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23Aug

How White Labeled Mobile SIP Dialers Benefit Support Teams

August 23, 2021 Maulik Shah Business 47

White Labeled Mobile SIP Dialers

 

Let’s start with a hypothetical situation: A US-based customer of a product company calls the support team to resolve an issue. Since the support team is based in another time zone and not available in the office, there are no agents at hand to answer the customer’s call. As the organization had positioned itself as a brand with a global footprint, that serviced clients across the world, the no-show of the support team negatively impacted its image and profits.

This lapse in customer service could have been avoided – by deploying a softphone or VoIP-powered mobile dialer solution. 

In today’s digital world, providing users with a real-time communications system doesn’t just set enterprises apart from the competition; it keeps them in the competition. Softphones enable businesses to engage with customers in a personalized way, grow their audience, and drive sales. 

White label softphone solutions offer an extra edge to enterprises by offering all the functionality and personal touches of a phone system that has been built from scratch, without incurring high costs and spending long hours on development and support. These solutions help businesses carve a unique identity for themselves by delivering the exceptional experiences that users seek from customer support teams. 

Softphones are the future of business communication. These internet-powered solutions have all the functionality of a traditional desk phone, plus many time-saving benefits. They’re also flexible in terms of setup and adjustments. Also, SIP mobile dialers operate entirely on the cloud, which makes them accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, making remote work possible with browser-based, mobile, and downloadable desktop phone applications. 

Also, modern businesses today need branded solutions that build professionalism and reputation. White labeled softphones provide companies with enterprise-level communication solutions that are packed with the richest feature set and adapt to the needs of their business. 

In this blog, we will understand how softphones help support teams provide seamless services to customers and why they are critical for providing glitch-free user experiences.

 

Why Softphones Are Critical for Support Teams 

Professional communication has become critical for enterprises. In fact, 40% of customers say that they prefer talking to a real customer support agent over the phone to handle complicated issues like payment disputes. This is where VoIP mobile dialers are emerging as game-changers for customer support teams. They ensure call consistency, and they are reliable, secure, and agile. Besides, they allow your support team the flexibility to work from remote locations. 

Customer support teams usually need to stay connected with many people, in order to address their concerns and resolve technical issues. If they are unable to solve an issue on their own, the support teams need to liaison with the company’s technical engineers or developers. This means an organization’s phone system should have the facility to enable three-way communication between all parties. 

There are several free software solutions available that companies can deploy to facilitate multi-party communication. However, they come with the risk of compromising consumer data. Softphones, on the other hand, offer an encrypted and secure communication solution that provides complete privacy to the customer and company data. Besides, white labeled softphone solutions are owned by the company that uses them. Thus, all information remains confidential with the company. 

 

How White labeled Softphones Enhance the Workflows of Customer Support Teams 

As the modern business world continues to acclimatize to new developments in communication technologies, like BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), mobile VoIP, and unified communications (UC), enterprises are increasingly arming their customer support teams with all-encompassing UC solutions in order to help them gain a competitive edge. 

How do softphones help support teams enhance the user experiences they provide? White labeling and customizing VoIP softphone enables enterprises to transition existing customers to a new solution within a cloud-based environment. Also, the ongoing innovations in the VoIP market empower organizations to maintain complete control of their brand from designing to managing, while also allowing them to offer their customers unique user experiences. 

Also, VoIP mobile dialers can be installed into the mobile phones of support staff, allowing them to be available to customers at all times. They support voice calling, video, and messaging facilities, besides free app to app calling for internal communication. Support teams can also share images and files via softphones, helping resolve customer issues on an immediate basis. 

Cloud-based softphones also make workflows simpler for support teams by integrating with other software tools. They can connect with nearly every business solution in an organization’s toolkit to enable faster work turnaround and less human error. Using the integrated phone software, support teams can make calls directly from an organization’s CRM, sync call data and notes between applications, enhance customer surveys, assist with sales automation, and connect with transcription and AI services. 

 

Benefits of White labeled Softphones for Customer Support Teams 

White labeled softphones provide diverse benefits to customer support teams – ranging from being location agnostic to enabling easy integration with other software. Let’s take a detailed look at these advantages: 

  • Softphones support the flexibility to work from anywhere

The internet-enabled calling capabilities of VoIP mobile dialers empower support teams to serve customers from anywhere in the world. The CoVID-19-triggered pandemic forced organizations to look for alternate ways to connect with their customers. Softphones enabled their support teams to establish these connections via their desktops and or any other communication tools used on-premise. This way, they can speak to customers and troubleshoot their issues from any remote work location. 

Further, softphones also provide a huge boost to businesses that have a global reach. Customers can now reach out to support teams at any time, even during off-hours or on public holidays. These VoIP mobile dialer features ensure seamless customer services, thereby showcasing a brand as a trustworthy partner.  

  •   Enables integration with a host of software and tools

Software products today are able to communicate with each other in ways that traditional solutions couldn’t. Integration of softphones with CRM tools helps organizations to import customer contacts into a single interface. No customer wants to enter their personal details and relate their query every time they call a support team for assistance. This can also be a deal-breaker for organizations, as it poses a roadblock in building long-term customer relationships. 

With CRM integration, support teams get instant access to customer details like name, location, and history of interactions with a company. This allows the customer and the support engineer to resume a conversation from where it was left off rather than starting on a fresh slate every time. As a result, supporting employees save time, effort, and win the goodwill of the customer, leading to higher customer retention and satisfaction. Also, all customer calls can be logged and documented automatically. 

  •   Softphones provide fully customizable interfaces

No two businesses are alike. VoIP mobile dialers allow enterprises to boost their brand with fully customizable interfaces. They can build their own unique interface, select the features that their business needs and deliver a customized, branded experience to their customers. 

  •   Boosts team collaboration

Seamless collaboration between an organization’s support team members is critical for the success of a business, especially when employees work from distributed locations. With features like video conferencing, one-on-one calling, and instant messaging, VoIP mobile dialers allow team members to reach out to each other in case of any emergency situation or to seek assistance. In a situation like the pandemic, softphone apps enable employees to engage with each other, bounce ideas and queries, and avoid feeling like they’re working in isolation. 

  •   Improves employee efficiency

An organization’s support team members may need expert assistance while clarifying customer queries and may want to reach out to a manager or a senior supervisor immediately. Softphones come with instant messaging capabilities that allow employees to message each other and seek immediate clarifications.  

