What is VoIP?
VoIP stands for Voice over IP, which are other words for telephone through the Internet. Nowadays, there are many examples of VoIP systems everybody is accustomed to. Examples are WhatsApp, Skype and the like.
Why use WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is great to call other WhatsApp users for free. However, you can only call other WhatsApp users, which implies they must have a mobile number. Similarly, you can only be reached through your mobile number.
Why use VoIP? A VoIP server is to the modern days what hardware call centers used to be to the old days. You connect extensions and lines, you make free extension-to-extension calls, you can define IVRs (menus such as 'Type 1 for Sales Department, Type 2 for Customer Service'), you can define ring groups, cascades, voicemails, define calendar-based working hours, and much more. The difference between a VoIP server and classic hardware call center is that with VoIP servers, everything is connected through the internet. You do not need to run additional telephone cables though your building, you can share an existing network cable between a phone and a computer, you can connect multiple office buildings together, you can even connect from home in case of lock-down. Using VoIP will provide you the following benefits: 1. Landline number You get a (fixed) landline number, that you can call from and be called on. Most companies prefer keeping a landline number for reasons of image, call quality or simultenous calls. 2. Simultaneous calls With VoIP, you can opt for 1 number to display when calling out and getting called in, but at the same time you may choose to have different lines connected to that same number. For example, if you are a group of 10 people working together, you can choose to have 1 number that can handle 10 calls at the same time (10 incoming calls, 10 outgoing calls or any combination of the two). 3. Extensions You can use different types of extensions: VoIP desktop phones, smartphones or computers. Desktop phones work best, as they are designed for this purpose only, but you need to purchase them. Smartphones and computers will connect through specific apps, some are free and some are paid. When using a VoIP server, you can you any combination of desktop phones, smartphone apps and computer apps. 4. Connect from everywhere Classic call centers needed harware wiring from the telephone extensions to the call center itself. VoIP servers only need an internet connection. This means that you can connect from virtually anywhere, provided that the internet connection is good enough. You have an office building but you also work from home? No problem, your home desktop phone can be connected to the VoIP server exactly the same way office phones are. You are going abroad but still want to make and receive calls as if you were on premise? That's exactly what VoIP servers do. 5. Points of Presence Your business operates in different countries and you want your customers to be able to call you locally? If you can provide a physical local address, you can get a local number from a lot of different countries, and make those number ring on the local office extension, in your headquarters or both. 6. Calling rates With VoIP servers, you can use a great number of providers to place calls. Depending on the country you call, some providers offer better prices than others. We analyze your calling habits together, we connect you to different providers and program the server to automatically use the best provider based on the call you dial. |
What is VoIP ?
