How VoIP Can Help Your Small Business Through The Recession

By Emma Lewis, bOnline

On the 15th February it was announced that the UK is unfortunately back in recession. Whilst not expected to be as deep as the one back in 2008, it’s still a blow to many peoples’ pockets and damages business confidence.

As a small or micro business or start-up, life is already tough and every penny counts. It therefore makes sense to see where costs can be cut and efficiencies made.

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) can be particularly beneficial for small businesses during a recession in several ways. Here we take a look.

Money Savings

VoIP services are usually charged at a monthly fixed price which typically offers lower costs for local and international calls compared to traditional phone services. This can really help keep track of your costs during the recession and reduce the worry of unexpectedly high phone bills.

Some VoIP providers even offer international calling packages that you can add on to your subscription. In bOnline’s case these fixed-rate prices start from just £5 a month. When you consider that BT currently charges around £1.55 a minute for calls to America from UK mobiles, you can see the huge potential savings.

Flexibility and Scalability

VoIP systems are highly flexible and scalable, allowing businesses to easily adjust their communication needs based on fluctuating demand during a recession. Whether scaling up or down, VoIP systems can adapt quickly to meet changing staff or premises requirements.

More Remote Working

With VoIP, employees can work from anywhere with an internet connection. You also don’t need a VoIP phone, because you can log on and make calls from your smartphone or table. This could offer the chance for downsizing your work premises, or even getting rid of it altogether, so drastically cutting your overheads.

Enhanced Call Features

VoIP systems, including those offered by bOnline, often come with a range of advanced features like call forwarding, voicemail, video conferencing and virtual phone numbers. These features can improve productivity and efficiency for small businesses without needing any significant investment.

bOnline’s VoIP systems also come with access to call data analytics. These insights can help you discover any areas for improvement in your business, which can not only save you money during the recession but help you make money too.

Improved Customer Service

VoIP systems can integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) software, allowing small businesses to better manage customer interactions and offer a more personalised service. This can be vital for retaining customers and building repeat business during a recession.

For example, if a customer calls you to make an appointment and your business is closed, you may not be able to pick up the call and that’s a potential lost sale. But with a VoIP system, the call would be diverted either to a mailbox or another member of your team who is able to answer. So no lost sale, and no disappointed customer who may well have otherwise not called back.

Don’t Forget: Landlines Are Being Switched Off Permanently

From the end of next year, landlines across the UK will be shut down. Affecting residential addresses and businesses alike, many people are now switching to VoIP as the main alternative. However, choosing the right VoIP provider for your business can be tricky, which is why we’ve put together a number of articles to help. 

• What Makes A Good VoIP Provider?
• Switching To VoIP: What Small Business Owners Really Want To Know
• Does a Small Business Need a Specialist VoIP Provider?

It’s also well worth signing up for a free VoIP trial where possible as it’s a great way to try out all the features with nothing to lose.

The fact is, no-one can escape the landline switch off and time is running out. With this in mind, and with the recession likely to hang around for a while, should your business be making the jump?