In a situation where there is a need to escalate calls, softphones show the availability status of the manager, which could be a ‘Do Not Disturb’. This way the support engineer contacts someone else to resolve the customer query instead of trying to reach a manager who is not available at the moment. 

Softphones also provide better insights into queue monitoring for sales and support teams. During peak working hours, supervisors can monitor the caller queue and route calls to agents who are available. This removes unwanted waiting time, missed calls, and confusion over the availability of agents and results in a streamlined customer call management process.  

  •   Allows support teams to engage better with customers

Most customers don’t like to be put on hold when they call a company to resolve a query. They also don’t enjoy their calls being forwarded to multiple support team representatives. Some prefer to message instead of call. Softphones resolve all of these issues for customers. Softphone solutions allow customers to easily connect with a business by sending text messages instead of speaking with an agent. These multiple engagement tools allow support teams to engage with customers in a more holistic way and thus expedite their problem resolution. 

  •   With softphones, support teams can scale and improvise easily

The demands of your customers are always changing. VoIP mobile dialers let the support teams of enterprises offer new features, communication options, and new support tools to customers to reach and engage with them on a platform of their choice. 

  •   Softphones can be easily upgraded

VoIP mobile dialer solutions need regular updates. To do so, organizations can simply opt for the latest version of the software within the application interface without paying any additional charges. These upgrades are also readily available for use without onboarding any additional equipment or tools to the existing devices. 

  •   Softphones make support team workflows seamless

Accessing call recordings is much easier with cloud-based VoIP mobile dialer solutions. For instance, a link to an online audio file can be automatically created after each call and can be stored or shared with ease. This can be used for monitoring and tracking customer calls. 

Making adjustments to call routing structures, like categorizing incoming calls, was a difficult process with traditional phone systems. Virtual softphones, on the other hand, make this process as easy as adjusting your email inbox settings. Additional customizations, like personalized voicemail messages, are also achievable through an admin dashboard. These adjustments make workflows seamless for support teams. 

  •   Softphones make it easy to implement advanced web-based features

Softphones offer web-based features that aren’t supported by most other native communication apps. Additional functionality can be coded and integrated into your app for web app capabilities. These added functionalities offer enhanced flexibility that support teams can use to display the types of content that matter to their customers. 

 

Conclusion 

Softphones are emerging as an irreplaceable asset for next-generation communication systems. Businesses are using these internet-powered mobile dialers to connect over remote working ecosystems and avoid the need for employees to stay glued to their desks. Besides, integrations with high-end tools and improved team collaboration are other advantages that support teams can avail by using softphones. 

White labeled softphones empower businesses to fine-tune their solutions to fit their exact specifications and requirements, facilitating a one-stop UC experience for their customers even in the most diverse technical environment.

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17Aug

Why Softphones are Vital for The Telecom Industry

August 17, 2021 Sagar Malam Telecom Technology 48

Softphones for Telecom Industry

 

The modern workforce is no longer tethered to its desk. As remote work gains traction, organizations are increasingly seeking new communication tools for their employees in order to boost productivity and enable collaboration on the go.

With as many as 80% of modern enterprises relying on unified communications, it is no surprise that softphones, or VoIP-enabled communication solutions, are witnessing boom-time in the telecom market. Softphones are an easy-to-use solution that many organizations are leveraging to improve the way they communicate and to provide flexibility and accessibility to their workforce.

The global telecom sector has witnessed a communication revolution with the advent of VoIP – and the whole new way of making calls and collaborating that this technology brings to the table. A 2019 Global Market Insights report indicates that a VoIP propelled telecom industry will be worth US$ 55 billion by 2025. Cutting-edge innovations in VoIP, along with improved internet connectivity, are driving this trend.

In this blog, we will look under the hood to understand why VoIP is the technology of the future for the telecom industry and how it will change the game for the industry in the coming years.

 

Why VoIP is emerging as the technology of the future

Like most industries, telecom is rapidly moving towards automation. And VoIP is emerging as the technology that is on the ascent. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) enabled softphone solutions are becoming increasingly popular to address the flexibility and accessibility needs of employees. Since softphones are not dependent on fixed hardware systems, employees can work seamlessly from anywhere, don’t need to change numbers or carry unnecessary devices.

Many big telecom enterprises – like At&T and Verizon – have been in the news in recent years for acquiring new companies and technologies in the VoIP space. In fact, it is expected that in the coming years VoIP will emerge as a key technology asset for the global telecom industry. VoIP-based mobile dialer phones, or softphones, don’t just facilitate better communication for industries and other end-users – they also deliver better customer support and marketing.

Also, telecom service providers will not depend on phone lines and other related hardware infrastructure for the unified communication needs of their clients. Instead, it is technology like softphones – that deliver speed and seamless connectivity without relying on hardware – that will emerge as the most popular communication option.

How the Telecom Sector Can Facilitate the Communication Needs of Companies with VoIP 

VoIP-powered softphones offer unique features like enabling remote working and providing a fully-loaded collaboration toolkit that modern companies need to fulfill their communication requirements. How else will VoIP enable telecom companies to meet the communication and collaboration demands of modern-day companies? Let’s look at the boxes that softphones tick:

  • Customization: Softphones support unique user needs. They offer call management features like call transfer, the ability to merge and split calls, automatically record calls or even instant messaging and chat rooms, or video conferencing, screen sharing, and other collaboration tools. Such customizable solutions ensure that the most needed tools and features are with reach for users and improve efficiency, support mobility, boost productivity.
  • The best user experience: A confusing communication system that is difficult to navigate will not provide the time-saving and productivity-boosting advantages that users expect today. Softphone solutions come with easy-to-use interfaces, enabling employees to easily access and use the dial pad and other SIP calling and collaboration features that are similar to the consumer-level platforms they’re used to. This reduces the post-deployment learning curve and speeds up the return on investment.
  •   Support a workforce that spans 2 generations: As per Deloitte, future workforces will be older and more educated than the current one. A solution that is simple to understand and easy to navigate will help organizations support the needs of multigenerational employees. A softphone software solution supports the preferences of different working styles of younger as well as older employees.
  • Cost-effective: Softphones are more cost-effective than hardware IP phones in terms of purchasing and maintaining. They cost little and can be integrated with a worker’s own device. With an internet connection, they can be used anywhere in the world. They require no maintenance and only break down when your device crashes.
  • Enable remote working: VoIP softphones don’t need physical phone lines and remote workers can use their own devices as an office extension to make and receive business calls and keep their personal phone numbers private.
  • Consolidated collaboration and increased engagement: Employees can chat with each other and create group chats to minimize email overload. They can share files using simple drag and drop. Besides, softphones support CRM integration that helps in real-time data collection, personalized customer service, increased work efficiency, and easier team management.
  • Initiating Conferences Right from Mobile Phones: Conferencing is an indispensable part of today’s collaborative work culture. To start or join a conference call is quick and easy with a softphone as it doesn’t require dialing in, and employees can easily reach anyone within or out of their organization.

