Modern offices seem to be changing by the hour, with new technology solutions for business appearing all the time. While not necessarily new to the market, Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional business phones.
What is a Softphone?
Software phones, often called softphones, are programs that use VoIP to place and take calls over the Internet rather than through a traditional landline or cellular service provider. This software can be installed on most Internet-connected devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones, eliminating the need for a physical work phone.
What are the Benefits of Softphones?
By using a softphone, workers are freed from the constraints of a physical work phone, giving them more freedom of movement. Workers can install softphones on work-provided computers or their own personal devices, making it possible for clients and customers to reach them even if they are working remotely or out of the office.
User interfaces for call handling features like call transferring, forwarding, and holding are notoriously complicated on conventional desk phones. With softphones, these functions are easier to access and don’t require employees to remember their colleagues’ extensions or clumsy dealing codes.
Softphones also make it easier for your employees to separate their time working from their time off, and to separate personal devices from work devices if they choose to do so. Rather than having to carry a separate work phone that rings whether they’re on the clock or not, they can set a schedule that will automatically forward their calls to someone else while they’re off duty. Using a softphone also means that employees do not have to give out their personal contact information to coworkers or clients; anyone looking to contact them can call a softphone number and they can still receive the call on their personal device if they have the softphone installed.
Softphones are a cost-effective telecommunications solution for any business.