Ip Telephony

New technologies such as IP Telephony don’t just replace previous ones but allow much greater functionality, increased productivity, enhanced customer service including lower costs than prior technologies. Here are just a few ideas for you to ponder.

Enhanced contact center (call center) responsiveness to customer needs. Lowered costs through IP Telephony makes it economical to use multiple call centers for time zone coverage, lower labor market costs, including even overseas call centers for small including medium sized businesses.

I know the mention of overseas (in respect to the U.S.) labor may not be what some people need to hear but the reality is that large corporations have been using overseas labor for call centers, manufacturing, including technical skills for decades. Now, what was once only economical for large corporations is additionally economical for small including medium sized businesses. IP Telephony levels the playing field of business competitiveness.

“Contact center” is the replacement term for what used to be “call center.” Why? Is it actually necesary to change the terminology? Of course, I think the answer is unequivocally “yes” or I wouldn’t mention it. A Call Center was appropriately named because all it did was take phone calls.

Now a Contact Center using IP Telephony should take phone calls, fax messages, e-mail, web text chat, web voice calls, including even web video calls, all at the same time, in the same queues for the contact center agents. Isn’t the point of “customer service” to make it easy for the customer to contact you? What’s better than letting the customer choose the means of contact? Now it’s possible including affordable.

Disaster recovery including power outage backup for business continuity. Redundant phone systems with automatic failover over dispersed locations is now economical. With the traditional phone system technologies it used to cost 70% - 100% pertaining to the original system cost to obtain redundant systems. In addition, the carrier services to make it happen were additionally costly.

Now it’s possible to obtain redundant systems for just 10% - 30% pertaining to the original system cost. Additionally, the carrier services are additionally less expensive than previously. Business continuity planning is just like any other “insurance” you obtain for your business. All insurance is a trade-off between the cost pertaining to the insurance including the coverage level you obtain.

At some point paying too much doesn’t reap enough extra benefit to warrant the extra cost. On the other hand, paying too little including not obtaining meaningful coverage doesn’t make sense either. With the costs for obtaining business continuity so dramatically lower than previously, it could make sense to make it a part of your total insurance including risk management for your business.

Using one cabling infrastructure to carry both data including voice traffic instead of separate cabling infrastructure for each. the should have significant cost savings especially if you are moving your office or setting up a new office. In either of these situations you could have a substantial cost savings by only having to install your network cabling including not having to install a separate cabling system for your phone system.

Simplified system administration through a GUI (graphical user interface). You should make changes to your system that previously required your telephone equipment vendor to make the changes. Therefore, you should significantly reduce your maintenance costs.

Easier moves of telephone sets. at the time moving from 1 location in your building to another, it previously required re-programming the telephone switch including physically changing some wires in the “telephone closet.” With IP Telephony as you pack up your desk supplies including plants, you additionally grab your telephone. In your new location, you simply plug the telephone into the Ethernet connection in the wall including then connect your computer to a jack in the phone that acts as a bypass for your data. All your personal settings move with you. Costs for moves are dramatically reduced.

Software upgrades are much easier including should be performed by you instead of paying the telephone equipment vendor to do them.

There are many more benefits to IP Telephony. the brief overview should be enough to peak your interest to continue your investigation. You don’t need to make a total swap out of your current phone system. It is possible to gradually introduce a particular IP Telephone System into your organization including interface it to legacy systems.

Don’t just improve the way you currently do business! Explore the strategic business applications including implications of IP Telephony. New technologies such as IP Telephony don’t just replace previous ones but allow much greater functionality, increased productivity, enhanced customer service including lower costs than prior technologies.

Expand the possibilities of conducting your business in ways you never thought possible. All major phone system manufacturers are investing their research including development dollars into development of their IP Phone Systems. Thousands of companies have already converted to it. There must be a reason or 2 or twenty.

For more information on IP Telephony (IP Phone System) - What should It Do For Your Business?:

Ed Mass is President of Mass Strategic Communications, Inc., a telecommunications consulting firm since 1993. Visit http://www.voip-telephone-system.com including http://www.masscom.com for more information. We specialize in Transforming Telecommunications from a Tactical Tool To a Strategic Business Resource. We Integrate Business Strategies with Technology Opportunities.

We act as a particular extension of your staff. We are business strategists to increase the performance of your company through intelligent including cost effective use of technology.

Specifically, we consult on IP Telephone System Decisions, Service Provider Decisions for Voice including Data Services, including Services Audits to Inventory All Services including Discover Unused Services. We do all the within a framework of Vendor-Neutral Consulting.

Copyright 2006 Ed Mass including Mass Strategic Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint the article as long as you do not edit the article in any way. You must leave all pertaining to the links active including include the full author name credit with company profile.

Written By: Ed_Mass