VoIP Business Solutions to Temporary IT Infrastructure

Quite a few businesses have realized the value of VoIP systems and moved away from PSTN or analog based technologies in favor of it. From small enterprises, contractors and freelancers to even multinational corporations, companies are rushing to reap the benefits of VoIP. However, VoIP is still only viewed as a cheaper or better replacement for older landlines and very few businesses are utilizing the full potential of VoIP technology.

The Most Commonly Used VoIP Deployments

We generally see that VoIP solutions are deployed as a straight up replacement for traditional phones. The biggest reason to do so is cost savings which is important for companies operating in a recessionary economic environment and competing with global entities. In the early stages, many businesses do not bother trying to understand the technology or utilizing the advanced features at their disposal. They are simply looking for a cheaper replacement for their aging PSTN systems.

However, companies soon try to extract more value out of their VoIP hardware and software. They may start exploring new features and see how they can improve employee productivity, provide further cost benefits or help optimize various business workflows. Even at this stage however, not all companies deploy VoIP solutions creatively or effectively.

VoIP Business Solutions for Temporary Requirements

One of the benefits of VoIP – especially hosted VoIP services – is that it can be deployed very quickly. There is no need to wait for technicians, purchase shiny new hardware or to implement extensive wiring throughout your office. Depending on the state of the existing infrastructure within the business, companies can be up and running in as little as 30 minutes or less.

So how can this benefit be used to the company’s advantage? Since many businesses spend weeks or months preparing for the upgrade to VoIP, they may not even bother with studying this particular feature and how it may be advantageous to them. However, it can be particularly useful in situations where the business needs temporary IT infrastructure. What exactly does that mean?

Building or Construction Sites

Building or construction sites are often short-term projects that have extensive infrastructure requirements. But companies don’t like to spend on expensive hardware and software at this stage because these facilities will eventually be torn down or relocated once the project is complete. During these projects, voice communication with every member of the team is a must.

It quickly becomes obvious how VoIP can help in such situations. Multiple numbers, lines, and phones can be deployed within minutes. Construction workers may be able to use mobile VoIP applications on their existing devices, eliminating the need for purchasing landlines or installation. Once a project is complete, equipment does not have to be scrapped or sold. The numbers can be reassigned to other individuals or locations and continue to work. Apart from that it also provides employees with mobility and flexibility – crucial advantages that are necessary in a global work environment.

Temporary Project Offices

Sometimes organizations may have to open a small office in new markets or geographic areas for a number of reasons such as market research, groundwork for contract tenders, providing temporary support while new offices are being constructed or even as customer service desks until bigger sites can become operational.

Once again, VoIP services can be the right fit under the circumstances. Apart from eliminating the need to purchase new hardware or waiting weeks to be assigned numbers by the phone operator, they also remove the hassle of dealing with import restrictions or regulatory requirements of foreign governments. For instance, a business may want to open a temporary office for market research in a country where getting a new phone system can take weeks or even months. With VoIP, they can bypass the waiting times and get started on work immediately.

Apart from saving time, implementing VoIP means that organizations do not have to bother with separate infrastructure for data and voice. This is a valuable advantage in areas where robust infrastructure is hard to come by. Nowadays organizations cannot hope to do business without IT infrastructure for collaboration, productivity or any business transaction in particular. Since VoIP runs on existing data networks, it works without the hassle and cost involved with traditional business phone systems.