The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the successive UK lockdowns have meant significant changes in the way most businesses operate, with flexible working and work from home becoming the ‘new normal’. As the rollout of the vaccines continues and the country starts on the road back to normal life, what will ‘normal’ look like for businesses and how will communications systems support it effectively?

One of the biggest changes to working life over the past year has been the necessity of working from home, with very few, if any employees working in offices. As we begin to move out of lockdown, many organisations are looking at the implications for their long-term working patterns, including a larger proportion of their workforce working from home, with rare visits to the office. And, as we have all learned throughout lockdown, this requires the right systems in place to support a new way of working.

Consistent connections with clients and customers

When it comes to connecting with clients and customers, many employees have become accustomed to using their mobile phones during lockdown. But when your business wants to present a professional image to the outside world, it’s important to have a communications system that means employees can be reached through a single company number, wherever they are.

This is where Voice over IP (VoIP) solutions come into their own. Giving each employee a single number that can be routed to a desk, Softphone or mobile phone, VoIP gives your business all the advantages of landlines, with all the flexibility of a mobile system.

VoIP or video messaging apps?

One of the biggest changes to the way businesses have worked over the past year has been the increase in use of apps such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. While these are extremely good for corporate communications, there are some considerations to make when comparing these apps to VoIP solutions.

For example, does the business want to put ‘all its eggs in one basket’? For example, companies using Teams to communicate have greater reliance on a Microsoft driven communication ecosystem. If the email system or Active Directory goes down, then there is a possibility that the telephony could also be affected. So, while video messaging apps have a valid role in the modern workplace, businesses should consider these as a separate add-on to the core telephony system.

Why VoIP?

As internet connections have become more reliable and widespread, VoIP technology has improved immeasurably. In fact, many UK providers are phasing landlines out completely, as they move to IP telephony.

Our resilient VoIP systems can adapt with your business as you move towards a more agile way of working. They support everything from hot desking to home working so wherever employees are based, they have a phone that’s set up exactly as they want it, with a consistent caller ID. So, as far as any clients or customers are concerned, they are always at their desk. With functions such as conference calling and voicemail to email, they’re designed to meet all your telephony needs.

A flexible way forward

With a full range of features, we can tailor a VoIP system to meet your specific business needs. And we’re equally flexible when it comes to pricing with a structure that means you only pay for the services you use. So, it’s a system that’s ideally suited to the new world of agile working.

If you would like to find out more about how our VoIP systems can give your business the flexibility it needs, please contact Andrew Wayman at andrew.wayman@sdt.co.uk or call our office on +44 (0)1344 870062.