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ISDN Switch Off: What You Need to Know

ISDN Switch Off: What You Need to Know

ISDN is a service that has been around for decades, but it is soon to be phased out. ISDN stands for Integrated Services Digital Network, and PSTN stands for Public Switched Telephone Network.

In September 2015, BT announced its intention to switch off both services by 2025. This means that businesses in the UK will need to find new ways of communicating with customers and suppliers if they are still using PSTN or ISDN2/30 telephone systems.

ISDN does not have any data transmission capabilities; it is a pure voice service. PSTN and ISDN rely on the telephone exchange to send information in both directions; this means that there are limitations with how much bandwidth can be allocated for each phone call connection.

The main advantage of using IP based technologies is that connections will be more reliable, and if bandwidth limitations are exceeded, it is easier to allocate more capacity.

• IP based technologies can also carry data and voice information, which means that businesses will be able to use the internet or wifi networks for a wider range of tasks like sending faxes or using video conference tools.

What you need to do before the ISDN Switch Off: 

If your business still uses PSTN or ISDN for voice calls, then it is important that you have an IT strategy in place as there will be changes. You will also need to discuss how their products and services are affected by this change with suppliers. At Teleproject UK, we are always happy to chat through your setup and needs and help you get the right solution for your business.

If you still rely on PSTN/ISDN technology for telephone services, then right now would be an excellent time to start looking into other ways of communicating with your customers and suppliers. At present, there are three options open to you in order to prepare:

Use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services; this means making phone calls via your computer’s microphone instead of through physical hardware. VoIP is increasingly popular with businesses of all sizes and has many advantages, including the ability to make phone calls from anywhere in the world.

Sign up for a cloud-based telephony service; this gives you access to an offsite IP based voice network hosted by BT or one of its partners that will enable your business to continue using PSTN/ISDN until 2025.

Investigate ISDN alternatives such as SIP trunking (which uses internet protocol technology). However, this option may not be viable if bandwidth limitations are too high, so it would be wise to check before making any commitments.

How can Teleproject UK Help?

We can help by providing a first-class service for the replacement products. These are SIP Trunks, also know as SIP Channels and fully hosted telephony.

One of the key advantages of SIP Trunks is that they are cost-effective and tailored to suit your requirements. For example, the usage charges for voice calls are a lot cheaper than those charged by BT or other providers; we’ve seen companies save up to 60% on their monthly line rental!

We also offer an easy transition service that will work alongside our hardware partners to ensure you have everything needed for the switch off. This includes any PSTN services you may need, such as ‘caller display’ (CID) and calls diversion when ISDN switches off.

We provide this service, so nothing is stopping you from switching now!

However, you should note that if customers are still using ISDN in 2025, their service will be disconnected.

If you have recently invested in a new on-premise telephone system, then your current system may be, in fact, SIP compatible. This means that your ISDN channels can simply be replaced with the more cost-effective and feature-rich SIP Channels.

Benefits of VoIP Services over ISDN or PSTN

VoIP services are excellent because they offer several benefits over traditional methods like ISDN or PSTN, including:

Enhanced reliability as there’s no chance for interruption due to power outages;

Lower costs by combining voice and data on one network connection;

Free long-distance service for all customers (excluding special calling features);

Innovative call management tools with additional caller ID information available through your telephone system provider. This includes displaying an employee’s name before he/she picks up the call and blocking anonymous calls.

Higher quality sound with less noise and echo;

These new technologies more reliable as they can’t be hacked like traditional methods like ISDN.

Cost-effective compared to older systems

If you want to know more about how we can help your business through the BT switch, give us a call on 0800 316 8605!

We’d be glad to discuss your requirements and answer any questions you may have.

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/isdn-switch-off/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=isdn-switch-off

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Why Business Phone Systems Are Great for Growing Your Business

Why Business Phone Systems Are Great for Growing Your Business

Some business owners are hesitant to invest in hosted phone systems because they’re unsure how the technology works or if it’s worth the investment. We’ll talk about hosted VoIP solutions and cloud-based services that will help you save your business time and money!

We’ll discuss why hosted phone systems are great for growing your business in this blog post.

In this day and age, the smartest businesses invest in hosted phone systems to optimise their customer service. Businesses with a geographically diverse workforce can have one company number ring on all phones anywhere there’s an internet connection. Business owners report getting more customers and more business as a result of better customer service.

Hosted VoIP solutions and cloud-based services are great for saving time, money and making your life easier! Business phone systems have many features that make them worth the investment, including voicemail to email transcription so you can read messages on any device – even your smartwatch or smartphone.

Business phone systems also offer call recording for compliance needs, voicemail-to-email transcription, enterprise-level security measures including encryption capabilities so your business can be safe from hackers, and much more! Businesses with hosted VoIP solutions save a significant amount of money on long-distance and international calls.

The best way to evaluate whether or not you should invest in a hosted phone system is to see if you’re currently using any of the features mentioned. Businesses that are currently using a traditional phone system should assess the features of hosted VoIP solutions to see if it would be better for their company and figure out what savings could be passed on to their customers!

Businesses using voice mail as an answering service or having employees who work remotely, should decide whether they would be better suited with a hosted VoIP solution. This could save them money on long-distance calls and international rates as well as having other benefits.

If you’re looking for more information about hosting business phone systems, check out this blog post with our business phone experts’ tips.

Business phone systems are great for the health and growth of your business. Businesses with a reliable, hosted VoIP solution with cloud-based voice mail can benefit from it in many ways.

Help you communicate efficiently and effectively with your staff, customers, vendors and partners.

Businesses are now able to integrate the system into their existing workflows to make calls from anywhere in any time zone, this helps them run even more smoothly!

When employees use cloud-based VoIP solutions like Business phone systems, they are typically more productive.

Businesses can have many improvements in customer service experience when employees use cloud-based VoIP solutions because that’s where customers will contact them the most.

Business Phone Systems also help you communicate with your vendors and partners easily and effectively by integrating seamlessly with their existing workflows.

They can also integrate with your CRM easily. Hence, you’re able to track and measure all interactions with vendors, partners, customers and employees in a way that makes it easy for you to focus on important tasks or areas of the business that need more attention.

The systems allow for voicemail, which is crucial when running your business! You can easily set up voice mailboxes for different departments or groups in your company that will then be answered by whoever is required.

How can a business phone system save you money?

Business phone systems help save you money because they are hosted, and a lot of the services that people need on their phones can now be done through cloud computing.

Businesses with Business Phone Systems will not have to worry about spending more money on office space, furniture, utilities, or communications lines. They’ll also know how much they’re spending on their communications costs because Business Phone Systems give you visibility into how much is being spent.

Many businesses save money in energy consumption and server space, which can be a big cost for many businesses operating digitally!

Employees can now get up and move around more while they work because Business Phone Systems make it easy to work remotely from wherever they are.

Businesses can also save money by not having employees travel as much, which is always a big cost for businesses!

They help you communicate with your customers and vendors more effectively so that’s another way in which Business Phone Systems save money.

Businesses struggle with managing their phone systems, usually because they are outdated and incompatible with the current environment. Cloud solutions can save you time by eliminating the need to manage your system or upgrade it regularly. In addition, cloud-based systems will eliminate any downtime that an in-house system would have.

Small and large businesses can be confident that their phone systems will always work and not cause any disruptions in the office or among employees.

If you want to know more about our Business Phone Systems, you can give us a call on 0800 316 8605!

We’d be very happy to discuss your requirements and answer any questions you may have.

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/business-phone-systems-great-for-business/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=business-phone-systems-great-for-business

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What is a Virtual Business Phone Number, and why you need one

What is a Virtual Business Phone Number, and why you need one

A virtual number is a telephone number without a directly connected telephone line. This is very useful, for example, if you have multiple office workers having to work from home due to covid lockdown. They may need to have their office landline number as a virtual number routing calls to various destinations such as softphones, home office desk phones or mobiles.

A virtual number is a phone number that’s not attached to a particular device or phone line. Historically, a phone number only worked over a single phone line. The line was materially connected from the phone provider to the address, whether a home or business, by physical telephone wires. Any calls could only be assigned to that particular destination. With a virtual business phone number, the company would have phone system (PBX) hardware in the office or home that would configure call routing rules, extensions etc.

There are a lot of benefits that come with having a virtual phone number for your business:

Utilising a virtual business phone number can mean you are available by phone anywhere, at any time, 24/7, all while keeping your number completely private.

A virtual phone number provides business savings and versatility for any sized business.

The virtual number can be used on its own or as part of a virtual business phone system setup.

Some phone providers enable you to port your regular phone number to a virtual one.

A good telecoms setup is essential for every business. In the past they have been costly and challenging to implement in small businesses in the past but not anymore; these days, a virtual business phone number is an uncomplicated, affordable solution that can help develop and scale your business. Here’s all you need to know about virtual phone lines.

What is a virtual phone line?

This telephone number is not attached to a particular phone device or line. It enables users to redirect and route calls from one number to another, device or IP address. Virtual phone lines are sometimes referenced as ‘online numbers’ too.

In the past, phone numbers worked over an individual phone line that was connected from the phone company to your business/home. Any telephone calls made to that phone number could just be transferred to that specific location. As the name suggests, mobile phones are more ‘mobile’ than landlines but are still reliant on mobile towers to give coverage. With a virtual number, physical limitations are taken away, which provides a business more flexibility and control in how it receives calls.

How do virtual phone numbers actually work?

Virtual numbers use the internet instead of a phone line or mobile phone tower to give coverage, allowing users to be connected to by phone or computer. This means as a business; you can change the device you utilise in real-time.

What does this mean practically?

Let’s say that you only need to be available on your mobile phone at certain times of the day; you can route the calls you receive during business hours to a virtual phone line.

