Hosted VoIP – No Need for an In-House VoIP Department

For a business looking to upgrade to VoIP, there are usually two options. The first choice is to opt for SIP trunking. The second alternative is hosted VoIP. Both choices have pros and cons, so it can be difficult to decide.

However, one important advantage of hosted VoIP is that you don’t need experts. You don’t need technicians to set up the phones, manage calls or maintain the system. You don’t need IT professionals to troubleshoot problems. For a startup, small or even midsize business, this is a valuable benefit.

Since VoIP works over the Internet, you need IT experts to do most of the work. Let’s take a look at how hosted VoIP eliminates the need for an in-house tech department.

Setting up a Phone System

For a home user, setting up a VoIP phone is quite simple. Once you sign up for service with a provider, you can make calls. Consumer VoIP services come with many features but you don’t have to be an expert to set them up.

Things get more complicated for a business, no matter the size. Most organizations need enterprise specific features such as IVR systems, auto attendant, ACD queues etc. Getting these features in a traditional landline is expensive. VoIP makes them more affordable for businesses.

Nevertheless, you still need people to set up the system. You need experts who can tell you what features you need for your business requirements. They can also evaluate the necessary hardware and make purchasing decisions.

The above holds true if you opt for SIP trunking. But with hosted VoIP, you don’t need any exports. Getting started is as easy as signing up for an account and start making calls. Most reputed vendors offer a trial for a fixed period of time. So you can test how the system works in real-world conditions.

Since all the phone services and features are delivered over the Internet, you don’t need any specific hardware. Almost every user with an account can access and control individual settings. Business owners, managers and other administrators can change group settings.

Maintaining the Phone System

The initial set up is not the only thing you have to worry about. Once the phones are up and running, you have to maintain them. That means adding lines, changing features, removing numbers, and managing all the relevant resources. With the typical landline or even SIP trunk, you need the help of professionals. They are able to configure the PBX system and make changes as necessary.

Hosted VoIP excels is here as well. You can access practically every feature to an online dashboard. If you want more resources such as a new phone line or number, you can purchase it instantly. You can set up groups and modify them online. You can discard numbers you are no longer using.

Let’s suppose that you run into issues while doing these tasks. Your vendor will be able to help you with online resources such as manuals, FAQs, and online forums. You can contact them over the phone, through email, social media or even their website. At no point do you have to hire a person or a team to do this for you.

As you can see, your IT department doesn’t have much work to do when it comes to managing the phones. Thanks to hosted VoIP, users and administrators can make most of the changes themselves. If you need help, it is only an email or click away.

Deploy IT Professionals Elsewhere

This doesn’t mean you should fire all your IT experts. It only means that they can spend time on more important tasks.

For example, your vendor will deliver phone services over the Internet. So you still need someone to manage network hardware and make sure the Internet lines are working. Instead of wasting time on simple tasks, IT experts can focus on adding value to the organization.

Hosted VoIP also makes managing the security of your phone systems easier. If you own your own equipment, you are responsible for making sure it is secure. With hosted VoIP, your vendor is responsible for security at their end. You only have to ensure access control via accounts and passwords. The IT department will be responsible for securing the network equipment within your office.

For most businesses, switching to VoIP means they can cut down on personnel costs. They can reorganize the IT department. The professionals can prioritize critical tasks and focus on the big picture. While these benefits may not seem like much to a large company, small businesses will certainly appreciate it.

Switching to a new technology doesn’t always mean spending more. Hosted VoIP shows that you can do more with less. Your new phone system will need less money and fewer people to manage!