 

How VoIP is Re-scripting the Telecom Sector’s Success Story

The telecom sector was originally built on the foundation of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). This network required telecom companies to invest heavily in physical infrastructure.

VOIP does not require such infrastructure investments, as the entire call making and receiving process happens on the internet. Audio files are transformed into data packets whenever a call is made. VoIP uses the internet to carry data packets to call people across the world. This process of conversion to data packets happens in the same way that all forms of online information is sent or received.

Major telecommunication companies are moving to VOIP services because advances in internet technologies, such as 5G networks, remove the most primary obstacle for VOIP – that is internet speed.

So why is VoIP capturing the imagination of the telecom industry? The answer lies in the advantages VoIP offers over PSTN. As VoIP technology gets mature and better developed, its benefits outrun PSTN on several fronts. Let’s look at some of these advantages:

  •   Cost: Making calls via VoIP is cheaper than PSTN. A VoIP mobile dialler doesn’t need expensive hardware installation or phone lines. All it takes is for the software to be installed, and the phone system is up and running. Making calls is also cost-effective. Since geographical distance doesn’t matter in VoIP calls, long-distance calls don’t come at an additional charge.
  •   Portability: Modern organizations aren’t confined to one city or country. Today, companies work out of several premises and even encourage remote working. Being a portable phone solution, VoIP telephony facilitates remote working.
  •   Unified communication: VoIP mobile dialler systems offer users more than just voice calls. They deliver Unified Communications as a Service. Voice calls, instant messaging, and video conferencing can happen through one system.
  •   Maintenance: Traditional PSTN systems rely on aging infrastructure. Telecom companies often end up providing services using outdated copper wire phone line networks. As these networks get further used, the cost of maintaining them only keeps rising. VoIP, on the other hand, is a low-maintenance solution and VoIP-delivered services are much easier to maintain and fix.
  •   Convenience: Major telecom carriers are leveraging VoIP technology, building internet protocol (IP) based networks to provide both voice calling and broadband services, because relying on such IP based networks is more convenient for carriers as they don’t have to maintain a separate PSTN for call services.
  •   Less hardware: Softphones reduce the number of devices in your office, or in your baggage if you are on the move. Also, if a softphone stops working or becomes obsolete, you don’t have to invest in a replacement. Most softphone providers let users upload the latest version for free.
  •   Easy to scale: When a new employee joins an enterprise, providing them with a softphone is an easier option than getting a new phone and dealing with setup delays. That way, the new employee hits the ground running with an exclusive, official phone number. Organizations can scale their softphone systems with ease because adding more phone numbers can be done quickly.
  •   Increased privacy: No employee likes to share their personal number for work purposes. Softphones provide employees with privacy as they can access their business number on their personal device, via a softphone application. They don’t miss any calls and aren’t forced to compromise on their privacy as well.
  •   Integrations: This is one of the softphone’s key draws. Many enterprises use a variety of apps to support, sales, marketing, and other business functions. These apps usually aren’t connected and this can lead to issues with data accuracy, data silos, and missing customer information. Softphones easily integrate with commonly used CRMs, email systems, and Slack. Clients can use these extensions to create customized workflows, and boost efficiency.
  •   Administrative features: Today, organizations want powerful analytics that shows the number of calls being made, who isn’t using their phone numbers, call times, and more. They also want audit logs that show where calls are being made and for general record-keeping purposes. Softphones provide easy access to all this information.
  •   Security: Softphones provide several options to protect data. While Transport Layer Security (TLS) protects phone data, Secure RTP encrypts media. They also provide access control. For instance, administrator-level permissions that only certain employees can access and strict password protocols allow enterprises to maintain the first line of defense against hackers.
  •   Support: Like with all software, softphones can also have bugs and other performance roadblocks. Softphone providers offer support options including email, text, and phone support so they can help organizations to seamlessly iron out issues when they arise. Some companies even give dedicated account managers who can help set up softphone accounts and provide best practices for managing the phone system.

 

To Sum Up: Why the future of Telecom is VoIP

What does the rapid advance of VoIP mean for the future of the telecom sector? Does it mean that traditional telephone systems will turn obsolete and get replaced with VoIP? If current trends and statistics are to be considered, then the focus seems to be shifting to VoIP in a significant way.

Look at the numbers in the US market. The shift to VoIP is growing at a rapid rate in North America, and some experts estimate that the technology could replace PSTN as early as 2025. Many leading telecom firms are already moving towards VoIP in a big way and are also powering their landlines with VoIP technology.

In a report on the future of fixed telephone services and the growing traction for VoIP, the United Kingdom’s Ofcom observed: “PSTN is reaching the end of its life and becoming increasingly difficult and costly to maintain. We recognize that the migration to VoIP is necessary to ensure the continued provision of reliable landline telephone services given that the PSTN can no longer be sustained in the long term.”

VoIP is, clearly, the future of the telecom sector. To survive and prosper, all telecom companies will have to become VoIP firms.

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11Aug

Why Choose Tragofone as Your VoIP SIP Softphone App

August 11, 2021 Maulik Shah Softphone, VoIP 55

VoIP SIP Softphone App

 

With the world turning rapidly digital, flexible communication solutions are gaining increasing traction. And as telecom technology turns sophisticated, enterprises are increasingly using Softphone apps instead of traditional desk phones to ensure their business phone systems are more accessible and cost-effective. 

Softphone applications are typically provided by Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers, and function as a familiar, user-friendly interface that comes packed with unique features. From an easy-to-use interface to built-in caller settings, users can customize a softphone’s features to fit their business needs. Most VoIP mobile dialers also include standard telephony features like mute, hold, transfer, and flash, along with other unique collaborative communication features. 

