Recently, a story circulated amongst industry insiders of an official in a hospital’s records room who couldn’t customize her legacy phone system’s hold messages. The upshot was this particular platform restarted the hold message each time a caller was placed back on hold.

It’s hard to deny how reliable Skype is as a VoIP telephony system. Having something good doesn’t mean you should stop at that; for the sake of your small- or medium-sized business, you should always be on the lookout for the next best thing that helps facilitate your company’s growth.

VoIP has come a long way since the mid-90s when the technology first enabled phone calls over the internet. Thoughtful developments in telephony hardware and software have driven its growth, and enhanced internet functionality has been a key component, too.

Most people have always assumed that a landline from the established local telco is what their office needs, but the new reality is that you have options. Now you can choose to make calls over the internet with VoIP (Voice over IP) and enjoy convenience, simple set-up, and all the features you’d expect from a traditional phone system, for less money.

Traditional mobile calling plans may not be heading the way of the dodo bird quite yet, but there is a viable threat to their existence. The challenge comes from VoIP, and while it’s only in its nascent stages, it is foreshadowing a dark future for Telecoms’ costly monthly plans, sometimes spotty call quality, confusing invoices, and questionable customer service.

Most of us have heard of the wonders that VoIP can provide to businesses, cheaper telephony, more diverse functionalities and increased mobility -- but have you heard about the better access to customer data? As technology continues to connect us in new and exciting ways there is an endless supply of data to interpret.

Not that long ago, VoIP services were a new and revolutionary concept. Nowadays, internet-based voice communication is commonplace among SMBs, which means it’s time to turn our attention toward improving their security. Without a thorough understanding of what is needed to protect your VoIP systems, you could be vulnerable to cyberattacks.

So you’ve noticed that the work rate in the office has been slowing down lately. Perhaps it’s because the job is too stressful. Or maybe most of your employees live far away from the new office. Whatever the reason, it’s probably best to try something new.

When considering a VoIP solution, many small business owners have a lot of reservations. What if the call quality is unsuitable? What if your staff struggles with the technology? What if you have to deal with the headache of installing an additional network? All these assumptions can prevent business owners from giving VoIP a try, but are they legitimate? Absolutely not.

Voicemail, Do Not Disturb, and call recording are among the few reasons why companies choose VoIP services to solve their communication needs. However, there are features that can be overlooked by small businesses such as customizable hold music or in-call coaching, to name a few.