Entrepreneurial Approach to VoIP

The Entrepreneurial Approach to VoIP
How the enterprising reseller can steer his clients to better VoIP choices.

Chances are if you’re reading this newsletter, you are already dealing with issues surrounding VoIP applications and installations in the small to medium business level (SMB).

“Do It Yourself” While the Epygi product line is a natural fit for the SMB market, the business people who make up this target group may come with certain characteristics that drive their buying habits. Successfully migrating to this business changing technology requires looking at purchasing decisions from their point of view. The entrepreneurial spirit is at the core of many of the businesses who will benefit the most from VoIP’s applications.

“Because of their independence and drive, the SMB owner is an early adopter of new technologies they hope will give them a competitive edge over competitors,” an industry observer said recently. “It’s not unusual for vendors and service providers in this market to find themselves dealing directly with the business owner who can make decisions without the usual lengthy vetting process required by big business.”

That makes them perfect candidates for migrating to business VoIP though there is one distinctive caveat that those supplying this market may face. These dynamic, adventurous business people also tend to think at the “lean and mean” level regarding expenditures and have a “do-it-yourself” attitude about problem solving. This can lead to so-called “solutions” that create more problems than they solve. Using a residential VoIP solution in lieu of business grade is a prime example of how this can happen. Systems integrators and equipment and services providers need to keep their small business customers grounded in reality and focused on business benefits as well as cost savings. That takes preparation. Consider these responses:

“I don’t need some fancy system. I can just plug in one of those adapter boxes and use my regular telephone to make cheap long distance calls to London.” Since it’s the adaptor and not the phone that is now your office phone number, you can go anywhere with a high speed internet connection and make a local call. However, it isn’t very portable and you will need a handset to make it work, all the while being plagued by poor sound quality.

“Vonage V Access lets me make free overseas calls and I don’t need to buy any equipment.” So true. Vonage subscribers can dial a local access number and make free calls as long as the recipient is a Vonage subscriber as well. Do you want to require your clients and prospective clients and all their assorted partners to be subscribers just so you can get free phone calls? Probably not.

“V- Phone lets me make calls without a phone line or having my own computer handy.” Right. You can pop in a U.S.B. drive into a computer and a simulated keypad and phone book will pop up on the screen. Start dialing. You don’t even need a phone line. As long as it is a Windows XP computer and or Vista or Linux or a Mac. Kind of limiting when you think about it and you will pay extra for this service in addition to your regular Vonage subscription fee so the cost adds up.

“Vonage Softphone lets me call from a Window or Mac without an adapter box. Pretty simple.” Yes, if you are calling other Vonage subscribers and you are wearing a headset and have yet another phone number from Vonage. An extra laptop battery helps because if the one you have dies, you won’t be making any calls. A bigger issue is the ability to multitask on that laptop while attempting to make a VoIP call. You may suffer from degraded voice quality while looking at an email that pertains to your conversation. Not so simple now, is it?

"Skype will let me make unlimited calls using computer dialing for a flat fee. I can stay in touch with clients cheaply and easily.” Not exactly. Clients call you when they need you or when they can and that isn’t always on your schedule. For this to work you have to speak at a pre-agreed upon time and sit down at your computers with both of you wearing headsets. Not an easy way to stay in touch on the go.

“Well, I can use Skype Out and my laptop will reach real phones for a tiny yearly charge so my client isn’t glued to his computer at pre-arranged time.” So you can. But your client cannot call you unless you pay extra for and phone number that allows you to get incoming calls as well. You still have to plug in that laptop and wear your headphones. Oh, and the unlimited calls are for the US and Canada only. International calls run about 2 cents a minute.

“Ok, I’m going to get one of those fancy hot-spot phones and I’ll be making calls at wireless internet hotspots in cafes while attractive baristas admire my cool technology.” Ok, you might look cool for a minute or two until you realize that you can’t get on to call without Web page sign up required in most cafes and other venues which means that you will still need that laptop.

While getting business class VoIP isn’t as simple as using some of the above services and products, it isn’t all that complicated either. You just need to know where to look to get the information needed to make an informed decision. Get more information that takes the mystery out of VoIP.

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