Two Ways Small Businesses Can Use Conference Calling with VoIP
One very important business communication tool is conference calling. More companies and businesses are using it more than ever before, especially with more features being added as the technology evolves over time. Conference calls could be as simple as just having three or four people within a company on the phone or as complex as having multiple people calling in at different times.
Regular telephone service providers have offered conference calling features for a while. However, their offers are often too expensive and come along with extra features that are not suitable for the needs of a business. This often means that many small businesses will be uninterested in making use of the feature.
Additionally, many times, setting up a conference call can be quite time-consuming, sometimes even as time-consuming as arranging a face-to-face meeting. As such, there is a need for a conference calling solution that is easy and cost-effective and this is where conference calling with VoIP comes in.
The introduction of VoIP has changed conference calls. Because VoIP used the internet to transmit voice signals, it does not matter if there are three or 20 people on the call. All you need is a good internet connection and sufficient bandwidth.
With VoIP, you can convert a normal cell to a conference call and vice versa easily. You can also use video as part of the conference call, eliminating the need for physical face-to-face meetings. Conference calling with VoIP is pretty flexible such that participants who want to join with video can do so while others stick to audio.
Below are two ways businesses can make use of conference calling with VoIP.
Collaboration
According to research by Clarizen, 35% of people believe meetings are a waste of time. However, meetings are an essential part of working together as a team as they are used to give status updates on projects, provide training and communicate important changes. However, the reason meetings are considered a waste of time is because they can be long, boring, and take a long time to set up. VoIP conference calling makes meetings easier. With conference calls, especially using a video component, you can replace lengthy in-person meetings. Conference calls can reduce the meeting times because it makes it easier to streamline presentations and conversations.
Telecommuting and Recruitments
Having the best people for the job is important for the growth of any business and sometimes, it could mean recruiting out of your immediate locality. This can be difficult to do as sometimes the best people for the job may find it difficult to get to job interviews, talk more about commuting to work every day due to the distance. What this means is that you might have to resort to remote working.
With Conference calling using VoIP you can recruit and hire people from anywhere in the world for critical roles in your company, especially because the incentive to work remotely can be a huge attraction to the best talent.
Even when you choose to hire within your local area and do in-person interviews. Conference calling can save you the time you will spend setting up physical meetings with everyone who interviews with your company. You can use video conferencing to select the top three or four candidates who can now come in for in-person interviews.
