Should Your Business Switch to VoIP?

3. VoIP service makes your phone system highly flexible. VoIP systems allow you to do things that are simply not possible with traditional phone technology. For example, you can:

Take your phone system with you. As long as you have access to a broadband connection, you can use your VoIP system anywhere, such as in a hotel room or at a friend's home. Customers and employees can stay in touch just by calling your regular business phone number--they don't need to call your cell phone, which means you can save precious cell phone minutes.

Talk on your laptop. Many VoIP systems include telephone software that enables you to send and receive calls using a headphone/microphone unit connected to your computer. Now you won't miss an urgent call from a client, even when you're hanging out at an internet cafe.

Get voice mail and faxes with your email. Many VoIP services allow you to have voice mail and faxes automatically forwarded to your regular email inbox. You get all your messages in one place, and your voice mail and faxes can be easily archived or forwarded to others. Users can also get their emails "read" to voice mail.

Get virtual phone numbers. Your phone number can have any available area code, not just the one assigned to your region. For example, a business based in California could have a phone number with a Florida area code -- particularly advantageous if your business has (or wants) customers in Florida.

Increase productivity. Many VoIP phone numbers can be configured to simultaneously ring on multiple devices, such as your cell and landline phones, before going to voice mail, thus eliminating time-consuming "phone tag." In a recent survey conducted by Sage Research, the increased productivity enabled by internet telephony added up to 3.9 hours per week, per employee.