36 years ago, landlines were one of the only means of communication for businesses. Over the years, the evolution of technology has completely transformed the way organizations communicate.
With VoIP (Voiceover Internet Protocol), you now have a faster, more efficient, and cost-effective way of reaching people from all over the world. In this post, we discuss how this form of communication has changed the way businesses interact with others and the benefits of VoIP systems.
The History of VoIP Systems
In the 90s, various VoIP systems emerged to try and solve the needs of businesses around the world. The first VoIP system was said to be created in 1991 by a company called Speak Freely.
Other companies followed suit, and in 1995, another VoIP was created by a company called VocalTec that allowed people to connect their computers to the internet to make calls. Alon Cohen was the co-inventor of the Audio Receiver that was responsible for the development of Voiceover Network Products.
During this time, companies like Radvision and Microsoft standardized VoIP communication. The purpose of the VoIP system was to provide a cost-effective way to make international calls.
Expansions for VoIP Systems
Although VoIP was a new way of communicating with people, there were also some setbacks. The call quality was still lagging, and people experienced the frustration of frequent call drops.
But by the early 2000s, broadband internet became available in most populated areas. The invention of MDCT (Modified Discrete Cosine Transform) made it even easier for data and audio to be sent over the internet, which transformed the way VoIP operated.
Companies like Vonage launched in early 2001, and two years later, Skype was introduced. These platforms became a massive success for businesses. By 2003, VoIP systems had become popular and increased to about 25%. As internet connectivity became stronger, so did VoIP.
How Are VoIP Systems Used Today?
The COVID-19 pandemic was a major driver for the increased use of VoIP systems. Since businesses had to close their doors for lockdown, they needed other means of communicating with staff.
After the lockdown, hybrid teams also became popular, and companies needed VoIP systems to reach employees working outside of the office. With that being said, here is how VoIP systems are used today.
Video Conferencing
Companies use VoIP systems to host video conferences with stakeholders, clients, or remote employees. Some systems allow up to 10 people to be present during the conference. This allows companies to have face-to-face conversations with people when they can’t attend a physical meeting.
Call Recording
VoIP systems often have call recording capabilities, allowing users to record and store conversations for future reference or training purposes. Call forwarding can be particularly useful in customer service or compliance-focused industries.
Caller ID
Another useful feature that VoIP systems have is the ability to see who’s calling you. However, there may be situations where you don’t know the person who’s calling. In this case, you can use a VoIP number lookup platform to help you find the owner of a number.
Call Forwarding
VoIP systems allow you to transfer calls to another extension or device seamlessly. Call forwarding is particularly useful if you have a call center or a business with multiple departments.
Voicemail
If a user is unavailable, the caller can leave a voicemail. The user can then access their voicemails via the VoIP system or through emails. Employees won’t need an assistant to take messages for them, which can also save the company money.
VoIP Trends
Now that you know what the basic uses of VoIP systems are, there are some trends that companies should consider getting involved in, such as:
- Using mobile VoIP for remote workers
- Language recognition using AI for international businesses
- Omnichannel communication like email, text chats, and voice notes
- Collection of data when communicating with clients or customers
- Using AI to prevent fraud by detecting inauthentic voices
- The increased use of Application Programming Interface to link previously disconnected systems and data
Take a look at other VoIP trends that companies are adopting. You should also see how your VoIP system can integrate with other digital tools you use, like task management systems.
Final Thoughts
You can use VoIP systems in a variety of ways to communicate with employees and clients. With the right system, you may get additional features like the ability to use AI to forward calls to the right department or detect languages. Consider using a VoIP system as a cost-effective and seamless way of connecting with people from all around the world!
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