For those who aren’t aware of the virtual office trend that is underway, it is now possible to complete any office operation with VoIP technology. It is also easier than ever before for organizations to allow their employees to work remotely in an efficient manner, or for independent contractors to create a business office in the confines of their own home – or where ever they have an Internet connection.
For people that are interested in designing their own home office, here are a few tips on how to start a company using the innovations created by VoIP.
1. Get rid of PSTN and Purchase a VoIP Plan
Since PSTN relies on circuit switching, when phone calls are routed through analogy phone technology it can be both slow and costly. Traditional phone providers also charge more per minute, whether it is a local or long distance call as opposed to VoIP technology, which uses the Internet. For VoIP users it doesn’t matter how far a call travels across the country, the cost doesn’t change. VoIP providers don’t charge extra per minute, rather, it is just a low monthly fee for unlimited calling that is significantly cheaper than PSTN.
2. Get a Virtual PBX (News - Alert) Phone System
Virtual PBX services can answer calls with different greetings and route them to specific employees, whether they are in the home office or not. Providers have the ability to scale their PBX services to meet the changing planes of each business so people don’t have to worry about purchasing a certain amount of phone lines upfront during the beginning stages of a business. Additional lines can be added without the hassle of any installation.
3. Download Google (News - Alert) Gadget
This application allows users to switch their phone calls from their mobile, work or home phones in a few seconds via the personalized Google desktop or iGoogle plug-in. This is especially useful for employees who are working from home or using a mobile device, as they can turn their traditional means of communication into their business line in a matter of a few seconds.
4. Implement IP Faxing
Since a home office may have limited space to machinery, it is vital that users make the most use out of the programs available on the market, like IP faxing. Using the same technology as VoIP, users can receive and send faxes right from their mobile device. This service is more cost-efficient than a regular machine as it eliminates paper and ink expenses, along with mechanical issues that may occur. Also, most Internet fax systems are compatible with common word processing programs and can be integrated for Microsoft (News - Alert) applications, so documents can be typed up normally and sent via fax.
With the innovations created by VoIP technology, users can now create a phone system that is integrated with their fax machine and mobile devices, which is becoming a hot topic in the workplace. As the BYOD trend continues to grow, the idea of creating a virtual office that exists in the palm of a user’s hand is now feasible.
Essentially all of the capabilities that are mentioned above could be completed with a mobile device, thus making the notion of having an office in any place that a user calls their home possible.
Edited by Jamie Epstein