How do I obtain a virtual phone number for my business?

Virtual business phone numbers can be obtained in a few ways. If your company has a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) system enabled, then you can easily add virtual numbers to it.

If you don’t have a VoIP system already, you can arrange for your setup to include one and a number of extensions you might need.

What are the business benefits of having a virtual business phone number?

You are free, free to work from almost anywhere, being able to receive calls from any location, anytime and via your selected device. If a staff member is away and needs to be contactable by phone but doesn’t want to make their private mobile phone number available, you can attach a virtual number to their mobile.

Another example of when Virtual phone numbers can be beneficial is when a business has many office locations. They are useful because when the phone rings in one office, that call can be sent to each office phone. This can be set up by creating a “call queue” or “ring group”, which rings the phones of any staff member who is selected as a member of the queue or group.

For businesses that are located in a different place than their customers, you can attach a local area code to your phone line. It’s been proven that customers like calls from local numbers/area codes and are more likely to answer or use a call number they recognise.

Another useful feature is that you can assign a certain number to a specific marketing campaign, meaning you can track metrics and know if someone is calling from that particular marketing campaign.

This data can help evaluate the effectiveness of any given marketing campaign when telephone numbers are featured.

Virtual phone lines can save businesses a lot of money, as they are digital, there is no need for equipment, maintenance or installation.

When researching the market for a virtual phone provider, always check if the providers you find offer voicemail and text features as well as phone services. Alongside this, be sure to check if they offer ring call, caller ID, call waiting/forwarding, call transfer and recording. That way, you have a system that your business can scale into. Make sure you also check ‘uptime’ and if customer support is included.

Teleproject UK are always happy to discuss your business telecom requirements and chat through a variety of options suitable for you.

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/virtual-business-phone-number/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=virtual-business-phone-number

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What is 3CX Hosted and how can it help our business?

What is 3CX Hosted and how can it help our business?

With the pandemic and the increase in remote working generally, businesses are utilising software to assist them and their staff’s productivity. Many people are now working from their homes, and cloud-based phones and software are becoming a significant part of remote working.

3CX is one of the leaders in the hosted phone systems market. They offer reliability and functionality across mobile and desktop devices as well as more traditional phone handsets.

So what or who is 3CX, and can they help your business and remote staff?

What is 3CX Hosted?

Based on the SIP standard, 3CX is a software-based phone system. It operates with various phone hardware and features mobile apps and browser extensions for the web. 3CX’s cloud PBX also includes combined mobile apps for iOS and Android, video conferencing, website live chat, Facebook messaging and many more features.

A significant benefit of the software is that it can be hosted on-premise, on a remote server. It’s considered an excellent IP PBX for small start-ups and expanding businesses because of its flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

What is the distinction between IP PBX and PBX?

The acronym PBX stands for Private Branch Exchange; it’s a private telephone network within a business or organisation.

A conventional PBX system is configured of standard telephone lines, meaning it can connect to the PSTN through devices like phones or fax machines.

A business is restricted to a maximum number of outside telephone lines and many internal devices and extensions with a traditional PBX.

An Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange (IP PBX ) is a PBX system with IP connectivity that gives extra communication features such as instant messaging, audio and video.

IP PBX provides an unlimited number of lines and extensions on top of complicated functions that are hard to complete with traditional PBX.

Simply put, IP PBX adds IP VoIP support to the more traditional PBX systems.

IP PBX systems use IP tech to create and maintain communications; alternatively, a PBX system deals with conventional and physical lines of communication. The IP PBX can assign and manage calls, audio, data and video, as well as that; an analogue PBX can just manage the switching/managing of phone conversations.

More and more businesses are moving from analogue phone systems to modern IP-based versions. On top of that, the ISDN switch-off is fast approaching, and businesses are starting to move from ISDN to SIP Trunks.

Setting up 3CX

Initially, you’ll require a 3CX licence to unlock 3CX and a SIP Trunk to be connected to the phone network. An internet connection is also required either via a phone or desktop to be able to download 3CX.

To make a call, you’ll need a licence, and you’ll also need to connect 3CX PBX to your VoIP service provider; you also require a SIP Trunk to do this.

3CX itself is available on mobile, desktop and tablets, and you can download the 3CX app for free. The great thing about the app is that you are connected to your business set up and can take your company communications with you on the move, where ever you go.

3CX also supports several SIP handsets and phones, and we highly recommend Yealink phones.

SIP Trunks

A SIP Trunk gives the ability to start and end connections for voice and data transfers via the internet. 3CX is on the SIP standard; it operates with SIP Trunks to create and maintain connections efficiently.

The use of SIP Trunks allows SIP providers to connect channels to your PBX; this means you can make long-distance, local and international calls via the internet. SIP Trunks are seen as the virtual connection between the VoIP telephone service provider and 3CX system, and it all works over a standard broadband connection.

Licence-based setup

To use 3CX, you require a licence, otherwise, you won’t be able to perform calls. 3CX has a popular subscription-based model which renews annually. The types of licences are configured on the number of concurrent calls required that routes through the system.

What are the benefits of 3CX for your business? Integration and set up is easy and straight forward:

As mentioned, the setup of 3CX is relatively simple; all you need is an internet connection and a SIP Trunk licence to use 3CX. Installation of 3CX is a simple process using a browser and SIP Trunk provider; Teleproject can help with all aspects of the setup we make it as straightforward as possible, supporting and advising along the way.

Other systems can also be integrated; such as CRM’s or different setups, options are possible.

Consolidated Communications

Time is money, so a Unified Communications solution is essential; 3CX is more than just a phone system; it can also include: CRM management, calls, messaging, web conferencing, live chat, and iOS/Android mobile apps, email and much more.

3CX Hosted comes without the expense and management problems of a traditional phone system or the constraints of shared cloud PBX solutions. Business is demanding enough; 3CX keeps it simple, powerful and integrates these features in one central place.

CRM or Customer Relationship Management integration

A CRM manages business contacts and interactions with clients/customers and prospects that are in the pipeline. They have become essential for businesses to pull all their data on their customer base together – they detail contact details, products purchased, communications, interactions, and much more.

3CX knows the importance of this and enables businesses to simply integrate PBX and a CRM system so calls can be logged and made whilst keeping track of client interactions and recording for training etc.

Live chat – engage with web visitors

Live chat enables companies to interact and engage with website visitors when buying or enquiring in real-time. Website visitors can chat to sales teams within a website browser.

Live chat from 3CX is available and ready to use for any website or CMS. The 3CX live chat is located in the corner of your websites page and can provide people with information, support and suggestions.

Web conferencing

With the event of COVID 19, there has been an explosion in web conferencing platforms and apps. These have been used for online meetings, webinars, presentations, training and have become an essential business tool. This technology truly has transformed communications for business and made collaboration and remote working fully accessible.

3CX has made it very easy to set up a web conference or call; you log in to the Web Client, click on ‘Schedule Conference’, select the type of conference you want to have and choose a date and time or commence the meeting straight away.

The 3CX Web client

The 3CX Web Client is a dashboard that connects the features that you need to communicate with your staff and customers from inside your web browser. This gives comprehensive functionality and access to video calls, audio, transfer, call hold, conferencing, access to IP phones, chat, file transfers and much more.

3CX Mobile Phone apps

Working on the go is easy now with the 3CX smartphone app for Android and iPhone. With easy access to your companies phone book and contacts, you can make phone calls and send messages all from your device.

The app means you can make calls to customers and clients using your work phone number rather than your personal mobile or home number and so retaining your companies professionalism. With the rise of remote working, this has become essential when working from home.

3CX security

3CX Hosted system features exceptional 3CX security protocols and tech that is protected and reliable. With a secure SSL login, backup and restore function, meaning all files and data are protected.

3CX also allow an SBC (Session Border Controller), this is a device launched in SIP-based VoIP networks to regulate and protect communication systems and ensure network security and efficiency. The 3CX SBC allows for greater security as it uses 3CX’s own tunnel ports.

We will be writing more about how 3CX Hosted can help you thrive in a competitive and ever-changing business world.

Teleproject UK are always happy to review your business telecom requirements; get in touch today!

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/what-is-3cx-hosted/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-3cx-hosted

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How does VoIP work?

How does VoIP work?

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is an effective technology that enables telephone calls to be made over an internet connection. VoIP has become the ultimate telephone system choice for businesses all over the world, so how does VoIP work?…

People prefer using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone service over traditional phone lines. Why? It gives several more capabilities than analogue phones, and it can do it all for around half the price.

Cloud phone service providers add powerful features not seen with regular phone service. Call recording, IVR auto attendants, voicemail to email, custom caller ID, data capture, secure card payment processing and so much more. Plus, you can make and receive calls anywhere, remote working and home working built in.

We’ve extended this guide to take a closer look at what you need to know about VoIP. It contains all the vital information you need to know, including VoIP phone service advantages.

What is VoIP?

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) defines the process to place and take phone calls over the internet. Most people consider VoIP telephony to be the future of telecommunications.

No doubt you have already heard or seen an IP address?, that is the Internet Protocol address. An IP (Internet Protocol) address is how computers and devices interact with each other on the web.

VoIP isn’t actually all that new. Telephony has relied on digital lines to bring phone calls since the late 90s. VoIP is a cost-effective way to manage an unlimited number of calls.

So, what does this mean for you?

VoIP solutions operate on any pc, laptop or tablet because it’s built upon many years of open standards. It only needs an internet connection and a softphone application to call anyone without the need for local phone service.

Establishing calls is not the only thing that VoIP service providers can do. They also do routing of outgoing and incoming calls through existing telephone networks. mobile phones and Landlines depend on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

Traditional telephones use analogue lines to take voice signals. If you want to make calls, you need to have extra wiring installed.

