listen in and monitor calls in progress in call centers, providing real-time training and improving service quality. |
| Call recording |
Insurance |
Insurance companies can record calls for compliance and training purposes, and to provide evidence in the event of a dispute. |
| Hot Desking |
Technology |
Technology companies with flexible working policies can benefit from hot desking, allowing employees to sit at any desk and access their phone extensions effortlessly. |
| Automated call reports |
Call centers |
A network of retail stores can analyze the efficiency of its call centers with automated call reports. You can see which stores are receiving the most calls, activity peaks, and call resolution rates. This makes it possible to adjust human resources and work schedules to maximize efficiency and improve the customer experience. |
| SMS, Facebook instant messaging and website integration |
Marketing and communication |
Marketing agencies can centralize communications with customers across multiple channels, ensuring a rapid and consistent response whatever the means of communication used. |
| Call restrictions by country |
Multinational |
Companies operating internationally can restrict calls to certain countries to reduce costs and avoid fraud. |
| Microsoft Teams integration |
Business |
Businesses can integrate their IP telephony system with Microsoft Teams, facilitating online calls and meetings directly from the Teams interface, enhancing internal collaboration. |
These examples show how IP telephony can be customized to meet the specific needs of different industries, improving efficiency, communication and customer satisfaction.
The benefits of IP telephony
VoIP allows telephone lines to be shared between multiple locations and employees. For example, a chain of 10 retail stores with 2 lines per facility would have to pay for 20 analog lines. With VoIP, the needs of each of the 10 stores could be met with 10 shared lines, as they wouldn't all be on the phone at the same time.
In conclusion, IP telephony offers a multitude of advantages and advanced features that can transform the way businesses communicate and operate on a daily basis. The transition to this technology can represent a strategic investment in improving your organization's efficiency and productivity.
Contact us to find out more, or to evaluate how IP telephony can fit into your working environment!
