25 Aug Using Teams as your modern VoIP solution – Communication in the modern world of work
In the first article we explored some of the modern communicative methods that we all use often and are very familiar with, and we explained how those methods don’t quite stand up to scrutiny any more in the modern world – they no longer assist in productivity and the effective use of time – so something needs to change.
Communication is the most important part of every business no matter the sector in which you operate.
The remainder of this article will explore the modern methods of communication that can assist you, your team, and in turn your organisation, going forward into the future.
Communication in the modern world of work
VoIP telephony – the modern way to communicate
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It allows you to make a call directly using a computer or a VoIP phone from anywhere, all whilst keeping the same contact number – thereby allowing you to appear to be in a particular place even when you aren’t – more on this later.
Traditional telephony for business (ISDN) is very near the end of its life. This fact alone should be enough to persuade you to find an alternative but if it doesn’t perhaps the cost will – it is extortionately expensive. VoIP is cheap in comparison, has clearly advanced capabilities and allows you to communicate with your team no matter where they are on the globe, if they have a sufficient internet connection.
VoIP – The obvious replacement
The ‘office setting’ from anywhere
VoIP allows you to pull the wool over your clients’ eyes, your team will appear to be at their desks when in reality they are sitting on a sun lounger somewhere abroad, relaxing on the couch, or enjoying the delights of the coffee shop down the road – they can be anywhere in the world! VoIP allows you to seamlessly improve your levels of professionalism in comparison to traditional telephony with no change of process at all for your customers. The call will come from the same reputable company contact number and be greeted by the usual company slogan/ greeting. All of this is essential for your clients – consistency is key, as it allows your clients to develop trust and familiarity with your organisation as a whole and therefore aid in its success.
Mobility
Traditional phone lines are exactly that – phone lines, meaning they have a specific phone number assigned to them. The world has been gradually adopting a remote workforce for a while now, a process that was sped up unexpectedly over the last year or so. The continued use of ISDN means that your team will have to remember complex codes and keys that need dialling in order for their device to appear as the office number. This process can be very time consuming – time that could be spent productively.
VoIP makes it possible for your team to theoretically work from anywhere with no effect to business operations – your clients will think your team are all still in the office.
Relationships
To be sure that we didn’t miss calls and important messages in the past we used Voicemail – a great tool but, unfortunately, it cannot keep up with the way we work in the modern workplace. VoIP is a more than adequate replacement, it allows you to choose where your calls ring and for how long. It is completely down to your preference, you could have the first rings take place in your office, the second to your home, and the third to your mobile, allowing you to make a guarantee that would never have been possible before VoIP – that you will never miss your clients’ calls.
Reliability
If you implement the tools we have discussed correctly, you can make promises that business owners of the past could only have dreamt of making. Having the ability to route your calls to locations of your choice allows you to guarantee a certain quality of service no matter the circumstances – (be it a natural disaster, a fire, a power cut, whatever it is) there is no reason for business to stop.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is now a well-established member of the Microsoft suite of tools. It was first released for use by the public in 2017 but really took the limelight when people noticed its capabilities during the pandemic. With its current daily average user count of an astonishing 250 million people, its influence spans the globe. Teams seamlessly integrates with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and allows your team to share files, co-ordinate tasks, and much more, all in one easy to navigate place. This allows you to irradicate in-house emailing and guide your business into the future of work.
Meetings made easier by Teams
As we touched on in the previous blog, traditionally meetings were carried out face to face in a cramped little office, were not held as often as they should have been, and were very difficult to organise, but the modern digital world has allowed for easier – less time-consuming – ways of organising and holding them.
Meetings in Teams allows you to organise a meeting in advance that automatically finds a slot that works for the team members involved and automatically adds it to their diary, thus removing the hours that it used to take to organise a time that suited everyone. Microsoft Teams allows your team to join the meeting from any location in the world with an internet connection, so even when a team member is away from the office all can sit in on the meeting from anywhere and be kept in the loop about what is happening.
It is of the utmost importance that you keep familiar with the technological landscape of successful businesses around the world, as, in this way, you can see what will benefit your own. By adopting the proven methods relevant to your company, you will have peace of mind that your team are well-equipped and able to complete their roles as efficiently and to the highest standard as possible.
Your IT Specialists
At Netcom we are well-versed in helping companies in various sectors navigate the often mystifying, jargon-filled, world of IT. With over 15 years’ experience and covering virtually all aspects of business IT, we can help guide your business to a prosperous future with the right IT at your side every step of the way. We can help you deploy cutting edge solutions that will not only help you weather the storm that is modern IT but also keep your business at the top of its game post-pandemic and beyond.
Why not book a free, no-obligation discovery call today by ringing 0114 361 0062.