Many companies rely on specific hardware for their phone service. This machine is known as a Private Branch Exchange (PBX).

It unites internal phone extensions to the public telephone network. Private Branch Exchange (PBX) are generally quite costly to set up and maintain.

There’s a better option.

A trusted VoIP service provider can manage everything for you. Just plug your IP desk phone in, and you are done. Digital phones are using your internet connection speed to establish connectivity.

According to data presented by the FCC and visualised by Microsoft, all people in the United States has access to high-speed internet available for 93.5%.

VoIP turns your phone calls into data and sent over the internet. Ethernet cables can be used or skip them if you have a stable Wifi connection or signal. It does so at a much lower cost than older telephone systems. We’ll discuss later on why Voice over IP has so many advantages over regular phone service.

How does VoIP work?

Voice over IP is an essential building block of the internet that uses Internet Protocol. IP telephony is a significant innovation from the century-old telecommunications system.

VoIP phone system helps calls between other phones or over to another telephone company. It also offers other useful functions like voicemail, call forwarding, call recording, and more.

The conversation exchanged in phone calls are using small data packets. These data packets can be sent through the internet around the world in less than a second. For internet telephony, these packets move between your IP phone and a VoIP provider.

  Here are the four steps of how VoIP works.

Your IP phone must connect to your router or switch in your Local Area Network (LAN).

Your VoIP service provider will call the other party told by your IP phone when you dial a telephone number.

Your VoIP service exchanges data packets and establishes the call from your IP phone.

These digital signals convert by VoIP phone back into the sound you can hear.

Twenty years ago, you used to require expensive, proprietary equipment to use VoIP — but today, VoIP built upon open standards such as Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). SIP gives complete interoperability between different desk phones, conference phones, and VoIP apps.

VoIP bypasses the telephone company completely. Wheresoever you have a broadband internet connection, you can use VoIP. It’s a significant upgrade from an analogue phone system.

Cloud-based PBXs are capable of features like call routing, conferencing, and voicemail. It operates as their own full-service phone companies that you manage when you think about it.

A stable Fibre Broadband internet connection is all you need, and you can get all the benefits of Voice over Internet Protocol.

Pros and cons of VoIP

The pros and cons that need to consider when considering a VoIP telephone system to replace your existing and now out dated office PBX.

Pros of VoIP

Call anyone worldwide – International long-distance cost are as cheap as £0.02 to reach the USA  or £0.04 per minute to call say Mexico for example.

High-quality sound – There’s a remarkable difference in the call quality, so the audio isn’t muffled, fuzzy or has a constant crackle.

Cheaper cost – Many companies have realised substantial cost savings and reduced their phone bills by up to 50%.

Remote-ready – Wherever you work, you can use your phone service. If you work from home, no technical setup is necessary.

Advanced features – Run your company with leverage premium features, such as call queues, call recording, wallboards, dashboards, hosted IVR auto-attendants, menu options, secure card payment processing and data capture. Business phone service plans are often included.

Cons of VoIP

A VoIP telephone system requires a high-speed and stable internet connection – VoIP doesn’t operate well on satellite-based internet or ADSL connections. You’ll need at least 100 kbps or 0.1 Mbps per phone line.

A VoIP phone system makes your analogue desk phones obsolete – VoIP uses new technology that doesn’t rely on analogue signals. You’ll likely want to upgrade old phone handsets to new IP handsets. We recommend the Yealink T4 range of IP handsets.

Emergency services limitations – In the unexpected event, you need to use your VoIP phone to call 911, you may need to tell your actual location to the operator. Voice over IP systems defaults to sending your company’s mailing address to public safety operators.

Check out our complete comparison between VoIP and landlines. It’ll help you recognise the differences.

How easy to use VoIP?

With a good Fibre Broadband connection and a compatible router in place a new VoIP business phone system is simply a case of plugging in the handsets. It many cases it does not require an engineer to visit site and install. Certainly for home workers it is a case of plug and play.

It’s even simpler to use your VoIP phone service on your Android or iPhone. Just download a free VoIP app, sign in, and you’re able to make calls using VoIP.

How much does VoIP cost?

The cost of a VoIP phone system or VoIP extension is surprisingly cheap when you consider all of it features. The answer is that you can expect to pay approximately £12 per user per month with a free call bundle included. The cost savings are significant compared to on-premises PBX or a traditional phone system.

Here’s how much VoIP typically costs:

Initial costs: £25 – £55 per extension/user

Monthly costs: £9.50 – £28 per extension (basic user to contact centre agent)

International calls: £0.02+ per minute

Device costs: £70 – £300 per IP phone

We strongly recommend you to get a free quote to know the exact VoIP cost.

Top VoIP phone system features

These attractive features are available with a cloud-based office phone system. Here are the following most popular VoIP features that companies will enjoy using.

1. Auto attendant (also known as IVR)

It projects a professional image with a phone menu that greets incoming calls. For example, if you’ve called a company and had to press 1 for sales, 2 for support, you’ve used an auto attendant.

An auto attendant is in place to direct callers, to the correct department or person. Your auto attendant can also send callers to voicemail when all lines are busy and out of hours.

You can incorporate Secure Card Payment Processing and Data Capture in to your Hosted IVR also known as an Auto Attendant.

2. Desktop and Mobile apps

With cloud communications, when you’re not in the office, you won’t miss calls. Many VoIP service providers now provide an app for your desktop and mobile device.

Telecommunications apps can be used with or without a separate desk phone. It’s your choice.

When working at home, it’s more important than ever to equip your team with a VoIP solution. These apps help you manage phone calls, exchange text messages, join conference calls, and much more.

3. HD call quality

There’s almost nothing worse when you ask callers to repeat themselves. HD Voice improves the sound quality of your phone calls. This VoIP technology performs phone calls sound twice as clear as a regular phone call.

For more fuller sound, many VoIP headsets and phones provide noise-cancelling capabilities. This high-definition sound quality is remarkable even for long-distance calls.

4. Unified Communications & Collaboration (UCC)

VoIP business telephone systems have evolved over time and are now often referred to as Unified Communications & Collaboration systems.

Key functions within a UC platform:

Call Management with Contact Centre features

Instant Messaging & Group Chats with Colleagues

Instant Messaging with Website Visitors

Team Presence

Video Calls & Screen Sharing

Conference calling

5. VoIP security and Call encryption

VoIP security is vital for business owners. Telephone calls handle confidential information like credit card numbers and HR conversations. Loss of data can be costly for any business both financially and in terms professional reputation.

Why not ask your potential VoIP service provider can be asked about call encryption. VoIP technologies like SRTP and TLS scramble call data making eavesdropping near impossible.

It would be best if you considered whether a VoIP provider is meeting industry standards and accredited. It’s useful to have a requirements checklist when selecting a business phone service.

Helpful questions to ask when looking at a VoIP office phone system include:

Can you access real-time call logs?

What is the uptime of VoIP service?

How many data centers do they have?

Are they accredited (SOC 2, PCI, ISO/IEC 27001)?

Do they provide HIPAA compliant IP telephony?

6. Call recording

A telephone system can be configured to record phone calls between your staff and customers. Is your team handling calls with precision and care?

Call recording is a feature most used by contact centre supervisors and company management to ensure that their staff all managing customer interactions correctly. Call recording is an important aid for training staff.

Call recordings are generally accessed via a secure online portal. The VoIP service provider will usually charge for call recording storage based on a per GB of data basis. The call recording feature may be charged on a per user, per month basis at around £3 – £5.

Do you need a VoIP phone?

VoIP means that old phone handsets won’t run as-is. You will need to buy replacement IP phones or use a special adapter to retrofit your current phones.

The good news though is that IP desk phones can usually be rented which helps to spread the cost and some providers will offer free IP phones within their overall offering. If you do purchase your IP phones outright you can expect to pay in the region of £70 for a basic phone, around £140 for and executive phone and circa £350 for a top end phone.

If you are deciding whether to transfer to VoIP service, there are a few factors to consider below:

1. Do you work from home? Many UK businesses now have a work force that works from home at least some of the time. Flexible working practices in all industry sectors is the norm now.

Almost all VoIP business phone systems now come with softphone applications that can be downloaded on smartphones, PCs and Laptops. These features will mean that your home working staff and staff that are on the road will be able to make and receive calls as if they were in the office.

2. Is VoIP Reliable? In a word Yes ! VoIP is a reliable technology.

This hasn’t always been the case though, but audio quality and stability have improved significantly to the point where more than half of all UK businesses already have a VoIP based telephone system.

The key thing with a hosted VoIP phone system is that it has to sit on a good quality local network. This means a decent Fibre broadband connection, a suitable router with SIP ALG turned off and good quality cables connecting all devices.

What you need to look for in a VoIP provider?

Not all telecommunications service providers are the same, but to decide on the best office phone service, consider your specific business needs. Certainly, having a commercial phone system adds reliability and credibility to your business.

You will need to decide or think about your needs for now and in the future when choosing a phone system for your business.

Assess your current and future needs

Voice over IP functionality

Video conferencing needs, or is this already covered by Zoom or similar

Incoming call volumes

Current resources and staffing

Most free or ridiculously cheap VoIP solutions will likely fall short, so discuss which must-have features you need to identify with your team.

It is certainly important to think about both the handling of your inbound calls and what level of outbound calls your team makes. Generally speaking UK calls will be low cost or included, but International calls do carry a cost. Do you know if your company makes international calls, if so which countries?

Tips for selecting the best VoIP provider

Once you know your requirements and VoIP features, look for a service provider that fits your budget and grow with you. Take into consideration the availability of live help, customer reviews, and documentation.

