With many companies now adopting a more flexible way of working, the technology they use must also be able to support them. More employees are now working from home than ever before, and this means communication has to adapt to suit these different scenarios. The old POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) isn’t up to the new demands of business. This is where VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) come in.
What's the Difference Between VoIP and UCaaS?
Both UCaaS and VoIP are similar in the way they both use the internet rather than analog phone lines, but from there the similarity ends.
UCaaS can do a lot more than VoIP because it integrates all of the communication tools into one. This includes video conferencing, chat apps, messaging and contact centres. This means tools such as the
Horizon Hosted Phone System will work seamlessly no matter what application you are using.
While VoIP is a good way to negate the reliance on analogue phone lines, it offers a limited service compared to UCaaS. However, both of these will enable you to move your business to a more advanced communication strategy.
The End of Analogue Systems
One of the biggest reasons for changing to VoIP or UCaaS is because many telephone companies are
switching off their analogue lines in the coming years. These systems are old and require a lot of maintenance. For this reason, telephone companies are now switching to alternatives that will make it easier to maintain.
Moving your business over to VoIP or UCaaS means you are anticipating this switch off, and can prepare in plenty of time. Doing it now also ensures that you won’t have to wait long as the demand for these services will increase as the switch off of analogue draws near.
Video Conferencing and Messaging
Most meetings are now conducted by video conferencing. This has not only made communication easier, it has also reduced the amount of travelling people need to do as part of their working week.
Virtual meetings also ensure that everyone can attend regardless of their location. This is a lot easier than trying to arrange everyone to meet in the same place.
Increased Flexibility
With many employees working from home or from other locations, the traditional telephone system isn’t effective enough. With the new VoIP and UCaaS networks, you can keep in contact with all of your employees via calls and messages.
This also makes life easier for your employees who may need to contact you urgently, or send you documents electronically.
Final Thoughts
The demands of the workplace are always adapting and changing – in this day and age, flexibility and adaptability is crucial. Technology is now able to meet those changes to make life easier for employees and ensure business runs smoothly regardless of the needs of its customers.