After the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2019, businesses changed a lot in how they used to function, and organisations adopted several other approaches that allowed them to continue their operations even when the global lockdown was in action. The hybrid working approach started after the passing away of the threatening phase of this pandemic, and now it has become a standard operating procedure. It is now considered a game-changing advancement and it was backed by several highly advanced technologies used for communication. One such communication solution was VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol, which promised businesses to provide exceptional customer support and properly manage the distributed workforce. This report covers some top reasons why VoIP became the backbone of the hybrid working module since 2021.

WHAT IS VOIP?

VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol and it is a communication technology that companies adopted to provide stability in their operations and to ensure that communication between the employees does not face any adversity. It relies on the Internet to transmit voice calls, and this technology's versatility sets VoIP apart from all traditional phone systems. You can easily integrate it with your existing customer relationship management platform, and it can also support communication across different devices. This way, it emerged as a perfect solution for hybrid working teams and those who wanted to work from anywhere and contribute to the growth of the business.

Adoption was not easy despite the fact that VoIP brought so many benefits for the hybrid workforce and businesses. Some barriers were removed, and there were numerous challenges in adopting this technology in the business's new working module. Let us review some top challenges and then go through the benefits that VoIP brought for the hybrid working community globally.

CHALLENGES OF REMOTE AND HYBRID WORKING

Customer service is the backbone of businesses, and hybrid working was the real hurdle. It was mandatory to adopt this approach rather than bring the business to a complete halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts developed new strategies and solutions to ensure that VoIP assists in the hybrid setup, and they also removed the following challenges.

COMMUNICATION GAP

Using the right tools and technologies allowed business owners to use VoIP systems for their customer support team and distributed hybrid working team. They ensure that the response time and, ultimately, customer satisfaction are delivered to the consumers.

LIMITED ACCESSIBILITY

VoIP technology and the advancement it experienced after the COVID-19 pandemic ensured that the 'limited accessibility' problem arising due to traditional phone systems was eliminated completely. Earlier, traditional phone systems were used for customer service, and they made it difficult for the staff to provide solutions to customer enquiries and questions while working from anywhere or their home in any country.

SCALABILITY

Traditional phone systems were insufficient to handle the rising call volumes that come with the business growth. Legacy phone systems were hard to scale, but this problem also got a solution in the form of VoIP technology without the additional expenses of adding new lines. VoIP allows users a low-cost option that they can scale as per their needs. Adding or removing users is very easy, and no specialised IT resources or engineers are needed.

Similarly, monitoring and accountability, or in other words, tracking team performance, is also simplified a lot with VoIP technology in the hybrid working approach. VoIP is a very important solution, as it provides all the data and information regarding employees' performance while they work from anywhere or in the hybrid working approach.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF VOIP PHONE SYSTEMS FOR HYBRID WORKING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE?

VoIP technology bridges the gap between the hybrid working team, the organisation, and customers from across the globe. With this technology, delivering top-grade customer satisfaction becomes easy, and the team remains efficient and well-balanced. It has numerous advantages for businesses, and we have covered some in this section.

UNMATCHED FLEXIBILITY

This USP of VoIP technology motivated businesses to have a hybrid working workforce and allowed their employees to work from anywhere. Customer service representatives can take calls regardless of where they are and provide satisfactory answers to every caller. This means whether they are in the office, at home or travelling, they are always on their workstation and take calls and provide the necessary solutions. Another interesting feature is that VoIP technology can be accessed through mobile apps and web-based platforms, and this means that the hybrid working force can answer calls from their preferred devices and remain connected to the office and the entire globe 24/7.

STREAMLINED COMMUNICATION

Effective communication is the key to the growth of several businesses, and this is what VoIP technology provides the most for hybrid working teams, remote teams and employees who work from anywhere. As mentioned above, the VoIP system integrates easily with CRM tools and the tools used by the HR staff. This integration makes it easy for hybrid working employees to access customer data and provide solutions based on their communication history. They can also access call logs in real-time to provide personalised and efficient support. This technology comes with numerous features like call forwarding, voice-to-email, automated attendant, and others that reduce response time and minimise the chances of errors.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT VOIP SOLUTION FOR HYBRID WORKING MODULE?

An interesting feature of the VoIP system is that it can be customised based on your business's requirements. This is possible only when you choose the right VoIP solution, and for this, you will have to watch out for the following features.

EASY TO INTEGRATE

You must ensure that the VoIP solution you choose for your business is easy to integrate with all the existing tools and software. This will make it easy for the company and employees to learn how to use and ideal for their business.

IT SHOULD BE RELIABLE

You should choose a service provider that promises you minimum downtime and high-quality calling features available 24/7. You should research various service providers and choose the one known for reliability. The system should be easily scalable as per your business growth and the ever-changing needs of the business environment. The service provider should also provide on-board support and 24/7 ongoing assistance to tackle any situation that can result in significant downtime. Data security should also be a concern, and the service provider you select should provide completely safe and fully encrypted services. Take time to evaluate your platforms and choose the one that matches your team's specific needs as closely as possible.

Role of VoIP Technology in Making Hybrid Working In New Normal