These are various qualities to look for in a VoIP phone service provider:

– Compatible with your network

– Proven reliability with minimal downtime

– Multiple, redundant data centres

– Live support open 24/7

– Optional professional services

– Examples of clients in a similar industry

– No-pressure sales experience

As you can see, VoIP is the clear winner over analogue landlines. VoIP provides the best value, cost savings, and the most useful features.

Finally, when you are in discussion with a VoIP provider, don’t forget to ask about the possibility of a discount for an increased commitment on your part.

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/how-does-voip-work/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-does-voip-work

[teleproject]

Telecoms Trends for 2021

Telecoms Trends for 2021

In the next decade, technology will transform telecoms in incredible ways. AI, digital platforms, cyber-attacks and other threats will change the telecoms landscape; here are some ways the telecoms industry will develop.

(AI) – 
Artificial Intelligence

Telecoms is an industry that will utilise AI in many businesses in the future. VA’s (virtual assistants), chatbots, and AI within telecommunications companies can and will further improve customer service and satisfaction overall. AI is imperative for the optimisation and predictive support of telecommunications companies’ networks. Additionally, through predictive analytics, AI makes it feasible for telecoms to gather actionable business insights from the amounts of data they collect every day.

(IoT) – Internet of Things

The telecoms industry allows internet devices connectivity; it is one of the most significant IoT market players with everyday items connected to the internet. IoT technology aids telecoms to monitor data stations and data centres remotely. This technology almost guarantees minimal amounts of downtime for the network. Since telecoms effectively provide IoT infrastructure, the industries are uniquely positioned to develop and deliver their IoT services. As the technology results in more devices on the network, there are more chances for security and privacy breaches to occur, so telecoms are required to plan and develop protection for that. While there are still numerous concerns around what the conversion to IoT will have for telecoms, there’s little doubt that it will upset the telecoms industry.

The rise of Big Data

It’s undeniable that telecommunications companies collecting and generating volumes of data from mobile devices and apps are expected to continue to increase through the 2020s. Still, it will be the businesses that use it to their competing advantage that will remain. Telecoms companies and service providers need to ensure that their networks can efficiently move amazing amounts of data through their networks and support new technologies. Telecoms also need to address the unique security challenges that have arisen with new technology that uses their networks. Ultimately, the data that telecoms accumulate can be analysed to enhance customer service, determine and evaluate new products, and monitor and optimise the network. When assessed and acted upon, massive data can help telecoms build a more substantial business.

5G Rollout

5G is promising to bring some exciting changes. The European Union’s 5G response plan includes constant 5G coverage by 2025 for railways and main roads. 5G can support an additional 100x boost in connected devices per each unit area, 5G will offer ultra-low latency, advanced data rates and allow slicing of the network. These pave the way for innovative new services, network operation and a great customer experience for telecoms operators.

5G will change telecom’s role: telecoms companies will become technology service providers and distributors. This change will require telecoms to engage with governments, enterprise customers and modify their sales plan to help customers leverage the potential of 5G.

Cloud Computing and telecoms trends

Cloud computing’s pay-per-use service model supports telecoms in introducing unique services, decreasing their costs, and adapting to market demands more effectively. The cloud itself grants economies of scale and brings cost-effectiveness to telecoms. Not only can telecoms become a cloud service provider, but they can manage the cloud themselves. When telecoms adopt cloud technology and shift essential business functions to the cloud, they benefit from its effectiveness.

Cyber Security and Resilience

We take for granted the services allowed by telecoms including phone and video calls, email and messaging until we encounter an outage and realise how reliant we are on those services.

Telecoms companies store vast amounts of sensitive data on complex networks that serve as gateways to other businesses. Because they develop and conduct critical infrastructure, telecoms are increasingly a victim of cybercriminals. From direct cyberattacks such as a distributed denial-of-service to obscure attacks such as malware, telecoms need to defend themselves and prepare for the future of 5G and the security hurdles that will represent. Its includes have the proper IT infrastructure in place and the expertise and processes to help resiliency when attacked.

Currently, there is an opportunity for growth in the industry’s response to a cyberattack. Even false claims of attack can ruin a telecom’s reputation and create a considerable business impact in time and money spent to respond.

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/telecoms-trends-for-2021/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=telecoms-trends-for-2021

[teleproject]

Types of Business Telephone Systems

Types of Business Telephone Systems

There are several kinds of business telephone systems available for companies and organisations in the United Kingdom. In this article, we will discuss the various types available in the market currently so that you can determine which telephone system is a perfect fit for your business. This article is all you need when seeking to buy a telephone system.

A Private Branch Exchange (PBX) is an example of a private telephone system made up of a range of analogue external telephone lines that users share for incoming and outgoing calls (It can either be SIP or ISDN).

The PBX Telephone System interconnects all phones within an organisation. This type of business telephone system is ideal for companies with over 40+ staff who require an automated phone system. An outstanding PBX feature is an inbuilt power supply that offers continuous power supply even when there is no electricity.

A PBX telephone system can lead to substantial cost savings within a corporation since the PBX uses the same ISDN system (multi-lines). This means that you can have more telephones than required lines, hence cutting down expenses.

A business would be required to buy, install and manage the PBX network from the office. A few years back, analogue technology powered the PBX. Today, PBX systems typically use digital or Internet Protocol (IP) technology.

Basically, the PBX telephone system comprises a telephone trunk with many telephone lines. All the lines will be terminated at the PBX.

Two different types of PBX are currently available:

The Enterprise PBX telephone system

The Hosted PBX telephone system

The Hosted Telephone Network System

Since the pandemic hit many organisations and individual businesses are shifting to working from home. Soon, a huge percentage of daily work activities will be done remotely. Because of this, employees need advanced features like the ability to easily transfer massive amounts of data from home to workplace and vice-versa.

These advanced features are very expensive for a localised telephone system; they require ample office space, costly equipment, and a comprehensive cable system.

The host telephone, which is also called the hosting PBX, is one of the new technological revolutions in the telecommunication industry. This system enables small and medium enterprises to enjoy using a sophisticated telephone system without the need to have a physical base telephone unit in an office.

A Hosted PBX’s unique feature is that the entire telephone system resides in the cloud (online), which is often provided by a telecommunication provider. In addition, the telecom service provider operates and manages the telephone system and therefore needs no extra instructions or training.

This telephone system enables people to be linked to one office telephone system whether they’re at home, hotel, mobile, or in a remote location. This means that incoming calls to the headquarters may be transmitted via an extension number as though the staff were in the office. Similarly, the person who works in any part of the world may make calls and still present the main UK phone number to the recipient if the office is located in the UK. This has the key benefit of being able to make international calls at the same rate as a local call.

Advantages of a Hosted Telephone System

Continuity of the business – since the telephone exists in the cloud platform, disruption or downtime will not affect it. A competent service provider will use this approach to ensure efficient service provision in the network. In such cases, natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, fire would not impact your telephone network since the phones can easily be transferred somewhere else and the communication to continue seamlessly.

Easy to scale – most organisations and individual businesses will continue to grow over time. One of the advantages of using a hosted PBX is its provision for many lines or extensions, unlike a conventional telephone system. More so, you can install extra lines, and additional handsets can be installed effortlessly and at no extra cost.

User-friendly design – the hosted telephone system has a simple user interface. There’s no need for professional engineers to come over when you need to make some adjustments, improvements, or add extra lines to the system. Employees can learn how to use this system very quickly and effortlessly.

Minimal maintenance cost – the hosted telephone system comprises affordable hardware and maintenance. This system doesn’t need enormous capital expenditure or ongoing maintenance costs.

Easy to integrate with mobile – this is an important feature for businesses that have staff working remotely. When staff are out of the office, they can still make calls that will present the office number to the recipient. This way, organisations can work remotely with ease and seamless communication since the staff will use the same office number from wherever they are. A hosted telephone system is designed to integrate with the cellphone easily.

Recording on the go – the hosted telephone system comes equipped with a call recording feature for both incoming and outgoing calls. This is a crucial feature for training sessions and customer support services.

Extra Features – unlike traditional telephone system, most hosted telephone system comes equipped with additional free-to-use option. This telephone system can handle voicemail, call divert, call management, standby music, and instant messaging.

Divert Calls – Nowadays, people will reach customers in various forms, whether it’s on a personal or office mobile phone. Using a hosted PBX allows for easier diversion of incoming calls to other devices or phones. This reduced the likelihood of missing a phone call.

High-quality voice – the hosted telephone system offers the users a high-definition voice at a lower cost. Since users can call from any part of the world at the local call rate, this considerably reduces the international call costs.

Enterprise Telephone system (On-premise)

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) has always been at the centre of continuous growth in telecommunication systems. The On-premise telephone system operates using the VOIP methodology.

This telephone system requires analogue cables, ISDN, and broadband circuits at the premise in order to work. However, in recent years, VOIP gained popularity and is now used as an authentic cost-saving option for making a conventional phone call on landlines.

In this system, broadband data lines are used to transmit voice using the conventional internet instead of using physical phone lines.

However, VOIP has many advantages over conventional analog phone lines, which function exactly like a standard telephone line. Nevertheless, there are many advantages of using VOIP over conventional phone lines. This system functions just like an ordinary telephone line.

A modern local telephone system transmits voice via the internet’s data network, where voice packets containing caller information are transmitted through a data network within the data network.

Initially, VOIP was treated as a second option for a conventional phone line due to its poor telecommunication efficiency. However, the quality of VoIP is now possibly similar to that of a normal call. This results from improved telephone systems and internet connection speeds that have now offered preference to voice calls over data.

