Info Advantage Blog

Software-based phone systems are an increasingly popular trend in the workplace. Businesses have found that traditional phone systems, while helpful under certain situations, are somewhat antiquated compared to Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP. A VoIP is a great way to save money by eliminating unnecessary costs and improving overall efficiency. So now you may be wondering: is VoIP right for your company?

VoIP uses your organization’s Internet connection to transfer the call from your phone to the call recipient. Typically, VoIP systems use a software client that’s installed on the user’s workstation, laptop, or smartphone, and will works anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection. Many organizations are finding VoIP to be an alternative to the traditional land-locked phone systems issued by telecommunication providers. Here are some of the major benefits of using software-based VoIP phone systems.

Tradition Phones Have No Mobility
One of the major problems with traditional office telephone is that office workers can’t (easily) take their office phone numbers with them when they leave the office. With VoIP, users can install the softphone application on any applicable device, be it a smartphone or a laptop. This makes it easier to stay in touch while on business trips or working remotely. All the user needs is a headset or a microphone.

Traditional Phones Are Complicated
One of the biggest pain points with telecom systems is the struggle that comes from onboarding new employees. When you acquire a larger workforce, you need to add telephones to your communications infrastructure, which can include anything from running new wires around your office, to completely remodeling to accommodate for more space. With VoIP, it’s as simple as adding new users, numbers, and extensions to your software-based phone system. You still have to watch out for bandwidth restrictions, however, due to the fact that your phone system is using your Internet connection.

Traditional Phones Are Costly
Providers tend to bundle together services that your business may not necessarily want or need, which winds up costing your organization more money in the long run. Instead of bundling together undesired services, you can build out a VoIP service that’s specifically designed for your business. VoIP systems can offer great features such as screen sharing, instant messaging, and conference calling. Customers only have to pay for what they want. Regardless, VoIP uses a service which you already pay for--your Internet connection--so that you don’t have to worry about another big expense in your budget.

If your business is rethinking its communications strategy, a VoIP solution from Info Advantage can be just what you need. Every business is different, though, and you need a VoIP solution that’s designed specifically with your organization’s needs in mind. To learn more, reach out to us at (585) 254-8710.

Smartphones have become an inseparable part of the workplace, to the point where they’re almost necessary in order to maintain efficiency. Yet, sometimes it can feel like a hassle to switch to another device, even if it’s for something as mundane as making a phone call. Did you know that it’s super simple to add a second phone number to your smartphone?

There are plenty of reasons why you may want to do this. Perhaps you’d like a second phone number that you can use to sign up for promotions, just to keep your primary phone number off of the lists of annoying telemarketers. Maybe you want to take calls from your business phone on your personal smartphone. Regardless, the technology you need to do so is very accessible and easy to set up.

Call Transfer
This technology has been around for far longer than smartphones, and comes with most phone plans. If your current phone system supports it, you’ll be able to set up forwarding for calls to your personal cell phone. This can allow you to accept business calls, even while you’re out of the office.

Granted, this feature does have a catch. It might be great for receiving phone calls, but it doesn’t necessarily allow you to make calls from your device using the transferred phone number. There are plenty of business phone solutions that are designed specifically for this situation, like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Solutions like these are dynamic and responsive enough to make it easy to manage a second phone number.

Second Phone Number Apps
If you just want a second phone number for personal use, there are plenty of great options that can give you similar functionality. Here are a few of the most popular options:

• Google Voice and Hangouts: You can use your Google account to set up a second Google Voice phone number, which you can then use through Google Hangouts to make and receive phone calls. This is a great option for those who are already fully using their Google accounts, and it’s free.
• Sideline: Sideline might only provide the basics, but it gives you a second phone number. You can make and receive calls, and have a voicemail, but that’s about all it can do. It’s $3/month, so it’s an inexpensive option… that is, if you can get around the advertisements.
• Line 2: Line 2 offers more features than the previous examples, which make it a better solution if you’re willing to shell out some extra cash for it. Line 2 has two plans: a $10/month plan, which provides a personal number, and $15/month, which provides a business line. Many smartphone users may find the mobile app and online dashboard desirable.
• Skype Number: Skype has made it quite easy to get a second phone number, and if you’re already using it for video chat, you may as well use it for your second phone number solution. An online Skype number offers a robust set of features at $6/month, which makes it both affordable and convenient.

If you want to put a second phone number on your smartphone, as you can see, you have several options to consider. However, if your business wants the most dynamic phone solution that can benefit your entire infrastructure, there’s only one option. Info Advantage suggests implementing a Voice over Internet Protocol solution for your communication needs. To learn more, reach out to us at (585) 254-8710.