VoIP for remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic

The move to remote-working

A few weeks ago we had trouble believing companies would be asked to make the move to remote work. Unfortunately, the worsening of the COVID–19 situation did not leave them much of a choice and most of the population today does not have access to the office anymore. So how can we actually keep operations successful when everyone is at home? Some jobs rely mostly on meetings and conferences, something which becomes quite the challenge when everyone is spread out around the city unable to leave their own house. Thankfully, we are lucky to live in an era where we have access to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications, and working from home can actually have many advantages: for example, it eliminates the loss of time during traffic jams on the way to or from work as well as any money spent commuting, and the comfort of your own home with the lack of office distractions is something people appreciate. These conditions can actually often lead to an increase in productivity, on the contrary to what some companies believe.

So what exactly is Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and what makes it a must-have tool for Remote Working?

VoIP is an alternative system for placing and receiving calls. To put it simply, when placing a call through VoIP, the user’s voice is converted into digital data that is broken down into packets to be transported through the communication line, and is then put back together into data that the telephone on the other end of the line can understand. With VoIP, companies can keep in touch with employees no matter where they are and at any time of the day- thus letting almost all employees be able to work from home and in turn allowing for business continuity. Another point worth mentioning is the fact that VoIP is also very affordable. Legacy phone systems require more hardware and thus more upkeep, whereas our VoIP solution uses a hosted solution, meaning no costs related to re-locating, repairing or upgrading hardware.

Conference calling and the flexibility of VoIP systems

Thanks to VoIP, more specifically with IP telephony, remote workers can do their work almost as if they were in the office itself. It is even possible and easy today to bring home your IP phone and set it up just like you would in your office. Bringing your IP phone home still means you keep the same number, can dial extensions, transfer and receive calls. Essentially, you have it functioning the exact same way it does when you are at the office. You also have the other option to set up a new IP phone at home that is linked to the one which stays in your office- it will have a different number but will ring at the same time as the original, so whether you are at home or at the office, you still will not miss any calls!

VoIP is not just good for regular phone calls, it has also made it so that conference calling has never been easier. VoIP conference calls are just as clear whether you are using a 3-way conference call or a conference bridge with dozens of participants, the only requirements being sufficient bandwidth and high-speed internet. With clear conference calls, you can feel like you are in the meeting itself, all the while saving money and time on transportation, getting less stress from traveling, thus giving more comfort to everyone.

With all these advantages, there is one thing that is clear- VoIP is necessary to use in order to have any kind of remote operations, and it remains the only solution for total business continuity in a time where the office is simply not an option anymore. No matter where your workers are, they will require reliable channels to keep in touch with each other’s progress to ensure the work can still get done as it would be in person. Making the move to VoIP and thus ensuring non-stop operations with cheaper communication channels is sure to give you a strategic advantage.