With rapid internet access in the past decade, more companies started to explore significant cost savings in moving from conventional phone lines to VOIP. As more people, businesses and organisations are getting interested in VOIP, and its affordability, broadband and voice packages have continued dropping. All telecommunication providers are currently offering voice package at a reduced cost compared to a few years back. Thanks to the ability to carry voice cheaply over the internet.

Advantages of VOIP

1. Affordability – the greatest and most significant advantage of the VOIP system is its affordability. The greatest cost saving when making a move is one of the main reasons organisations worldwide use VOIP as opposed to conventional telephone lines.

Businesses and organisations (both small and large) no longer need to think about costly leasing facilities with VOIP. Enterprises like calling centres that make hundreds and sometimes thousands of calls each day both locally and internationally will benefit significantly from implementing VOIP.

2. Extra Features – VOIP can provide a wide range of useful features for an organisation at no extra cost, together with the standard telephone system features. Applications like caller identity, phonebook, texting, voice-to-email, and call recording are among the features that come bundled in a standard VOIP system.

3. Ability to expand – as businesses grow, there will be a need for additional lines and extensions. With a VOIP system, you will not worry about future expansion since you can easily add more devices effortlessly with no need for an additional budget for buying related devices. This also eliminates the extra cost that would be incurred to hire skilled telecommunication personnel to manage the system.

4. Easily movable – One of the greatest advantages of VOIP is that it can be easily moved from one point to the other. With increased access to the internet, VOIP devices can now be linked on the go from anywhere in the world. This means that people can travel about but still use the system, whether at home, at a hotel, on vacation, or airport.

Enterprise telephone systems allow large and small businesses to handle incoming and outgoing calls in a seamless manner. The functionality of the system is substantially different from standard telephone systems. This system must be built in a manner that will allow it to manage several calls at a go. It should also have the ability to transfer calls from one department to the next within the organisation.

The Key System Unit (KSU)

Another important but less talked about telephone system is the Key System Unit (KSU). This is the most basic telephone system that utilises the key system unit. Due to the limits of the number of telephone lines it includes, this telephone system is only suitable for small-to-medium enterprises with no more than 50 employees.

KSU is an easy-to-use device equivalent to the traditional home phone. It packs all the basic features that an organisation would want, yet it is compact and versatile. The key system unit utilises a central switching mechanism to pick the phone line manually.

It comes in different varieties. The KSU-less system is its variation that features a compact and versatile system that doesn’t use a central switch and cables.

However, the major limitation of KSU-less is that it can only support up to 10 operators and is not available for sale on commercial platforms. This type of telephone system has to be requested directly from the telecommunication providers. Either way, KSU-less is suitable for small enterprises that have no plans for future expansion.

Teleproject UK is more than happy to review your business telecommunications systems and requirements and tailor a solution to meet your companies needs, get in touch today!

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/types-of-business-telephone-systems/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=types-of-business-telephone-systems

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Leveraging Business Telephone Systems for growth

Ai, cloud computing and machine learning are growing the telecommunications industry, these types of technologies foster collaboration and remote working while improving efficiencies and productivity. In the digital era, telecom services are essential for business success and survival. Enabling effective communication and building flexibility in the workplace allowing companies to extend their reach.

Business Telephone Systems are no longer confined to phone and fax. The industry comprises high-speed internet, video streaming, messaging, mobile payments and many more features. Advancing technologies like 5G and cloud-hosted VoIP, are the catalysts of its growth. From working remotely to travelling and watching TV, the telecom sector is an important part of everyday life.

Recently mentioned in the World Economic Forum telecom technology is the driving power behind digital transformation. People across the world now have access to the latest news, information, products and markets. They facilitate remote working, real-time collaboration, virtual business and social meetings globally.

The “Always on,” era is now here with users under the age of 25 spend over 300 minutes on YouTube, Instagram and other internet platforms. Approximately 48% of adults running a business use social media for customer service. The global rise of shopping online is seemingly unstoppable, along with overall online usage.

Telecommunication and its importance

Telecommunications services and the rise of digital has disrupted traditional business models massively. The increasing demand for connectivity is urging businesses to improve their telecommunications infrastructure. Digital change is important for innovative companies, allowing them to keep pace with demand and develop new approaches and solutions.

Telecommunication services and digital communications importance has really become apparent during the current global COVID-19 pandemic. Telecom services enable online learning and communications as well as remote working. Video meetings, email, mobile communications and messaging make social distancing more tolerable and possible. If these digital telecommunications and technologies were not available, most businesses would be forced to stop their operations and trading.

Telecommunications companies are now in the process of utilising artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance their customer service and internet connectivity. Using these companies can identify leads, analyse data and develop better solutions. Some operators use advanced algorithms to assist customers navigation through systems, IoT (Internet of Things) infrastructures are being used to monitor data centres remotely and identify breaches in security.

Telecommunications providers also have immediate and secondary benefits for your business. VoIP, mobile app and other means of communication mean your staff can transfer information in real-time and reach out to new and prospective clients, supporting your business, brand and customer service procedures and strategy. They can decrease operational costs as they are cost-effective, save office space, and improve productivity across all divisions.

Improve Collaboration with Business Telephone Systems

Telecommunications can aid collaboration between staff members, teams and departments. Video meetings, mobile phones, messaging and other telecom based services enable staff to brainstorm and share data, and work together on projects worldwide. If used correctly social media and real-time messaging help with collaboration, allowing businesses to build a digital workplace.

VoIP draws together factors like audio, video calling, voice services, email, texting and other solutions. Customers are able to manage conference calls in across the globe, operate virtual meetings and record calls. Compared to traditional phone and internet services, VoIP solutions are more affordable and can integrate with other useful tools.

Increase Productivity and Satisfaction of your Employees 

Remote work can’t really operate without business telecommunication systems. As a director, you can provide your team with VoIP services, collaboration tools and software and other services that allow them to work flexibly on the move. Surveys suggest that people experience greater job satisfaction and productivity when working remotely. Another positive aspect is that many businesses find it easier to retain and hire talented employees and other groups that prefer to work with newer tech, communication tools and technology.

Harvard Business Review recently held a survey and assessed working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. They held the survey with on over 600 employees. 50% of them said they could support a 10-hour workday in the first weeks of the national lockdown. Later in the pandemic, they said their workdays were still 10% to 20% longer than before the lockdown began.

The same study showed less stress experienced while working from home, mental focus and efficiency increased by 10%. They said that a greater work-life balance, more time for tasks, and less time wasted in unnecessary meetings were also highlights. Video meetings and other telecoms solutions enabled them to do their work business as normal and helped them move to remote working. Overall job satisfaction and well-being improved, too.

Reaching More Customers with Business Telephone Systems

We’ve outlined the benefits of integrating telecommunications equipment into businesses but it goes much more beyond increasing productivity and worker well-being. Leveraging telecom services means organisations can reach their perfect audience with the right message at just the right time. For example, 77% of customers want to receive text messages from brands to find out about the latest deals and news. 30% prefer to receive text messages rather than visit a business’s website, offices, shop or app.

Text messaging can be leveraged along with other services to engage and inform your customers. The open rate for text messages is over 90%, this is a huge contrast to email which only has an open rate of only 20%. 

Targeted text message campaigns can help your business get customers’ attention, increase brand recognition and boost sales. Website links to can also be included in SMS messages to increase traffic and provide more information about your services or goods.

Automation seemed to be one of the buzz words of 2020, when it comes to telecommunications automation can enhance customer service. Examples of these include businesses using AI voice bots to help with their sales, marketing and customer support. Some of these bots can support with making payments, app and website navigation, reporting and other services.

Companies can also use video presentations or conferencing to launch new products, answer consumer questions, and provide useful content. 

Your sales team can now utilise VoIP to carry out live video presentations and explain to potential buyers how to use their services or products. 

We hope you agree that in recent decades telecommunication has really come to the forefront when it comes running, optimising and improving businesses. If you have any questions about how telecoms can help your business please do get in touch.

Teleproject UK is more than happy to review your requirements and tailor a system to meet your business needs, get in touch today.

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/leveraging-business-telephone-systems/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=leveraging-business-telephone-systems

[teleproject]

Introduction to Business Phone Systems

Today, the majority of organisations depend on business phone systems with a variety of features. The Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems form the central foundation of many such networks. For several years now, PBX systems have been in use by businesses with in-house switching systems, resembling telephone exchange systems, but on a smaller and more private scale. With this provision, a few external lines could be used by many users of the business. Consequently, this is a cost-cutting measure that also serves the purpose of facilitating internal communication.

Several types of PBX are currently available, which includes conventional systems and the more technologically-advanced, virtual exchanges. Primarily, they can be categorised into PBX and IP PBX. 

In this article, we introduce PBX and IP PBX. Their features and advantages are discussed to inform readers about the difference between these business telephone systems and how appropriate telecom systems can be found.

PBX

A few incoming phone lines are connected to a relatively higher number of extensions by a PBX, combining the individual handsets to form one whole network. A PBX permits several extensions to operate seamlessly through separate lines and performs an array of tasks to optimise the business phone network.  

For instance, a few of the incoming calls are mechanically routed to specific extensions that suit the client’s requirements. Moreover, with the PBX, it is also possible to connect handsets and external lines, permitting employees to make calls external to the system. It also establishes a direct connection of individual handsets to facilitate internal calls that do not go through the external telephone network.

The tasks mentioned are some of PBX’s essential functions, which have been performed since the inception of these systems; these can be traced back to the mid-20th century. With time, there has been advancement in telephone technology, which is also reflected in PBX systems. One such significant change is the development of the IP PBX.

IP PBX Business Phone Systems

Modern forms of communication, such as Skype, are facilitated by Voice over IP or VoIP technology. This technology has transformed the operation of business communications. 

