When you’re managing a remote team, a VoIP communications system is essential. It’s the only way to streamline communications without having to buy expensive equipment for each team member and contractor. With VoIP, team members can use their own devices to communicate with other team members and clients.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic shutdowns, streamlined communications are more essential than ever before. Thousands of businesses have been forced to establish a remote team with little warning. According to data published by MSN, 51% of SMBs have adopted work-from-home policies. Many of those business owners are new to managing a remote team and are scrambling to keep their team members connected while working from home.

For remote workforces, the COVID-19 shutdowns have been a huge disruption to normal business communications. However, smart organizations are using hosted VoIP services like sipVine to get back to business.

Hosted VoIP systems provide businesses with an immediate solution for streamlining communications and offers the flexibility they need for the future. In other words, it’s not just a temporary solution. Even after the pandemic is over, businesses will continue using VoIP services to keep their teams connected.

What is VoIP?

VoIP stands for ‘Voice Over Internet Protocol (IP), which means communications occur over the internet rather than through traditional phone services. When you already have an internet connection, it’s much cheaper to communicate over IP. However, VoIP is more than just a phone you plug into your router or modem that functions like a conventional phone system. That’s how it worked in the past, but today’s VoIP is more sophisticated.

Today’s hosted VoIP systems bypass the need for a physical phone and rely on software that can run on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. This means entire teams of remote employees and contractors can communicate using their own devices. They can still use a traditional phone, as many businesses do, but nobody is limited to a desk phone.

Although many businesses initially turn to VoIP for cost savings, the benefits extend beyond saving money. VoIP provides unparalleled features and integrations that every remote team needs to thrive.

VoIP supports smooth communication and collaboration for remote teams

Remote teams have a disadvantage compared to teams working in a physical office. Remote team members can’t just go tap someone on the shoulder to ask a question or relay a message. Not having immediate access to other team members can put projects behind schedule and delay completion of tasks.

VoIP eliminates this disadvantage by making team members easy to reach during the workday.    This technology also provides full visibility you just can’t get with traditional phone systems. For instance, a software-based VoIP system makes it possible for your receptionists, supervisors, and end users to view the status of call queues. Your reps can place calls, transfer calls, and record conversations with just a few clicks. You can even automatically route callers to the proper support department in the beginning of their call.

Hosted VoIP expands access to talent

While hosted VoIP services benefit existing remote teams, this technology also makes it easier to acquire new talent from anywhere in the world. You can hire your ideal remote team members without a VoIP communications system, but A-players expect their employers to have smooth systems in place. If your employees need to call long distance and dial country codes to work on a project, you’ll probably lose your A-players.

Why is VoIP superior to traditional phone systems?

Streamlining communications among a remote workforce isn’t easy, especially when team members are spread out across the world. Without VoIP, you have to buy expensive equipment for all of your team members, or require them to buy the equipment with their own money. Neither of these options are ideal.

Even if your company can afford to equip all team members with an expensive conventional desk phone system, they’ll need someone to set it up and train them to use the system. That’s not a problem when you can rally everyone into a central location for a training session, but you can’t do that with a remote team.

A hosted VoIP system connects all team members throughout the work day and makes communication and collaboration fast and easy.

VoIP allows you to switch devices in the middle of a conversation

VoIP software also makes it possible to seamlessly pick up a conversation from another device. For example, you can start a conversation at your desk in the office and switch to your smartphone when you need to leave and finish the conversation on your drive home. That’s not possible with a traditional desk phone.

VoIP supports a busy entrepreneurial lifestyle

The final and most critical reason VoIP is superior has to do with the way remote teams operate. Today’s remote teams aren’t just sitting in their houses staring at the computer all day. They’re on the go. If they’re not running errands, they’re managing their business, tending to investments, and attending meetings with clients.

Modern teams need the freedom to leave their house and multi-task while they handle their business. They need to be able to attend a meeting from a parking lot after running errands if they don’t have time to drive all the way home. Only a hosted VoIP solution makes that possible.

VoIP is the future of workforce communications

Although it takes planning to make the switch, employers have no reason to avoid embracing a remote workforce. The benefits to both employers and employees are clear: employees with autonomy and freedom produce higher quality work. High quality work translates to more business profits.

Society is already moving toward a virtual workforce in nearly every industry imaginable. Although some industries obviously aren’t compatible with remote work (like commercial fishing), those business owners are embracing remote teams on the administrative side.

As remote workforces replace conventional teams across all the world’s industries, VoIP will become the standard for workplace communications one business at a time.