The Softphone or VoIP mobile dialer is the next new technology in the communication world. A softphone is a software application that duplicates the functionality of a telephone, but on a smartphone, computer, or any other device. Such apps are fast turning into standard equipment for small and mid-sized businesses. 

Softphones offer many benefits, especially as modern business owners require flexible, reliable solutions that allow their workers to be available on call at all times, no matter where they are. 

Picking the right softphone for your organization determines how efficiently your business interacts with its customers. 

Tragofone softphones have been engineered keeping the requirements of enterprises and end-user at the center. They’re easy to use and require no steep learning curve. The calling experience is seamless – with comprehensive features ranging from auto pop-ups on incoming calls, a customized `Get Started’ screen, and a comprehensive home screen that displays the call history, contacts, and settings. 

Most importantly, enterprises can breathe easy with Tragofone’s VoIP mobile dialers, as its security features are the ultimate deterrent for hackers and cyber miscreants. Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP) is just one of the weapons in its arsenal. Organizations can enjoy end-to-end protection with Tragofone’s superior encryption and secure communication. 

In this blog, we will explore the top features of Tragofone, its unique selling points, and why it’s a best-fit VoIP softphone for modern enterprises. 

 

Tragofone Decoded 

Softphones like Tragofone are fast turning into standard equipment for small and mid-sized businesses. This is because its functions include a lot more than just making calls. Because it’s a software, the Tragofone mobile dialer app comes packed with a variety of features – including making video and conference calls, sending and receiving files, voicemail management, and chat and SMS capabilities. You can start the app and use your softphone wherever you plug in your device. 

Although Tragofone isn’t a physical phone, its user interface mimics traditional phones. The software program can be installed on any mobile device, where it works as a virtual phone. Also, because Tragofone is software-based, it can interact and integrate with many third-party applications and services such as CRM integration. 

 

A Checklist for Businesses: Key Factors to Consider while choosing a Softphone 

Businesses are becoming more competitive and are under pressure to streamline their business operations into lean, efficient, and cost-effective entities. softphone solutions are becoming the preferred business phone solution for companies as they are realizing the benefits of having a unified communication portal that comes with the ability to integrate third-party applications. 

Softphone applications can benefit a wide range of businesses, from small to mid-sized companies, to global enterprises. Any organization that has to cater to a large number of customer calls can benefit from the accessibility and flexibility of this system. 

Softphones help organizations improve productivity, business efficiency, and unified communication. 

Softphones are a good fit for businesses that have:

–        Telecommuting employees.

–        Call centers to handle customer calls.

–        Remote employees.

–        Need to make frequent long-distance calls.

–        Need to record calls for training purposes.

–        Customer support staff. 

The industries that can benefit from softphone systems include telecommunications, IT, manufacturing, real estate, banking, education, retail, and healthcare.

 

If your organization has decided to upgrade to a softphone, then here is a checklist of features that you must tick off the list: 

  • End-to-end integrations: The WebRTC based softphone application should be able to seamlessly integrate with varied hardware including Class 5 Softswitch, IP-PBX server, custom APIs, and the auto provisioning system management via REST APIs.
  • Auto provisioning system: The soft client or softphone should come with an auto provisioning system through which enterprises can provide zero-touch provisioning to their workforce and customers. Using this feature, the soft client users don’t have to memorize the SIP Credentials.
  • WebRTC Gateway and Push Call Server: The softphone application’s WebRTC gateway should embed highly secure interactive communication like audio, video, and chat. This will enable organizations to incorporate real-time communication for their workforce and customers, even if they use a legacy SIP server.
  • Operating System Compatibility: All softphone applications are not compatible with every operating system. Check to ensure the software will work on your device. Whether you’re on macOS, Windows, iOS, or Android, make sure the softphone is compatible.
  • Number Porting: Your phone number is a valuable asset, and you don’t want to lose it. As you seek out softphone applications, avoid providers that don’t port your existing phone number.
  • Support: Having a reliable support system is critical. Find out what customer support your softphone provider offers. Is it available 24/7? Does it cost extra? Does the support team help you troubleshoot effectively? Are there training manuals or support videos available? 
  • Customization: Are you able to change your voicemail message, or update a setting without any glitches? The softphone application that you choose should be easy to use as well as rich in features. 
  • Security: Security is critical for every cloud-based service that you add to your organization’s tech portfolio. Determine how protected your data is. The application should offer data encryption, and ideally, it should include more than one type. While Transport Layer Security (TLS) protects your phone data, Secure RTP encrypts media. Another form of security to look out for is access control. For instance, administrator-level permissions that only certain employees can access and strict password protocols allow you to maintain the first line of defense against hackers. It’s also important to make sure that the softphone application supports the same protocol as the VoIP provider. 
  • Collaboration tools: Full-featured softphone services offer a variety of collaboration tools your employees can use to meet, interact, and work jointly online. Users can access these features – including SMS texting, video conferencing, and online collaboration – through a range of applications. 
  • Third-party integration: This is one of the softphone’s key draws. Because it’s a software, these systems often have a list of pre-built integrations with whatever apps the vendor believes their customers like. Clients can use these extensions to create customized workflows, and boost efficiency.

 

Top Features of Tragofone 

Tragofone raises the bar in customer communication for enterprises with its customer-friendly features. Let us look at some of these unique features: 

  • Leverages WebRTC to make seamless audio and video calls: WebRTC has started a communications revolution, by making it richer and accessible to everyone. Supported by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WebRTC allows open standard browsers to communicate with each other and exchange audio, video, and even files that use a simple Javascript-based API. It allows users to make audio and video calls without requiring a plugin or any additional software installation and integrates seamlessly with IP PBX, Class 5 SoftSwitch, Call Center, and Custom APIs. Tragofone is the only VoIP mobile dialer in the market that comes with WebRTC support.
  • Auto-provisioning: Auto-provisioning enables users to activate their Tragofone service via a web interface without requiring any configuration settings. This makes the deployment and management of installation fast and easy.
  • Multi-lingual support: Softphone services like Tragofone offers multi-lingual support so that users can converse in a language of their choice, along with embracing the other carrier-grade features of the softphone.
  • Can be integrated as a white-label mobile dialer app: White-label dialer softphone applications like Tragofone can be integrated under a company’s brand, giving it the brand’s look and feel. Your Tragofone becomes your company’s brand ambassador. Put your logo and brand name on the welcome screen. Customize colors, fonts, and even the user interface if you want. Enterprises can reinforce the power of their brand to users.
  • Integration with other databases and directories: Some VoIP-based mobile dialer apps like Tragofone implement compatibility with third-party applications like CRM. This feature is especially useful for call centers.
  • Security and privacy: Organizations are careful about the privacy and security of their communications. These security issues are applicable to softphones, where incoming and outgoing calls are vulnerable to `man in the middle’ attacks, such as wiretapping and eavesdropping.  Quality softphones like Tragofone support encryption using Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure RTP (SRTP) protocols, as it reduces these threats.
  • Video Capabilities and online messaging: Tragofone offers a video call component, providing HD video and the ability to have multiple speakers at once. Online messaging allows users to text people directly from their office line.