Typically, Modern PBX systems’ designs work well with both VoIP and traditional telecommunications, and such technology is referred to as an IP PBX system. But the features of an IP PBX are not defined strictly. Essentially, it includes an array of VoIP-ready system types. In such a system, a piece of hardware is positioned on the organisation’s premises and resembles a server.  

Sometimes, the term may also be used to refer to a holistic telephone network of a business, which is equipped with a VoIP component. It could also refer to a virtual PBX, which also deals with VoIP communications. Generally, it functions as a software system within a computer system that is connected to the phone network of the organisation or service based on the cloud, which works similarly, but an external provider hosts it. 

It is possible to convert the conventional PBX systems and enable them to handle VoIP communications and their other designated communications. This is achieved in two ways. Firstly, the installation of VoIP-capable modules into the current system. In some cases, a separate module is used, which functions as an intermediary element between VoIP communications and conventional PBX communications, to translate one technology’s communications to the other. 

Which Organisations Need PBX?

For several years, companies considered a PBX system to be costly, and it was also challenging to maintain. Therefore, bigger businesses often leveraged this useful technology since it was cost-effective only when used on a large-scale. For the benefit of smaller companies, alternative systems that could be operated manually and on a smaller scale were established.  

However, with time, the quality of PBX systems improved, while their price declined. This process gained traction with the development of new types of systems that functioned as a virtual PBX. Therefore, even relatively small businesses now leverage PBX technology. PBX’s primary functions are useful for any business that has more than a handful of employees. Today, since the system and its maintenance is more affordable, it is logical for smaller companies to use it, as long as they have an adequate number of employees.

Moreover, businesses that possess old systems are now motivated to upgrade the ones they have due to the technology’s enhancement. As opposed to upgrading their current system to handle VoIP, companies are opting for modern IP PBX. Thus, apart from enjoying VoIP functionality, they can now use an array of absent features in their previous installation. In many cases, this shift also enables them to work with a low-maintenance system that is cost-effective when compared to their previous setup.  

Things to Take into Consideration When Choosing a PBX Business Phone Systems.

Companies must look at several key points before they select a PBX solution. The aim is to find one that aligns with their business needs and to determine the features that they must invest in, such as:

Capacity: 

This is a fundamental consideration since any PBX is only equipped to handle a specific number of extensions as well as simultaneous phone calls. The objective is to ensure that the PBX you choose has adequate capacity in both these quarters to ensure your business’s seamless operation. 

VoIP Protocols: 

Several protocols are open source as well as proprietary, used by VoIP communications. The most common protocol is SIP, which is an open-source protocol. Hence, it is recommended to ensure that an IP PBX is compatible with SIP and is also equipped to deal with a few other protocols too.

On-Site or Hosted Solution: 

The initial costs of on-site solutions are slightly higher, and businesses may need to deal with periodic maintenance independently. On the other hand, the initial costs of hosted solutions are lower, and the service provider will handle the system’s maintenance. However, recurring costs will also be higher. Therefore, it is vital to determine what best fits your business requirements. 

Security Systems: 

If PBX is used in tandem with VoIP calling, the requirements are very specific, resulting in security systems issues, as their designs are not compatible with such needs. To avoid problems, it is necessary to opt for firewalls compatible with VoIP and SIP. Ideally, look for a PBX with an in-built firewall. 

Interactive Voice Response (IVR): 

In some PBX systems, IVR functionality is an added bonus, which comes with an automated greeting system to immediately respond to incoming calls with a pre-recorded message and includes several extensions and navigation alternatives. 

About Virtual and Hosted Telecoms Solutions

Since the 1990s, Virtual PBX officially became a part of the marketplace, and it works like a conventional PBX. The main difference between the two systems is that the former is a computerised, software-based system and does not function as dedicated hardware. There are currently three types of PBX that function as software: virtual PBX, hosted PBX, and cloud PBX.

Although there are minor differences between these systems, these names have been used interchangeably for years now. Hence, determining if there is a significant difference between them is challenging. In essence, they are all referred to in association with similar solutions. 

The company that launched the first real virtual PBX is known as Virtual PBX. Back then, the service was comparable to a hosted PBX. Since it was the first of its kind, it operated with several limitations, even in comparison to conventional PBX systems that were developed over a long period. It was only equipped to forward calls to the relevant handsets, both on-site and off-site.

Eventually, technological advancement brought about VoIP technology, and VoIP systems were equipped to remain connected with conventional phone networks. During this time, most virtual PBX providers were equipped to incorporate a Business Phone Systems to deal with outbound calls. During this period, “Hosted PBX” was established. Eventually, the term “cloud” began to take off in the tech world, and it was ultimately used even for PBX services rooted in cloud-based technology.

Commonly, these three phrases are used interchangeably. However, do note that the name in itself does not determine the features or functionalities offered by a provider. Instead, it is crucial to skim through the features to acquaint yourself with the technology and differentiate between various services. 

On-site and Off-site PBX: Crucial Decision

One important choice to make while opting for a PBX solution is to determine if an on-site system or one that is off-site works better for your company. Both these alternatives come with their own set of pros and cons. A few key considerations are:  

Expenses: 

The initial factor that you must consider is the cost. As stated already, on-site PBX systems’ initial costs are higher, but they decline soon after. On the other hand, hosted solutions are inexpensive to set up in the majority of cases. However, recurring costs are higher due to the monthly service charges.  

Features: 

In some ways, on-site solutions are more flexible as it is relatively easy to configure such technology, and they fit well with offices using Wide Area Networks (WANs). But, it is challenging to draw a comparison between the features of these two systems. Since there are many providers for both types of solutions, the features vary significantly for each system. You must ensure that the solution that you choose offers every feature that you require.  

Maintenance: 

Your business is responsible for maintaining an on-site system continuously. For this, you either need skilled employees to achieve this, or you have to use external services. On the other hand, your service provider will work to maintain your off-site solution, and the attributed costs are added to your subscription fees. In a few cases, such as during reconfiguration, your business will need to undertake maintenance duties.  

Traditional Phones or VoIP Business Phone Systems: 

Usually, hosted solutions are geared more towards VoIP communication, more so in comparison to conventional, analogue telephony. Typically, analogue handsets can be easily integrated with on-site solutions. Regardless of the kind of PBX you choose, the system will handle both communication types. However, if you largely depend on either conventional phones or VoIP, it is essential to consider the same.  

Security Considerations: 

A modern PBX system is always connected to the internet, regardless of where it is situated. Therefore, such systems do come with security vulnerabilities. To avoid service-attacks or theft or otherwise, a firewall is crucial, configuring the firewall in a way that does not interfere with VoIP is challenging. When you opt for a hosted solution, security problems are no longer your concern as your provider handles them. However, you must still ensure that the data connections remain secure. On the other hand, with an in-house PBX, the entire burden of maintaining safety is on you.

Do you have a question about business telephone systems? 

Teleproject UK is more than happy to discuss your requirements and tailor a system to meet your needs.

Schedule a callback, we’d love to help and advise.

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/introduction-to-business-phone-systems/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=introduction-to-business-phone-systems

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What are the main differences between business telephone systems for small and larger businesses?

The main differences between business telephone systems for small and larger businesses

So what makes the current cloud-hosted communication systems so appealing to small firms is that they present the same functionality as systems that large companies use?

Before the arrival of cloud-hosted and VoIP based solutions, larger businesses were usually the only ones that could invest the costly onsite equipment for an adaptable phone system with a broad variety of features such as automated attendants, call queues and extension dialling.

Cloud-hosted VoIP systems, have evened up the playing field. The high investment and point of entry required has gone, now micro and smaller businesses can quickly implement hosted systems in the same way large companies can.

One distinction is that whereas a smaller business might choose a lower-tiered plan with fewer features, a larger firm may invest in the more expensive plans that provide them access to everything the business phone system provider offers. What’s considered to be the key difference between a business phone service and a business phone system?

As it turns out, there aren’t many differences between a business phone service and a business phone system. They both provide the tools needed to efficiently communicate with customers and staff both internally and outside of your office space. 

Best way to judge a business phone service is to look at how well the system runs. Is it reliable? This is particularly important for cloud-hosted systems. In the past, business phone services were all based on physical landlines. The reliability of this was high because it was all hardwired and not internet-based. Fast forward to today, and as cloud-hosted phone systems grow in demand and popularity, obtaining a business phone service that offers the same security and reliability as a landline system has become essential.

A critical factor in determining reliability are the uptime statistics. ‘Uptime’ relates to how frequently a phone system is actually up and running. One of the essential components of a business phone system is that you can make a call whenever needed and that your customers and suppliers are able to contact you. The most reliable business phones services and systems have uptimes of 99.999%, which means that the service is only down for a few minutes annually. Some providers offer a guarantee their uptime meaning if it ever dips below a certain amount, they will compensate your business. So what features do business telephone systems need? Key things to think about are budget and what your business needs from its phone system. Features to consider could be:

Answer machine:  This could be a regular answer machine system, or your company might need to convert voicemails into text for email for example that sends straight to your inbox. This setup means you can scan through missed calls or voicemails at a swiftly instead of having to listen to individual messages.

Automated call forwarding:  This automatically transfers calls to your business phone to an alternative number anywhere. This is beneficial if you’re anticipating an important call, but are on holiday or out of the office.

Dashboard setup:  Enabling you to manage your office telephone system from one central having access for all staff members that need to access it. Some of these dashboards also enable you to combine all your business communication channels meaning you can control SMS, voicemails, emails at one central place.

Speed-dialling:  Easily save the phone numbers your staff members call the most commonly and simply call them with a one-button dial.

