The modern business environment is complex, extremely competitive and decentralized. Companies are no longer run from a central head office where all decisions are made and orders given to a hierarchy of employees. That is why businesses can only succeed if they have access to superior communication systems. Employees need to be in touch with each other, their clients and all other role players. Vancouver VoIP providers think that their systems are the best solution for solving the needs of modern businesses.

Using the internet as a communications platform is almost as old as the internet itself. It did not become popular immediately, however. This was because internet access was not available everywhere and where it was, it was often slow and unreliable. All that have changed, of course and there is hardly a place left on earth where one cannot access the internet. As a result internet based communications systems have soared in popularity.

Many companies investigating a switch to internet communication do so because they are told that they will save significant amounts on their monthly phone bills. This is indeed the case and not just an empty promise. Some larger clients have reported staggering savings of up to fifty per cent of their previous bills. This can add up to a very significant amount of money over just one financial year.

Internet communication does not just offer savings on the monthly phone bill. Much money can also be saved on maintenance and hardware. Unlike older systems, which required a costly hardware installation at every location or branch, internet systems require only one single central installation. It does not need an operator and maintenance costs are minimal, especially because the software is hosted by the service provider.

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of older systems is the fact that users can only use the phone when they are present at their work stations. If they left their desks to attend a meeting, to see a client or to solve a problem on site, they missed calls. Every missed call may constitute a missed order. Internet systems do not have this problem. Users can communicate wherever they are.

Users love the fact that they are not required to use a specific handset. They can use any device that can access the internet. Laptops, tablets and smart phones can all be used and it is not necessary to use the same device consistently. All records are stored in the cloud and instantly accessible when a user logs on. This means that users can always access all their records, even from a borrowed device.

Features such as voice mail, call forwarding and call holding have been around for a long time and most users find them convenient. Internet based systems not only offer these features as well but they also boast a host of other productivity enhanced features. Users can manage video conferences, send files in almost any format to other users, send voice to email or voice to fax messages to name just a few.

There can be no doubt that superior communications ability is a cornerstone of modern business. It seems as if internet based systems offer this superiority. It is no wonder that some experts think that these systems will become the industry standard in the near future.