 

How Tragofone Benefits Businesses 

Software-centric communication solutions like Tragofone are in demand because of the flexibility, scalability, and security they offer. They also enable organizations to improve their communication processes and boost business efficiency. 

What benefits does Tragofone bring to enterprises? 

  • Using WebRTC Tragofone makes communication a seamless process

Tragofone is quick and easy to install, is low maintenance, and provides flexibility to users. Besides, it offers one phone system across multiple locations and scalability as per your business needs. 

  • Provide the benefits of auto-provisioning

With an ability to deploy IT configurations through a web interface, rather than manually, Tragofone saves time on assigning IP addresses, reduces errors while configuring devices, improves the accuracy of creating the right access, enhances user onboarding experiences, increases the productivity of admins and reduces costs on device operations. 

  • Ease of use

To use Tragofone, all you need to do is download it on your mobile device and you’re ready to go. It supports almost all types of mobile devices and thus, provides the same seamless experience on any device. 

  • Rich communication experience

VoIP dialer mobile applications like Tragofone come with varied communication features, including audio calls, video calls, conferences, and chat. Moreover, users can share files and images, transforming regular interactions into advanced business meetings. 

  • Cost-effective

Using VoIP signaling for conducting calls and conferences, Tragofone reduces communication costs significantly, when compared to other mediums like PSTN. Businesses realize significant cost savings in the form of lower long-distance fees and minimal equipment costs. 

  • Personalized branding

Tragofone provides white-label dialer softphone applications that can become the face of a brand, as they can integrate a company’s name, logo, and other branding factors. Enterprises can either keep the app private or make it public. The more people using the white-label application, the more traction a brand gets. 

  • Location agnostic

Tragofone can be used anywhere, providing the flexibility for users to work on the go. This makes them ideal for telecommuting employees. 

  • Diverse tech advantages

WebRTC based softphones like Tragofone provide brilliant audio and video quality, consume 50% lower bandwidth, offer encrypted communication and 99% device support, as well as support legacy SIP servers, 3G, 4G networks, and Wifi. 

 

Conclusion 

Softphones are the future of enterprise communication, as they provide more collaboration channels and flexibility to busy and on-the-go professionals. This VoIP-powered communication software has transformed the way people make voice calls, video calls, share their screens, notify their presence, or chat using IM, and redefined communication and collaboration. To top it, they’re low on cost and maintenance and high on convenience and efficiency, making them a must-have in every organization’s communication and collaboration toolbox.

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14Jul

Auto Provisioning – Everything You Need to Know

July 14, 2021 Chetan Patel Auto Provisioning 64

Auto provisioning

 

It is important for an organization’s communication system to be easily available to all its stakeholders – be it employees, managers, or clients. All these users need to have easy access to the communication resources on its network, so they can connect with each other and do their jobs effectively.

The process of accessing an enterprise’s communication resources would get complex if every individual user had to follow a long-drawn manual provisioning process to activate their device. Auto-provisioning is emerging as an automated, one-click solution that is freeing users from the time-consuming process of manually provisioning their phone systems.

The tool is used to provision IP phones in bulk. This includes configuring all user information, local phone book, firmware, and more. With auto-provisioning, what once took hours now happens with a few quick clicks. Businesses can easily deploy an entire enterprise-grade phone system without any IT support or technical know-how. The setup and management of their account happen inside the web browser, just like any other subscription-based service.

Automatic provisioning uses the power of cloud-based technology to help VoIP businesses automatically provision their IP devices.  Without this automation technology, every IP phone would require manual provisioning by a qualified technician, at every customer location.  And if the phone’s firmware or feature set were to upgrade or change over time – which they often do – it would require a follow-up technician visit. This can be a costly and time-consuming process.

Cloud-based auto-provisioning nips this problem in the bud. Using this tool, an organization’s IT department can streamline its operations using a scalable and secure process. The fact that nearly all mainstream IP phones are supported by auto-provisioning is a marker of the convenience that this tool provides.

In this blog, we will look at how auto-provisioning works, its impact on the management of business phone systems, and the benefits it brings to businesses.

 

What is Auto Provisioning?

There are two types of provisioning: manual and automated. An organization’s customer experiences and operational efficiency are directly impacted by the method they choose to provision their devices.

Auto-provisioning allows an enterprise to deploy its telecom services instantly through a software application, rather than doing it manually for every device. This tool is especially useful when deploying large numbers of IP phones that require advanced configuration.

Manual provisioning, on the other hand, requires time and hands-on availability of your network engineers. Choosing an auto-provisioning model is a much simpler and time-saving tool. For instance, to deploy VoIP devices, service providers can connect them to a centralized, auto-provisioning server, allowing them to streamline the deployment process and onboarding operations. IP telephony service providers usually manage thousands of users for multiple clients. A centralized automated system can save time and effort for both their service engineers and users.

Auto-provisioning is emerging as a go-to tool for telecom service providers as it enables them to deploy IP phones that automatically locate the provisioning server and download the correct configuration files once it is plugged into the internet. It allows users to activate their phone service through a web interface without having to enter any configuration settings.

Auto-provisioning comes with a set of pre-defined instructions and procedures that can be carried out electronically to provide customers with speed and instant access to their phone solution. This highly scalable activation solution addresses the multi-services needs of softphones and IP desk phones to accelerate business and productivity.

 

Why Auto Provisioning is Important

In the past, all VoIP PBX and handset provisioning was done manually, unless it was a proprietary system. It was common for IT engineers to spend long hours setting up a business office due to the tedious task of provisioning each phone. This also made the management of the phones a tedious job, as certain phone models were provisioned differently. With each addition, move, or change, the provisioning process became longer, more complex, and less manageable. It was also difficult to quickly diagnose and isolate bugs and other issues.

