How VoIP Can Globalize Your Home Business
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services are significantly less
expensive than the traditional telephone long distance packages. This
is only one advantage of using VoIP. For a home business, this can
provide more benefits if you know how to exploit it.
While there are other options, you can choose to use your regular home
phone to take advantage of VoIP technology. This can be done by using a
VoIP telephone adapter to connect your phone to the internet via a high
speed modem. VoIP technology allows internet users with high speed
(broadband) access to place telephone calls over the internet.
There are many VoIP service providers with whom one can sign up for a
calling plan.
As VoIP rides on the internet technology, there are many features that
are now possible as compared to the traditional phone. Many traditional
phone features that come at an extra charge are also provided free with
the basic calling plan.
1. Cheaper Than Traditional Phones
Using VoIP is a cheaper option if you make a lot of long distance and
international calls. This is possible as the call uses the same
internet facility as you do for your web access and email.
Upon signing up for a calling plan with a service provider, the VoIP
telephone adapter will typically be provided free.
All calls between people using the same service provider are free
regardless of location. This alone can provide significant savings if
your business associates use the same service providers.
There are many features that come free with the calling plan. Some of
these features are:
- call waiting
- caller ID
- three-way calling
- call forwarding
- last number redial
- speed dial
- voicemail
2. Allows Mobility
When travelling, you can take the VoIP adapter with you and instantly
turn a phone anywhere in the world into your local phone. This will
require a high speed internet connection.
This is possible as the VoIP adapter is specially coded with your VoIP
phone number.
With the VoIP Physical Portability feature, you can still receive your
customers' phone calls while travelling on business matters, on holiday
or moving home.
3. Establishing Business Offices At Multiple Locations
VoIP Virtual Numbers allow multiple inbound telephone access numbers in
different cities. With this feature, it is possible to establish your
business in multiple locations by creating a "Virtual Presence" using
virtual numbers.
These virtual numbers can be routed to any number that you specify. If
you lived in Chicago, you can have access numbers in New York, Houston
and San Francisco all routing through to your number in Chicago.
With this feature, business addresses can be established in different
cities and even countries. You can set up these virtual numbers based
on the locations from where you expect to receive many phone calls.
This could be your existent customers or your prospects.
Besides enhancing the image of your business, customers get the benefit
of calling a local number which is less costly for them.
Most service providers who offer this feature charge about $5 per month
for each additional access number. This makes it possible to establish
business offices at multiple locations at a low cost.
4. Enhanced Voice Mail
Some service providers offer you the ability to receive voice mail
messages as an email attachment. You can play them back as a sound file
through your computer.
As a home business owner, you can also save these voice mails to your
computer's hard drive for future reference. You can also forward this
to another person if follow up action is required.
5. Selecting A VoIP Service Provider
Your choice of the VoIP service provider and the calling plan depends
on your unique needs.
Depending on your business needs, you can select calling plans for
local/long distance or international calls. International calls can be
made with local/long distance plans but at an additional per minute
rate. International plans typically include USA local and long distance
coverage.
Do not buy based on the number of features provided by the service
provider. Decide on the features you require to manage your home
business. Then match these against the features available.
According to independent surveys, most of the established VoIP carriers
are about the same in terms of voice quality. Good customer service is
also another criteria for selecting the service provider. You can read
customer reviews on these aspects to help you choose the service
provider.
There are service providers that include a "Money Back Guarantee". Once
you have initiated the service, check against your service quality
criteria. If you are not happy with the results, then cancel the
service and request for your money back. Make sure you do this within
the "trial" period allocated.
If you are on a month-to-month plan, your service is automatically
renewable each month, until you cancel the service. So, you have the
option of canceling. Some annual plans allow you to cancel on a
month-to-month basis, but may include other charges. Check out all
these details before you sign up.
