5 Important Things To Consider When Switching From VOIP Phones To SIP
Improving business communication helps increase workflow, encourages teamwork, and streamlines business processes.
But achieving great communication in the workplace can be hard.
Studies show that 26 percent of employees think that email destroys their productivity. Mobile devices supplied by employers leave employees feeling pressured to be available 24/7.
Even face-to-face meetings leave 46 percent of employees feeling confused about what to do next.
These methods not only provide inefficient means of communicating, but can also cost your business a lot of money, and lead to a lot of wasted downtime for your employees.
Luckily, there’s an affordable solution that helps promote better communication between employees and employers, and between clients and businesses.
That solution is SIP service. If you already have a VOIP phone system in place, making the switch to SIP service is easy. But there are a few things you should know first.
Keep reading to learn 5 things you need to know before switching from VOIP phones to SIP service.
1. You’ll Get More Flexible Services
SIP phones offer a range of services that you can’t get with VOIP phones alone.
Both types of telephony services feature internet protocol technology. This means that you won’t need to utilize a traditional switchboard like you would with traditional phone service.
It also means that you get the flexibility of making calls with anyone, no matter where they are in the world, without big added fees.
When it comes to setting up phone services for an office, SIP phones allow you to add as many lines as you need.
While VOIP phones offer a range of benefits, so do SIP phones. You’ll get call data records, private labeling, and even a powerful control platform for managing your SIP phone account.
2. You’ll Need IT Services
VOIP phones offer a simplified platform that’s perfect for small businesses. That’s because you don’t need professional IT services to get it set up.
While this makes adding VOIP phones to your office a breeze, it also means a simplified platform that may not offer the features that a larger business needs. Even if your business isn’t large now, setting up a more advanced system now will help prepare you for future growth.
With SIP phones, you’ll get the features that you need now, and the ones that you’ll need as your company grows and expands.
But in order to get these advanced services, you’ll likely need professional IT help to get a full SIP phone service set up in your office.
Luckily, there’s a solution. SIP trunk service makes it easy to buy, send, and receive SIP services without the need for advanced IT services.
An SIP trunk system is a network of connections that allow multiple different VOIP phone systems to connect and place calls.
3. You’ll Be Able to Connect Better With Remote Employees
More than 33 percent of Americans, have done some form of freelance work in the past year.
For business owners, that statistic should come as no surprise. After all, freelance work offers an inexpensive way to outsource work and to hire employees with specialized skills.
With remote freelance workers, businesses often don’t have to pay for benefits or provide vacation or sick time.
They can also hire for only the jobs that they need to have finished. This means the ability to pay an employee only when there is work available, and allows businesses to save money during times of the year when there is less work.
But managing remote employees can be a challenge.
Email takes away the personal touch of dealing with employees. It makes it hard to develop a personal relationship with your employees. It can also lead to a breakdown in communication.
But if you have employees working around the globe or even across the country, using traditional phone service and long distance calls to contact them can get expensive.
VOIP phones with a SIP service eliminate this problem. They give you an expensive way to talk on the phone or even video chat or message your remote employees, no matter where in the world they are located.
4. You May Need New Equipment
If you already have VOIP phones in place, you may not need to add any equipment to add SIP phone service. Instead, you’ll only need to set up an SIP trunk service.
But if you don’t have a VOIP phone system, or if it’s outdated or lacks the features like video calling that you want to get out of your SIP system, you may need to upgrade.
While this will cost your business, it’s a great investment. It opens up new channels for communicating with employees, clients, and customers alike. You’ll be able to call, video call, or even message other VOIP phone owners.
You’ll also be able to easily add as many lines and phones as you need.
You can choose the equipment with the features that your business needs, such as video calling or conference call systems.
5. You’ll Cut Costs
Even if you do have to upgrade your office equipment in order to make the switch to SIP phone service, you’ll still be saving your business money compared to traditional phone lines.
Landline, long distance calls over a switchboard are expensive. So are individual cell phone plans for employees.
But SIP phone service streamlines and reduces these costs. It will give your business an affordable, flexible way to connect and communicate with employees and clients.
Making the Switch from VOIP Phones
Switching to SIP phones is a great way to help your business cut costs, improve communication, and get more flexible options.
Now that you know the difference that a SIP phone system can make for your business, it’s time to start the process of adding a SIP phone system to your office. This starts with joining a SIP trunk.
You could buy into an existing SIP trunk system. Or, you could become a SIP trunk dealer and start providing trunk services directly.
Check out our guide for getting started to learn more about how we can help your business improve it’s communication today!