Modern-day service providers, however, are transitioning their operations from providing traditional telephony services to offering a hybrid of innovative physical and virtual telephony solutions. Not only are these services delivered to customers on-demand, they are also required to respond to the surrounding changes in the network in real-time.

With a growing pressure to deliver services faster, in a more flexible manner, and at minimal costs, it has become critical for IP telephony service providers to use the benefits of auto-provisioning to maximize service agility and operational efficiency.

 

Auto-Provisioning makes companies more Secure

When an employee leaves a company, it becomes imperative for the business to immediately remove all their accounts and access. If a former employee has access to an organization’s system and data, it can be a huge security risk.

Auto-provisioning makes the manual process of on boarding and off boarding users seamless and fully automated. It also fills all the loopholes and gaps in security by minimizing the impact of human error and providing better user experiences. What’s more, it frees up the IT and HR departments to work on more strategic tasks.

Organizations that fail to provision and deprovision quickly can end up battling huge and crippling security breaches. For instance, a study has found that the average cost of a data breach in the US is $3.86 million per breach. Major data breaches can result in companies under performing in the market for years.

Auto-provisioning helps organizations keep their systems and data secure by ensuring that employees have access only to the applications that they need. Automated deprovisioning, on the other hand, helps them reduce security risk by ensuring that whenever an employee leaves, their access is automatically removed from all connected applications.

 

How Auto Provisioning Works

Using auto-provisioning, organizations can remotely set up their VoIP softphone systems across multiple locations. They can do so in bulk and manage the system through an intuitive cloud phone service platform.

Usually, after buying a VoIP softphone, organizations have to connect it to their network, locate its IP address and then navigate to the phone’s GUI from their web browser for the initial configuration. At this stage, they need to indicate the SIP server that the IP phone should connect to and provide other details. This is a long drawn process and is normally performed by a company’s IT team.

Auto-provisioning is a game-changer. It’s a plug-and-play tool as VoIP phones auto-provision themselves as soon as they are plugged into the network.

This automated provisioning tool works by connecting a plugged-in phone to a provisioning server. This server is housed either at the PBX provider or the phone manufacturer’s data center. Using the MAC address of the IP phone the server allows it to download the required provisioning files. These files contain the complete configuration details of the phone, which include the username, password, proxy server, and time zone.

This provisioning setup saves the carrier the cost and effort that goes into programming an IP phone to connect to their servers. This method is often used by mail order VoIP firms as they don’t need to log into an IP phone if there is an issue to be resolved. Instead, they change the configuration file on their server, and all the user has to do is restart the phone.

Some VoIP routers provide the option to point all phones on a network to one provisioning server. Each phone that connects to that specific router receives a packet that points the phones to the provisioning server. It automates the process of pointing the actual devices to the provisioning server.

 

8 Benefits of Auto Provisioning

Modern businesses gain a lot from auto-provisioning as it eliminates deployment and management roadblocks, allows service providers to configure and manage all devices remotely, enables bulk provisioning, provides flexibility, and saves costs. All that a user needs is a computer and internet access to get started.

Let’s look at the top benefits of adopting an auto-provisioning solution:

 

#1. Boosts productivity

When an organization brings in new employees or partners, they need access to company applications, resources, and data, and the company has to provide them with this access in a quick time. Manual onboarding can take several days to create an account, approve and move access requests for every user. This can massively increase the workload of the IT and HR departments, especially when bulk provisioning is required as you scale your business. Auto-provisioning reduces the time, effort, and costs incurred in configuring and provisioning phone systems.

#2. Easy to scale

Auto-provisioning allows businesses to scale their IAM (Identity and Access Management) platforms at the same pace as their growth, by automating and streamlining the onboarding and offboarding process as well as the lifecycle management of their identities.

If an organization’s workforce is working at capacity, it can be difficult to add additional load without the risk of a process breakdown. Auto-provisioning, however, is run by predefined workflows that are extremely scalable. Instead of adding people to their processes, enterprises can simply boost their IT infrastructure to cope with the new workload. It’s also easy to add to your technical capacity, as the software is able to perform multiple tasks in one go.

#3. Helps organizations stay compliant

Using auto-provisioning, organizations can exercise control over what tools and applications they grant access to, and can also trace account activity, and review and certify access. This helps them keep their network secure.

Many regulatory compliance policies ask for strict provisioning requirements, like assigning each user with a unique ID or revoking access immediately for a terminated user. Auto-provisioning ensures compliance with such policies.

#4. Reduces the risk of manual errors and revenue leakage

For businesses, systems that are out of sync with service platforms are the most common cause of errors and revenue leakage. This usually happens because processes are either incomplete or have been wrongly completed. This means the services are not activated or suspended correctly and this often results in clients being billed for services that they haven’t utilized.

It is imperative for organizations to reduce these errors by ensuring a seamless connection between provisioning and billing. This can be achieved through auto-provisioning.

#5. Auto-provisioning provides a single window, connected platform

A manual provisioning process usually involves a lot of paperwork and disconnected software and systems. Auto-provisioning, on the other hand, provides a single, connected platform to manage the entire process.

Every department is connected to the same database. This makes it easier for organizations to manage and maintain their IP phone systems more efficiently. It also minimizes the need to invest in maintaining the system and plugging holes.

#6. Increases transparency and optimizes visibility across the environment

Auto-provisioning gives employees access to tools and applications based on their roles in an organization. This gives their managers a complete view of who is accessing what tools and how they are utilizing this access. This way, resource access is not left to chance. Manual processes, on the other hand, can create inefficiencies as they don’t provide transparency into the tools being used by employees or in tracking access. Auto-provisioning gives a centralized, connected view of user access and identities.

#7. Improves accuracy

Auto-provisioning removes the need for manual data entry, thus reducing the chances of errors. It ensures that all attributes are mapped correctly.

#8. Improves user onboarding experiences

It’s not just organizations that benefit from auto-provisioning. The seamless onboarding improves employee experiences, and in the long run, helps enterprises retain their workforce.

 

Conclusion

Auto-provisioning is becoming a must-have tool for organizations as it secures and speeds up provisioning, helping businesses scale and optimize the onboarding and lifecycle management process. It’s emerging as a key to building an agile framework to support enterprises through technology, architecture, and software, by creating a connected operational process environment that is managed by a single software. In the long run, organizations achieve increased productivity and efficiency, reduce human error, increase security, and maintain compliance.

