The office culture is changing more and more with every passing year. This last year notwithstanding, there have been hurdles overcome and new horizons dawned from the incredible array of new technologies allowing the workplace to evolve into an entirely new animal.
Internet based applications are nothing new of course, there are endless examples of online timesheet software, monitoring systems and even accounting streamliners that have made the office culture an entirely new animal altogether. Gone are the days of the water cooler conversation and physical paper trails.
While some innovations have completely changed the office culture landscape from the inside out, there are a few examples that have found a strange symbiotic relationship between innovation and classic culture. Marrying the old-school methods that have a tried and true nature with the modern upgrades that complement each other beautifully to create a modern twist that benefits all involved.
One such innovation is that of the Virtual Phone Systems, these remarkable innovations of technology have allowed the old to mix with the new in exciting ways that have led to a resurgence in the notion of inter-office communications. Today we’ll be focusing on the introduction of these technologies to the workplace and the inherent benefits that reside with adopting them.
What Are Virtual Phone Systems?
A virtual phone system, otherwise known as VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) can sound a little confusing on first glance, after all, it sounds similar to already established systems like WhatsApp or Skype, right? Wrong. A Virtual Phone System is much more than a simple data only calling alternative. The way it’s set up is primarily as a middleman between clients and workers in the intended company.
It’s relatively simple when you boil down the basic functionality; Virtual Phone System providers will provide the road for customers to call either a toll-free or business number, they are then able to redirect the call to a mobile or another location without any delay or unnecessary issues. The beauty of these systems is that they work entirely on an internet connection, able to forward and communicate numbers without any detrimental effect on the sound quality of the call, allowing for a professional and crisp conversation every time.
Think of it as a virtual connection that can connect your office number to you, anywhere you are.
The Old & The New
If you look around your current office, there’s a good chance that there are still landline phones chained to the desks as they likely were before the advent of the computer screen. When you consider the technological updates that have occurred across the spectrum of corporate life, it seems a little archaic that we find ourselves still chained to the desk to take important calls, even with headsets, the environment that landlines catered to is simply not there anymore. You just need to look at the statistics of how little 9-5 jobs exist these days and you’ll know they’re a relic of a time gone by. An inter-connected world powered by the internet has no time for chains.
This does not mean that the concept of telecommunications has lost its edge in the corporate world, quite the contrary, communications and establishing a connection with clients and one another is still absolutely essential for maintaining a decent brand image, the establishment of a Virtual Phone System is simply the perfect amalgamation of the old and the new.
There is still credence and careful consideration in the concept of a memorable number for instance, this is especially true for small businesses and ones who need a hook to get into the public mind and memory. This is typically achieved with the use of vanity numbers and memorable and catchy tunes. The problem that exists is the fact that these catchy numbers used to only go to a singular location, the registered landline or mobile that is linked to it.
Thus, the virtual phone system comes in to save the day. The virtual phone system allows this catchy number to be forwarded instantly through any number of ways. So, if you have someone working remotely that needs to be on the front line of answering calls, the seamless solution allows for clients to be none the wiser that the person they’re calling is in fact at home or on the move.
It’s still vital to maintain an effective channel of communication for businesses around the world, this old-school method of having an identity in their number is a strong branding tactic and still an effective means of communication – marry that with the technological advantage of the internet and you have a system that is suitable for the modern age.
Why Introduce Them
So, we now know how the marriage works, it’s now time to understand the true utility in a practical sense. After all, why adopt the technology if you don’t inherently need it right?
De-Clutter The Desk
Well, take a moment and look at the working space you currently have. Our guess is it’s already cluttered with unnecessary phone lines and cables? Cubicles close to each other which disallows any form of privacy for phone conversations?
Virtual Phone systems are already the right way of negating these issues. Seeing as the number will still exist but be virtually tenable from a desktop app or mobile app, the chain-link that once kept workers at their desks for important calls is now diminished.
Becoming Truly 24/7
A key advantage and selling point for the virtual phone systems on the market is the ability to become truly mobile and 24/7 in a matter of a few clicks. In days gone by, there would be an office number for working hours and an off-putting ‘out of office hours’ number underneath it. More often than not this involved contracting someone for enquiries and phone communications that wasn’t directly involved with the company and standard out-of-office messages can lead to disastrous results.
Not anymore, the marvels of virtual phone system allow a singular office number to be directed on a schedule to wherever you so desire. This effectively means you can have someone on-call to receive out-of-office calls without any extra hassle of setting up an alternative number and can change the recipient of the call at will.
This invariably gives smaller businesses the power of scale that would otherwise cost infinitely more with the simple incorporation of a VoIP.
Vast Array of Features
The technology also comes with an array of extra features that were once only attainable by hiring someone or incorporating various platforms of software and attempt to integrate them without hassle of loss of efficacy, which can be taxing all on its own.
Recording features assist ordering calls and specificity based enquiries for instance, making them perfect for shipping and shopping companies that require a keen ear at all times. The security measures in place also allow for more sensitive calls to be securely transferred without fear of corruption or interference.
A Virtual Phone System is the perfect symbiotic marriage of old and new office culture, and when properly integrated into an appropriate environment – can bring businesses the prestige and personalisation that’s befitting of a modern workplace.