Cloud Technology Vs. VoIP - Which is Best For Your Business?

You’ve built a solid business from the ground up. You’ve hired a talented team, your services are in demand, and customers are calling in regularly. 

But there’s a problem: Your old phone system. Every time the phone rings, it’s a gamble. Dropped calls, missed messages, and endless frustration.

Adding a new line for your growing team feels like pulling teeth. Or worse, you lose an employee, and now you’re stuck paying for a phone line that no one uses. You’ve tried everything. Talked to your phone company, added more cables, but nothing seems to fix the problem. 

It’s costing you more than money; it’s costing you time and customers.

The phone system that once worked just fine is now outdated. Your customers and suppliers are tired of not reaching the right person at the right time. The lines are constantly busy, or they’re met with long wait times or dropped calls. 

Good news. There’s a better way. You’ve heard about modern solutions like Cloud Telephony and VoIP. But frankly, all that tech talk sounds confusing. What you do know is that your current setup isn’t working anymore. You need something that will run smoother, save you money, and keep your customers happy. Where do you start?

VoIP has been a common term in phone systems for years. But what is it? 

It stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. Don’t let that technical name put you off. Essentially, it means that instead of using a traditional phone line (the one connected by physical wires running into your building), you’re making calls over the internet.

Let’s say you pick up the phone to call a client. Instead of the call traveling through old-fashioned copper wires to connect you, VoIP works its magic by converting your voice into tiny digital data packets.

These packets travel across the internet to reach the person you’re calling. Think of it like sending an email, but instead of text, it’s your voice. VoIP runs over the internet, you don’t need traditional phone lines or bulky equipment. You can use VoIP on any internet-connected device, whether that’s a desk phone designed for VoIP, your computer, or even your cell phone. 

That means you’re not tied to your office anymore. You can make business calls from your desk, your home, or even while you’re on the go, so long as you have an internet connection.

You don’t need much to get started with VoIP, which is one of the reasons it’s so appealing for businesses. Here’s a basic checklist:

But there’s a lot more to it than just a name and a phone number. Email signatures can include your company logo, job title, contact information, social media links, and sometimes even a personal sign-off or legal disclaimer.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting – and a bit alarming. Most of us never think about the security implications of these signatures. We see them as a professional necessity, a way to make our emails look polished and trustworthy. But for cyber criminals, email signatures can be a goldmine.

Think about it. Your email signature is a digital business card. It’s in every email you send, seen by colleagues, clients, and anyone else you communicate with. This consistency is great for branding and trust-building, but it also makes it an attractive target for those with malicious intent.

Cyber criminals can use the information in your signature to create highly convincing phishing emails. These emails look and feel legitimate because they mimic the exact format and style of your regular communications. All it takes is a little bit of your information – your name, job title, and company logo – and they’re halfway to creating a scam that could trick even the most vigilant among us.

Imagine that one day, you receive an email that looks like it’s from a supplier. Their email signature matches the email signature in all their other emails perfectly: Same logo, same layout, same contact information. 

You don’t give it a second thought. But the email isn’t from your supplier. It’s from a cyber criminal who’s managed to spoof the signature. You click the link, and just like that, you’ve been scammed. This isn’t just a one-off incident. It’s a common tactic used in phishing attacks. When a phishing email looks as genuine as that, it’s easy to see how even the savviest person could be fooled.

VoIP offers a lot of advantages, but like any technology, it may not be perfect for every business. It’s important to consider a few things.

If your internet connection isn’t reliable, VoIP calls could drop or have poor quality. Make sure your business has a strong internet setup before switching.

And moving to a digital system may take some getting used to for your team. However, most VoIP systems are user-friendly and designed to make the transition smooth.