Although voice over internet protocol (VoIP) has been around for a while, many small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) have not yet taken advantage of its benefits. As SMBs continue to rely on legacy telephony systems, their customers may be irritated by poor call quality and the challenges of reaching the right person. 
The impression that VoIP is a costly solution may be what is holding SMBs back. On the contrary, hosted VoIP enables SMBs to gain the functionality of an enterprise-level unified communications solution at an affordable rate.
Here are 3 of the top benefits of hosted VoIP:
1) Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
As with most cloud services, hosted VoIP shifts your budget from capital expenses to operating expenses. There is no need to purchase, provision, or update hardware. Instead, the provider supplies your telephony resources and takes responsibility for refreshes and regular maintenance. Your organization pays for services based on demand and can conveniently bundle features.
With cloud-based VoIP, monthly rates ensure your budget is predictable. When call volume increases or you need to on-board new employees, you can easily scale to meet demand.
2) Enhanced Capabilities and Features
Using hosted VoIP opens up a whole new world of possibilities for your business. VoIP combines voice and data services onto a single network. Your business can take advantage of unified communications for enhanced business collaboration. When working on projects, employees can use all their favorite modes of communication, including email, instant messaging, video conferencing, and conference bridges.
Hosted VoIP has many features available to enhance communications with customers and employees. Auto attendants have menus for single-digit routing or dial-by-name directories, making it easier to get in touch with employees. Call accounts keep records of all calls and messages. For customer service, VoIP solutions provide virtual receptionists that can offer special promotions or answer frequently asked questions. Cloud-based VoIP enables access to other cloud applications such as analytics software that can help your organization process data about customer interactions that take place through telephony.
3) Greater Mobility
According to the New Jersey Institute of Technology, 45% of employees work remotely. Its research also shows that 34% of business leaders believe that more than half of their full-time workforce will be working remotely by 2020.
Hosted VoIP gives your employees the flexibility they need to work on the go or from remote offices. VoIP allows employees to use tablets or smartphones to conduct business. They can log in from anywhere – a home office or coffee shop or while traveling on a commuter train. Wherever your distributed workforce is located, they benefit from the same features and functionality as your in-office workers.
Navigating the Hosted VoIP Landscape
Using VoIP for telephony is growing in popularity. Marketing experts at Grand View Research predict the North American VoIP market will climb to $20 billion by 2024. As your business evaluates VoIP provider options, consider the quality and service each offers. Making the most of VoIP depends on the bandwidth capabilities of the provider’s network, the range of features they offer, and the quality of support they provide.
By partnering with FirstLight, your business gains access to one of the largest fiber optic networks in the Northeast. We provide bandwidth options to satisfy the needs of both small and large companies in a wide range of industries.
FirstLight’s hosted PBX solution is available at a monthly rate with optional unlimited calling packages. Our cloud-based unified communications solution provides your organization with a dedicated Ethernet connection on our state-of-the-art fiber optic network.
Let the experts at FirstLight guide you through your options for VoIP.