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12Jul

Impact of COVID-19 on The Telecommunication Industry

July 12, 2021 Maulik Shah Telecom Technology 68

mpact of COVID-19 on The Telecommunication Industry

 

As the global economy grappled with the outbreak and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, `work from home’, and `social distancing’ became the new buzzwords of the business landscape. The telecommunication industry had a big role to play in facilitating the shift to a remote working culture – as video conferencing and other communication technologies emerged as key enablers for smooth business operations.

As countries across the world imposed mobility restrictions and with people confined round-the-clock to their homes, data consumption touched an all-time high. With an increased demand for domestic data consumption, telecom companies became increasingly focused on improving their network resiliency. The pandemic, therefore, had a huge impact on their planned investments, especially in the 5G arena.

It would be apt to say that the telecom industry emerged as the golden child of the pandemic-triggered economic slowdown. However, the increasing demand for communication services, along with the restrictions that the pandemic imposed threw a new set of challenges for the players in this sector.

 

How the Pandemic Impacted the Global Telecom Sector

Let us understand how the pandemic impacted the telecom sector as a whole:

  • Network usage and strength

Network usage touched an all-time high during the pandemic, and there was an exponential rise in voice and video calls made across the world. Providing users with a smooth and reliable network experience – while catering to a rise in demand for data services – became an ongoing challenge and focus for telecom companies ever since the pandemic started. It also led to collaborations which one would have not even dreamt of. For instance, telecom operators across the US began collaborating with each other to increase capacity by borrowing each other’s spectrum.

  • Impact on consumer dynamics

Telecom giants across the world took stringent measures to provide better user experiences and to provide network access to people in a wider environment. To facilitate smooth work from home experiences, telecom operators deployed networking tools at attractive economical plans. For instance, some telecom companies in the UK scaled up their capacity to include free unlimited minutes in many of their subscription plans.

During the pandemic, seamless customer service became one of the most important focus areas for telecom providers. As physical stores continue to remain shut, telecom companies need to up their game when it comes to marketing efforts, in order to reach out to homebound consumers. Innovation and thinking out of the box became the need of the hour.

  • Other industries affected by the pandemic had a ripple effect on the telecom sector

Though there was a surge in demand for telecom services, the telecom industry itself is dependent on several other industries for its functioning. These industries, in turn, were adversely affected by the global lockdowns and this impacted the functioning of the telecom sector. Let us delve into the related sectors that were impacted by the global shutdowns:

–        Hardware and equipment manufacturing sector

A major disruption occurred in the global manufacturing supply chain, which, in turn, affected the availability of spare parts for handsets and network equipment manufacturers. In some cases, it even impacted the availability of handsets and equipment and caused costs to go up. Realizing the catastrophic effect this could have on the telecom sector, governments across the world permitted manufacturers to operate even in red zones.

–        Effect on Sim card purchases

Global lockdown restricted the movement of people. As a result, there was a sharp dip in the purchase of new Sim cards as well as on 4G migrations. This eventually impacted the revenue of cellular service providers. The pandemic and the subsequent lockdown delayed the 5G spectrum auctions and their consequent rollout as network operators were focused on meeting increased demand and ensuring the quality of services was not impacted. The restrictions on manufacturing and the mobility of goods also had an impact on the availability of 5G enabled handsets.

  • Telecom played a key role in disseminating Covid-related information

The telecom sector was instrumental in helping governments track infected individuals and curb the spread of the virus. Countries like the US, China, and India have a vast landscape and a highly mobile population. These countries were able to contain the spread of the virus with the help of data communication and contact tracing. Many other countries also adopted a similar approach.

However, the usage of cellular data to track and control the spread of the virus is already raising concerns about data privacy in the future.

  • Financial implications

Though the demand for telecommunication and other peripheral services remained at an all-time high during the pandemic, small players in the industry may face cash flow issues in the future. For instance, telecom companies that collaborated with sports-centric media organizations saw their revenues being hit as all sporting events were called off during the Covid-related lockdowns.

The big giants of the telecom industry are also reassessing their future investment plans. They are restructuring their network infrastructure and investment portfolio and aggressively investing in 5G technology. When it comes to speed and reliability, 5G is clearly emerging as the future of communications. The industry is witnessing collaborations at a scale that have never been seen before. Companies are focusing on technology mergers and acquisitions in order to secure a larger customer base by leveraging each other’s strengths.

 

How the Telecom Sector Emerged as the Poster Child of the Pandemic

  • The telecommunication sector also stepped up to meet the challenges of the call center industry, as contact center companies moved their operations to remote working setups within a short span of time. Softphones and VoIP technology played a key role in enabling this transition to happen smoothly. Cloud-based VoIP mobile dialers helped call centers to build a strategic and multi-faceted workforce – be it in a single location, multiple centers, or with work from home agents. Also with real-time messaging, and collaboration tools, VoIP-powered softphone technology allowed customers to reach agents across locations and time zones. They facilitated communication as would happen in a traditional office while providing data security and flexibility.
  • The telecom sector has become an integral instrument through which the modern world stays connected with each other. With the rise of a remote work culture, communication technologies like video conferencing and file sharing emerged as the chief instruments used by global workforces to collaborate and work together on the same projects. However, disparities in the reach of the sector also brought to fore the divide between the digital and non-digital world.
  • The public health sector benefited the most by using the services of the telecom industry amidst the pandemic. Telecom operators stepped up to the global health challenge and supported the health sector’s transition to digital platforms by partnering with organizations to create virtual clinics and providing online health consultations. Digitization initiatives that once took months were mobilized and operationalized in weeks and even days.
  • Since all work, socializing, and family interactions were happening virtually, people did not need just any broadband connection. What they wanted was a reliable, viable, robust, and resilient broadband connection that transmitted data and enabled voice and video calls to happen seamlessly. Consumers were willing to pay more for fiber-optic connections. This proved to be a great opportunity for telecom companies to convince their existing subscribers to upgrade from old broadband connections and move to 5G. These potential consumers were also reportedly ready to pay a premium to enjoy the speed and seamlessness of 5G services.
  • Telecom operators have an opportunity to provide an expanded set of services with higher bandwidth to various sectors such as entertainment services, educational services, digital-business building, and support retail customers to sell online.
  • In India, telecom operators partnered with the government and were instrumental in educating people and creating awareness about COVID-19 related protocols and social distancing norms. They also played a critical role in the government’s efforts to conduct contact tracing and, thus, combat the pandemic.