Conference call:  Enabling your team to speak to people who aren’t based in the office. Conference calls have become essential due to recent events and are popular for staff meetings with off-site team members or calls amongst your sales team and clients.

Video calls:  If staff members are working remotely, or need to communicate with suppliers without the time involved in in-person meetings, a business phone system with video calling is important.

Basic telephone systems tend to concentrate on the fundamental needs of a business (such as speed-dial or a dashboard), more advanced systems may be able to do all of the above. How long do business telephone systems typically last? Most decent business phone systems should last 10 years as a rough guide. That said expect rapid software and technology changes and rollouts as these systems upgrade and improve every year. Do you need business telephone systems to support a small team? Most business telephone systems are looking to grow over a number of years, choosing the right system for you can have a significant impact on how your business can operate and scale into the future. It’s best to discuss your business needs with the supplier and decide on what the best product for your team’s size could be. How will the ISDN Switch Off effect My Phone System? With the switch off ISDN happening in 2025, BT will no longer be taking orders for ISDN lines, meaning the telephone systems your business uses will need to work over the internet instead. So to future proof your communications its time to consider a system that uses VoIP, SIP or cloud hosting. Businesses that are still using out of date phone systems won’t receive much support at the end of this year (2020). Have more questions about business telephone systems?  Teleproject UK are happy to discuss your requirements and tailor a system to meet your needs. Schedule a callback, we’ve love to help.

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/business-telephone-systems-for-businesses/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=business-telephone-systems-for-businesses

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What Is A Hosted Telephone System And How Exactly Does It Work?

A hosted telephone system means your communications are operating in the cloud, instead of in your physical office. It is perfect for remote workers, micro, small and larger businesses and organisations also ideal for client assistance divisions and call centres.

Some of the benefits are: 

No upfront costs are incurred for equipment.

Highly flexible communications systems ready for the future

Total control for smart internet devices

Hosted telephone systems use cloud-based technology which eliminates the requirement for expensive equipment on location and simple or ISDN phone lines from telephone suppliers. Putting it simply a business telephone system is connected via the internet and the telephone framework turns into some software instead of physical equipment. 

The cloud location is also known as Hosted PBX (Private Branch Exchange) and can be received through rented/leased (private lines assigned to your business). It gives an adaptable, dependable and practical approach to deal with your communications and once installed can be intelligently controlled, and extra features can be added to suit your business requirements. 

With this set-up, Teleproject Uk will house the Hosted PBX and handle the tech and any maintenance of the framework if any is required. 

To compare: a conventional telephone system requires you to have it housed within the physical office and is connected to an ISDN line. When calls come into the office call, every individual member of staff requires a physical desk phone. With hosted communications, the call can be taken on a ‘softphone’, a phone on your desk or mobile application. 

As many businesses know, BT will switch off and retire all ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) services in 2025. We believe hosted communication is the best and most future proof option as it uses Data Connections to receive calls. 

So, how do hosted telephone systems work? 

Hosted communications use a similar LAN network as office internet does and connects to the internet provider (IP)

Hosted comms send information securely and safely via the internet through a dedicated connection for your business.

For calls that come into the business, the phone will establish a connection to the internet provider (IP) network, then over to the remote host. The dialled number will get quickly connected and sent through to the appropriate office, department or individual within the business.

The system needs a private connection and an appropriate bandwidth to work well. When we say ‘bandwidth’ this refers to the rate or speed at which data is sent across an IP network. When hosted systems or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions are installed, the bandwidth can be measured and upgraded (if required) to achieve the best performance for the hosted telephone system.

These systems can be accessed via dedicated handsets connected to the internet and offer a range of enhanced features. These internet handsets or virtual phones are recommended and chosen before installation, at which point complete training can be arranged.

Once ready and setup, a business can manage international communications across multiple sites through a simple interface.

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/what-is-a-hosted-telephone-system-and-how-exactly-does-it-work/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-a-hosted-telephone-system-and-how-exactly-does-it-work

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Why Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is essential for Businesses

Why Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is essential for Businesses

To stay head and shoulders above your competitors these days, you have to invest in top-notch technologies. Interactive voice response ( IVR ) has been one of the must-have technologies many businesses have invested in over the years and there’s a good reason for this.

IVR systems have a great impact on businesses small or large and have stood the test of time. Most importantly, businesses can gain a competitive edge over other businesses with an IVR system and IVR Payment Processing, because it can improve your business operations and increase efficiency.

An IVR system is made up of a computerised system that aids in answering incoming calls and sends them to the suitable destinations within your business premises. You can retrieve vital information from the database using this platform, and it’s easy to automate tasks that will require a team of professionals.

What to Know About Interactive Voice Response

There is a deep-rooted history concerning the use of an interactive voice response system. This system was introduced into the business industry as a means to quickly and efficiently automate business processes. The idea was to save a small business’s operation time spent answering customers’ inquiries. Hence, it guarantees quick opportunities to serve customers in need of the information they are looking for.

For many businesses, the IVR system offered an opportunity to use an unrefined kind of self-service technology available in many phone systems worldwide. The first models of auto business assistants came with limited functionality and allowed less interaction. For many businesses, they had to invest in improved and high-security protocols.

Significantly, it was not easy to make improvements on the systems as they were not designed to keep up with growing business operations and customer demands. Businesses needed to grow, and they had to go for a solution that will keep them afloat and effectively satisfy clients’ needs, this pursuit led to the advent of IVR and IVR Payment technology. Advancements in the telecoms industry, more so the interactive voice response systems functionality, can be attributed to improvements in the earlier models. New and better technological developments like computer telephony integration (CTI) guarantee the effective exchange of information between phones and computers. CIT technology makes it easy to input telephone information into databases, and it can be stored based on customers’ account information.

Computer telephony integration makes it easy for a computer system to execute automatic call transfers and dialling. These systems utilise a dual-tone frequency signalling (DTFS) to facilitate effective information exchange between phones and computers. More features like Automated Speech recognition (ASR), has impacted how customers make inquiries.

Types of Interactive Voice Response Systems – What to Know

The key types of IVR system widely used these days include:

1. Inbound IVR Systems

Inbound IVR systems are widely used to automate a business’s answering and calling processes. Caller-routing is an excellent application whereby a caller presses the phone’s touch screen and is immediately directed to a specific destination.

These systems can as well be used in retailing to offer services and products over the phone. Other areas include telephone banking, loan application, and the healthcare sector to provide discharge and admission records.

2. Outbound IVR Systems

Outbound interactive voice response systems help remind clients of upcoming meetings and appointments. These systems offer a means to save more as a business can streamline the entire process using an automated system to make multiple calls. This is an incredible way to improve employee productivity while focusing on other essential duties or aspects of their work.

How IVR Systems Can Benefit Your Small Business

IVR systems are a valuable investment and will impact your business significantly in several ways:

• Guarantees 24/7 effective communication. You can answer customers’ inquiries without any worries regardless of the time of the day or night.

• They increase customer satisfaction. These systems automatically help cater to volumes of calls and without any shortcomings.

• Lowers cost of business operation. There is no need to hire multiple workers as this system will automatically handle relevant calls or queries.

• Enjoy customised customer support regardless of the language one is using.

• All calls are recorded for future references and analysis.

Implement IVR Best Practices into Your Business

Interactive voice response technology offers your business a means to grow and overcome competition. These systems provide a means to keep in touch with customers and avoid unnecessary communication difficulties. You shouldn’t have any reservations about investing in these telecoms systems as the benefits are potentially business-changing.

Working with Teleproject UK we can discuss your requirements and tailor a system to meet your needs. 

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/ivr-is-essential-for-businesses/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ivr-is-essential-for-businesses

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The business benefits of IVR technology

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology is a growing industry that provides enormous benefits across a range of applications and use cases. Organisations can improve their customer experience, internal workflow, and overall efficiency by implementing cloud-based IVR to address call centre needs. 

Choosing the right IVR technology will vary between applications. It depends on a number of factors, including regulatory compliance (e.g. GDPR, PCI), customer base, and other industry-related specifics. However, as a solution for operational improvement, IVR is universal. 

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Customer experience has never been more important than it is today. The modern customer will not wait longer than a minute on hold. To address this and ensure the best possible experience for your clientele, technologies including automated callbacks, call centre analytics, and conversational Ais can all be employed. 

Together, these solutions empower businesses to handle more calls and reduce customer wait times. Up-to-the-minute customer satisfaction analytics allow you to hone the process even further, virtually guaranteeing improvements to your brand and your bottom line.

While chatbots and other online tools have been around for a while, modern improvements in sophisticated IVR allow customers to interact with and gain assistance from high-quality, sophisticated AIs directly over the phone. This reduces complexity, increases customer access, and removes the need for internet access, 2-factor authentication, and other barriers.

Consider the following when weighing the benefits of IVR for customer experience:

In quickly growing, highly competitive industries, customer experience plays an outsized role as a predictor of success. This has now been the norm for nearly a decade or more, making the reliability and accessibility of IVR call centre technology practically mandatory.

For many companies, improvements in customer experience can be directly shown to have a positive relationship with ROI. Cloud solutions with scalable costs, like those offered by IVR technology, make this link even clearer.

The personalisation options provided by cutting-edge IVR will facilitate modern requirements for success: effective self-service technology and fast, highly adaptable call centre agents.

WORKFLOW EFFICIENCY OF IVR

Automation in IVR can almost certainly save your organisation money – the average cost of a single human-to-human phone interaction is now above £12, making AI financially appealing. Scalable Cloud solutions were designed with this sort of efficiency in mind. 

Scalability 

100% uptime, 24/7 availability, and no lag time or inefficiency during spikes in call volume. These are the kinds of results that are available right out of the box with IVR, without even getting into the further automation that can be done with API integration.

