With the rapid changes businesses are experiencing, the means of communicating within and across organisations must be smooth, adaptable and economical. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phones offer all of that and more. VoIP technology enables users to place and receive calls over the internet, eliminating the need for costly traditional phone lines. This also allows users to incorporate a multitude of digital innovations that can be used to improve the collaboration within the company and the overall productivity of employees.
Understanding VoIP: More Than Just Internet Calling
VoIP technology is digital and connect through the internet. Many businesses are switching to VoIP phone systems for their main means of communications due to the advanced features. Businesses enjoy the simplicity of integrating this phone system to their existing CRM and other cloud-based tools. VoIP technology is also flexible and offers video and conference calling.
What Do VoIP Phones Connect To?
VoIP phones use the internet to make calls rather than traditional phone lines, utilising either Wi-Fi or Ethernet to send and receive voice data. They connect to a VoIP service provider or a hosted PBX system that takes care of call routing, voicemail and other functionalities. Numerous VoIP systems are integrated with cloud-based services such as CRM systems, help desk software and collaboration tools, enabling effortless communication and data exchange.
Modern Tools That Connect With VoIP Phones
From cloud-based collaborative tools to CRM integration, VoIP offers huge advantages for businesses looking to modernise their communication systems:
Team Collaboration Platforms
Examples: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Workspace
VoIP integrated with collaboration tools centralises all communications in one area. Users can make VoIP calls directly through Slack or Teams, share call recordings, and start video meetings instantly.
Benefits:
- Centralised communication
- Fast intra-organisation calls and telephony meetings
- Participants in calls can share files and messages
CRM Systems (Customer Relationship Management)
Examples: Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho CRM
VoIP technology has the ability to integrate with CRM and is perhaps one of the best innovations improving customer service for businesses. When a company receives a call, they can pull up a digitised profile and customer history report within a few seconds. This helps provide more personalised support and allows for a quicker customer response time.
Benefits
- Automatic logarithmic calls
- Caller ID with customer information
- Real-time analytics for customer engagement
Help Desk and Ticketing Systems
Examples: Zendesk, Freshdesk, ServiceNow
For customer support teams, connecting VoIP systems to help desk software streamlines workflows. Incoming calls can automatically generate support tickets, attach call recordings and route inquiries to the right agent.
Benefits:
- Faster issue resolution
- Improved tracking of customer interactions
- Automated ticket creation and assignment
Cloud Storage and File Sharing
Examples: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive
Some VoIP systems with call record and transcription features, as well as voicemail, allow those to be sent automatically to Cloud storage. This helps with documentation and compliance management.
Benefits:
- Safe File Storage
- File Sharing and Team Collaboration
- Communications and Organisational Backp Up Automation
Marketing Automation Tools
Examples: Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, HubSpot Marketing
VoIP integrations with marketing tools help businesses track the effectiveness of campaigns. For instance, calls from specific ads or campaigns can be tagged and analysed to measure ROI.
Benefits:
- Easy Call Tracking per Campaign
- Linking Lead Nurturing Workflows
- More Comprehensive Inbound Call Campaign Evaluate
Analytics and Reporting Tools
Examples: Power BI, Tableau, Google Data Studio
VoIP data like call volume and duration as well as customer satisfaction score can be used in analytical data boards to monitor performance in real-time.
Benefits:
- Tailored Call Reports
- Faster and Better Overall Decision Making
- Performance Insights and Data that justifies Action
