6 reasons for SMEs why your contact centre should already be using VoIP
We’re quite deliberate when we say “contact centre” instead of “call centre” in the title of this article (and all of our articles for that matter). And that’s because voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology has transformed the contact centre landscape in recent years, making it possible for organisations to provide a far more comprehensive and cost-effective service than ever before.
Despite the impressive advances in contact centre technology even in just the last few years, we still see many New Zealand organisations sticking to their outdated legacy phone systems. And we get it — they do a “good enough” job, and the infrastructure certainly cost a lot back in the day, so why bother making a change?
But the fact is, if you’re not already using VoIP in your contact centre, you’re missing out on some serious benefits — benefits that could make a big difference to both your customers and your organisation’s bottom line. There’s a reason, after all, that the global market for VoIP services is projected to grow from US$85.2 billion in 2021 to US$102.5 billion by 2026. Here are just six reasons why we think it’s time for your organisation to switch to VoIP:
1. VoIP is cost-effective
Let’s start with the biggest advantage of VoIP for organisations — the cost-savings that can be made. With a VoIP system, calls are made over the internet rather than through traditional phone lines, so there are no line rental fees or call costs. In addition, VoIP calls between users on the same system are typically free.
If you have an existing on-premise VoIP system, you can also take advantage of bring your own device (BYOD) policies to cut costs even further. With BYOD, employees use their own smartphones, laptops, or tablets for work calls, which means you don’t have to provide them with dedicated business devices.
2. VoIP is scalable
Another big advantage of VoIP systems is that they’re highly scalable, which means they can easily be adapted to meet the changing needs of your organisation. If you need to add more users to your system, for example, it’s a simple matter of provisioning additional licenses.
Scalability is particularly important for organisations that experience seasonal spikes in call volume. With a VoIP system, you can easily add extra capacity during busy periods without incurring any dramatic expenditure. Beyond the technical advantages, your customer experience (CX) will improve due to faster customer throughput, and your contact centre agents will be less stressed in busier times.
3. VoIP offers advanced call-handling features
One of the most significant advantages of VoIP for organisations is the range of advanced call-handling features that are now available. These features include:
- Automatic call distribution (ACD), which ensures calls are routed to the best-suited agent based on skillset, availability and other criteria
- Interactive voice response (IVR), which allows customers to select from a list of options using their keypad and route themselves to the appropriate department
- Call recording, so you can listen back to calls for quality assurance or training purposes
- Live call monitoring, so you can monitor calls in real-time and step in if necessary
These features resonate as major benefits, allowing your organisation to deliver an improved customer experience, increase first contact resolution rates, and boost agent productivity.
4. VoIP is mobile-friendly
Another advantage of VoIP for businesses is that it’s much more mobile-friendly than a traditional phone system. With a VoIP system, employees can make and receive calls on their smartphones or laptops from anywhere with an internet connection. This is ideal for organisations with remote workers or employees who travel frequently.
A mobile-friendly VoIP system also offers more flexibility when it comes to disaster recovery planning. In the event of a major incident, your employees can simply take their work devices home and continue making and receiving calls as usual.
5. VoIP enables better collaboration
With a VoIP system, it’s easy for employees to collaborate with each other, even if they’re located in different parts of the world. Calls can be easily transferred between users, and conference calls can be set up with just a few clicks.
In addition, many VoIP systems come with built-in collaboration tools, such as instant messaging and video conferencing. These tools make it easy for employees to share files and ideas with each other in real-time, regardless of location.
6. VoIP systems offer better security
Traditional phone systems are vulnerable to a range of security threats, such as identity theft and fraud, creating a raft of security and compliance issues. VoIP systems are much more secure, thanks to the use of data encryption and other security measures.
In addition, most VoIP providers offer a range of add-on security features that can further protect your organisation from threats. These features include call blocking, caller ID spoofing protection, and automatic call recording. If a new style of threat is trending, simply update your system with these security add-ons to mitigate the risk.
When it comes to choosing a contact centre phone system, VoIP is the clear winner. It offers a range of advantages over traditional phone systems, including scalability, advanced call-handling features, mobile-friendliness, and better collaboration. In addition, VoIP systems are surprisingly affordable, making them ideal for businesses of all sizes. If you’re looking for a contact centre system that can help your business grow and succeed, VoIP is the way to go.
If you’d like to learn more about how VoIP contact centre solutions can help your organisation in any of the ways we’ve just talked about, please contact us. We’d be more than happy to help you find out how your contact centre operations can be improved with bottom-line-boosting VoIP technology.
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