Insights

Onboard analytics allow for near-instantaneous feedback, and automated survey data allows for even deeper insights – all without any increase to your workforce. This allows you to improve your services in real-time, meeting the complex demands of the modern consumer. 

Workflow efficiency isn’t about cutting corners, it’s about rounding edges and making every aspect of your organisation run more smoothly. 

Consider the following:

In the past, efficiency has generally come with a high price tag: a larger or more highly skilled (and therefore more expensive) workforce. IVR for call centres allows you to get the same results with less cost, so you don’t have to pass anything off to the customer.

Phone calls are no longer simply two-way communication – they are a part of the digital technology ecosystem, with as many possibilities as any other messaging medium. 

IVR is a digital-analogue compatible system, taking in data in multiple forms through voice or alpha-numerics from SMS.

SECURITY & COMPLIANCE

There are two primary compliance standards in the IVR industry that are important to know for anyone looking to implement this technology.

Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance

This standard requires all software to be free of vulnerabilities related to payment cards (e.g., credit or debit). Only authorised personnel can access data of this type, and all information must be handled and stored safely and in an encrypted fashion. Cybersecurity emergencies are real, and your vendor should have contingency plans in place for a number of possibilities.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act (DPA) Compliance

The GDPR and the DPA, like PCI, are intended to serve the privacy rights of your customers. However, this compliance is related to general data protection, including health and patient data, rather than payment. Health information is highly proprietary and may not be sold or shared with third parties except under strictly regulated circumstances. Any IVR software company should clearly detail which of its employees is responsible for handling this sensitive data. 

Security and compliance are critically important to the successful implementation of IVR technology. The following points should be taken into consideration:

The National Archives and Records Administration has shown that of companies who lose their data and are not able to retrieve it within 10 days, 93% have gone out of business within a year – take security seriously.

PCI compliance can be validated and certified annually. 

Compliance technology is often generally applicable – one company’s platform can be used at another company to the same effect. This can cut down on costs. 

Conclusion 

IVR software is allowing call centres and other customer-facing organisations to enhance their workflow efficiency and customer experience with proven ROI. By ensuring the implementation of such software is carried out in compliance with all the necessary regulations and standards, IVR data can be used safely, securely, and to great benefit. Once in place, analytics and real-time feedback, along with a nearly unlimited degree of personalisation through API integration, make IVR technology virtually unparalleled as a solution for today’s highly complex interactive spaces.

Need to know more about the specifics of how an IVR solution could be implemented at your call centre or business? 

Contact us any time – our experts will be able to consult with you and find the perfect fit.

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/the-business-benefits-of-ivr-technology/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-business-benefits-of-ivr-technology

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IVR Software: The Future of Payment Processing

IVR Software: The Future of Payment Processing

Interactive Voice Response software, or IVR software for short, often gets a bad reputation. However, this reputation exists not because of the concept itself, but rather the frequently poor implementation of IVR software into already established businesses. At Teleproject UK, we’re looking to change the way the industry views IVR software by creating IVR systems that stay on the cutting edge, with robust infrastructure and constant support.

Teleproject UK Offers Cutting-Edge IVR Payment Processing

With our revolutionary approach to IVR systems. Teleproject UK can help your business stay on the forefront of customer service, especially when it comes to payment processing. There is no question that a properly-implemented IVR system can make a gigantic difference when it comes to how easy it is for your customers to make their payments on time. A working IVR system can drastically increase the ease with which customers can make their payments, as well as the ease with which you and your business can receive them. With our exceptional skill and passion for IVR. Teleproject UK is the ideal partner to help bring your business, school, or other company up to the cutting edge of payment processing.

Why IVR Is the Ultimate Option for Payment Processing

No Hidden Fees for Your Customers

The fact is, when customers are forced to pay hidden fees when making payments, it often breeds contempt for your business. The more agitated customers become with the practice of hidden fees, the less likely they are to continue offering you their patronage. With a properly-implemented IVR system from Teleproject UK payments can go through effortlessly, with no need for hidden fees. This means that customers will be happy and satisfied with their transaction every time.

No Processing Payments for You

Not only does an IVR system from Teleproject UK mean no hidden fees for your customers, but it also means no processing payments for you and your business. With other systems of payment processing, fees can severely get in the way of overall profits. When fees start to add up. that means you will have to increase the price you are charging customers for your services. This, in turn, can drastically affect the overall veracity of your business. With our IVR payment processing, you can forget about payment processing fees and focus on providing the best service for the best price to your growing customer base.

Self-Service Means Less Staff

Another area where a well-implemented IVR system can save you money is in staff. Often, payment processing will require a whole team of individuals working around the clock to provide customer service to your clients. By outsourcing your payment processing to Teleproject UK you will be saving a bunch of time, energy, and money. A functioning IVR system will allow clients to pay their bills on time with no outside help required.

Proactive Customer Service

As businesses move away from one-on-one customer service to more digital modes of customer interaction, the means clients use to interact with your business digitally become more and more critical. By working with Teleproject UK. you can ensure that you are working with a trendsetter in the field of IVR payment processing. We have a growing infrastructure of support that will help keep you and your business on the cutting edge of customer service well into the future.

IVR Payment Processing Offers Unprecedented Protection

Not only will a good IVR payment processing system help increase your customers’ overall experience with your business, but it will also offer your business unprecedented protection when it comes to each and every transaction. It can do so by providing a complete and easy-to-find database of all customer payments. With an IVR system from Teleproject UK every payment will have a paper trail, meaning that if your business ever needs to dispute a charge, you will have all the evidence needed to back it up.

No More Unnecessary Chargebacks!

With other payment processing systems, businesses run the risk of falling victim to illegitimate chargebacks. A chargeback occurs when a business is forced to refund a received payment through the bank. While chargebacks may occur legitimately, many times they occur illegitimately. Without a proper record of all transactions, however, businesses may have a hard time fighting back against the claim of a chargeback. Many times, companies are forced to absorb the money lost on the chargeback and hope that it doesn’t happen again. With IVR payment processing from Teleproject UK fighting back against wrongful chargebacks has never been easier.

Automatic Recordings of Each and Every Transaction

With IVR payment processing from Teleproject UK. you can have all of your transactions automatically recorded. This means that each payment a customer makes will have a permanent log that can be easily found and accessed. With this complete call record, your business can have everything it needs to protect itself should any complications arise. With Teleproject UK recordings can be easily set up and accessed whenever you need.

How Teleproject UK Stays on the Forefront of IVR Technology

Teleproject UK was created with a passion for bringing IVR technology to it’s rightful place at the forefront of customer service. We aim to do so by revolutionising the current approach that most businesses have to IVR payment processing. Whereas many businesses will simply use IVR payment processing as an optional mean for payment, something that clients can use after office hours when no actual customer representatives are available on the line. IVR aims to make IVR payment processing the main means for receiving payments for all businesses.

In order to do so Teleproject UK implements proactive monitoring of it’s IVR systems to see when and where customers are having trouble with the current set-up. By seeing where and when customers are reaching snags in our IVR processing systems, our systems are allowed to evolve, offering the best customer experience possible each and every time.

With IVR payment processing from Teleproject UK your customers are guaranteed a simple and intuitive experience whenever it comes time to make a payment. As well, our text messaging systems can help notify customers whenever a payment is due. Meaning that you will have fewer customers forgetting to make their monthly payments. Little things like this are what give IVR payment processing systems so much potential, and that potential is what Teleproject UK aims to tap!

We Can Help You Attain Effortless PCI Compliance

Another great thing about working with Teleproject UK to create a payment processing system for your business is that it allows your business to achieve PCI compliance effortlessly. For those who don’t know, achieving PCI compliance is a never-ending battle that only gets more and more complicated the more payments you are receiving. With an IVR payment processing system from Teleproject UK your business is guaranteed PCI compliance the easy way.

What Does It Mean to be PCI Compliant?

PCI. or PCI-DSS. is an acronym that stands for “Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard”. If the name doesn’t give it away. PCI is used to refer to a set of basic security standards that all payment processors are recommended to follow so as to ensure the best protection for them and their clients. While payment processors are not specifically required to be PCI compliant, they will definitely be losing a large potential chunk of their customer base if they aren’t.

Why Should Businesses Work to Be PCI Compliant?

Being PCI compliant is beneficial not only from a marketing standpoint, but also because of the protections it offers for you and your clients.

There is a lot that can go wrong when it comes to payment processing, and achieving PCI compliance is a proactive way to assure both yourself and your clients that your payment processing system is safe and secure.

How Does a Business Become PCI Compliant?

For businesses, the road to PCI compliance can be fairly difficult. The more payments you are processing, and the more means by which customers are allowed to make payments, the more difficult it is to achieve total PCI compliance.

As well, once compliance is achieved, you will have to annually reevaluate your entire payment processing system to ensure it meets the next year’s PCI standards. Since achieving PCI compliance is essentially a never-ending battle, having a third-party payment processor that can meet PCI standards for you is often the preferred option for businesses. Teleproject UK will ensure PCI-compliance for all of it’s payment processing systems, meaning that you and your staff don’t have to worry about it!

Get Started with Teleproject UK Today!

If you are a business, school, or other company looking to get into the cutting edge of IVR payment processing, get started with Teleproject UK today! 

We can help pave the road to the future for your business, ensuring that all customer transactions go off without a hitch! As businesses move farther away from one-on-one personal interactions, the importance of a proactive and evolving IVR payment processing system only increases. 

By working with Teleproject UK you are ensuring that your business is staying on the cusp of customer interaction, providing the ultimate customer experience for all of your clients. The fact that IVR payment processing can save you both time and money is simply an added bonus.

source https://www.teleproject-uk.com/ivr-software/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ivr-software