 

Future Challenges for the Telecom Sector

Some glaring future concerns that industry leaders foresee and are preparing to handle include the reliability of networks, the ideal time to invest in 5G technology, the risks associated with 5G, and a reassessment of cost structures to offset the revenue decline caused due to the pandemic.

Some other concerns that are projected to arise in the near future are to ensure stellar customer service and positive user experiences despite the huge pressures that telecom companies face on their network infrastructure. With a change in the data privacy framework, the long-term privacy implications and consumer policies will also need to be addressed on a priority basis.

 

Global Trends in Telecom Sector

What are the projected trends of the telecom sector in the near future? Let us look at what the surveys say:

  • Some of the biggest players in the telecom sector, including AT&T, Apple, Verizon Communications Inc., China Mobile Ltd, and Samsung anticipate staggering growth for the sector. They estimate that the global telecom market will grow from $2555 billion in 2020 to $2713.53 billion in 2021 at a CAGR of 6.2%.
  • According to industry experts as well as recent surveys, the global telecom market value will be worth $3461.03 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 6%.
  • Asia Pacific emerged as the largest region in the global telecom market, accounting for 34% of the market in 2020.
  • North America came a close second with 32% of the global telecom market. Africa was the smallest region in the global telecom market in 2020.
  • Internet TV gained immense popularity in both developed and developing countries because of their competitive pricing and with people spending most of their time at home.
  • This phenomenal growth in the telecom sector is being attributed to businesses rearranging their operations due to the impact of Covid-19. The operations of all businesses were disrupted due to containment measures, restrictive movements, social distancing, and abrupt closure of all commercial activities.

 

The Way Forward 

Despite the challenges and the setbacks that the telecom sector and its related industries faced during the pandemic, the general sentiment is that telecom was one of the few sectors that remained unscathed as several other industries like travel and airlines took a severe beating during the pandemic. Businesses, political leaders, businesses, and all stakeholders are now cognizant of the importance of these services, especially in the current scenario when there is a pressing need to make global communication a seamless process. Steps are being taken to resolve both short-term and long-term issues faced by the telecom sector. Even in the face of adversity, increased demand for services helped offset a dip in revenues.

The high-end subscribers and people who were working from home needed a strong and reliable telecom network to work without any glitches. So even though telecom companies lost their market share of Sim card subscribers, they saw a sharp rise in demand for super-fast internet connectivity and broadband connections. 

Post the pandemic, work, entertainment, education, and even socializing went virtual and remote. And it was all delivered to users by telecom companies.

Telecom companies have assisted the government with outreach and analytics to spread awareness about COVID-19. They have been instrumental in providing anonymized data to the government for analytics, which helped them develop effective plans for combating the pandemic.  

Conclusion

Despite the challenges faced by the telecom sector, it has emerged as a rock-solid support system for several industries like IT and call centers. Telecom companies have stepped up to the challenges thrown by the pandemic and the subsequent global lockdowns and were instrumental in helping global governments devise the right strategies to combat the situation and educate people.

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07Jul

8 Telecom Trends 2021: Industry, Innovation, Predictions 2021

July 7, 2021 Sagar Malam Telecom Technology, VoIP 65

telecommunications industry trends in 2021

 

Besides going down in history as the year of the Covid-19 pandemic, 2020 will also be remembered for the transformative digital changes that took place across global organizations.

In terms of tech transformations, the telecommunications industry went to the next level. With countries in lockdown and remote working becoming a norm, mobile, fixed-line, and internet-powered communication became a lifeline for organizations. Telecom companies emerged as one of the most essential industries during the pandemic, and will likely stay that way in the future. Telecom companies built a strong foundation for future growth by enabling seamless professional communication between remotely-connected workforces, investing in UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service), and allowing businesses to continue delivering products and services by migrating to the cloud.

Big changes are coming to the telecom industry, and it is clear that the future will involve seamless experiences that support a shift to remote work. The success of telecom operators will depend on how they respond to these new work trends.

In the coming decade, communication solutions are expected to improve customer experiences at all levels, be it through unified communication systems, transformative technologies like AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning, or key infrastructure improvements like 5G and UCaaS implementation. As a result, what is expected is the rise of a new communication standard.

The main trends that emerged during the 2010s were VoIP, mass availability of high-quality fiber broadband, and the cloud. In this decade VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) began to build traction by offering high-tech communication solutions for the global telecom industry. As businesses shifted their processes to cloud services, it became easier to enable flexible and remote working.

What does the coming decade hold for the telecom industry? Let us look at the extraordinary innovations and trends that are set to transform the industry in the coming year, and decade.

 

The Main Telecom Trends: What will telecommunications and telephony look like in the 2020s

The telecom industry’s technology transformation – which began in 2020 – is continuing into 2021. In fact, it is expanding at a rapid rate, due to the unique capabilities of these technologies, such as a faster, better, and more comprehensive tackling of market challenges. For instance, In the fight against fraud, the value of AI and ML methods will be of great benefit, as it helps detect anomalies faster. VOIP technology is slated to replace the older PSTN systems. For companies that want to cut down on expenses, VOIP will be the way to go. The spotlight will be on 5G deployments, due to the huge boost in connectivity and speed that it will bring.

Let’s look at each of these telecom trends and understand how they will re-shape the industry.

 

#1. 5G will go mainstream

Today’s fast-growing businesses need the right communication tools to stay ahead, making the adoption of 5G networks the talking point among VoIP market trends. 5G or fifth-generation wide-area wireless networks are set to become the new global standard. What makes it so special? 5G promises lightning-fast speeds, low latency, and seamless connectivity for internet devices. It has the potential to accelerate the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, improve call quality across devices, and provide businesses with an internet network they can bank on. With 5G, businesses will experience better Internet connectivity, voice and video calling, faster file sharing, and more. It will also reaffirm how important mobility in telephony solutions (like VoIP softphones) has become.

Research by Verizon has found that the perceived benefits of a 5G network include better data transfer speeds, improved connectivity of wearable tech, and reduced instances of dropped calls. These benefits will encourage more enterprises to adopt VoIP. As companies gradually roll out 5G capable devices and infrastructures, it’s clear that communication solutions will take a huge leap towards the future.

 

#2. The rise of AI and ML

AI is everywhere. It’s on Netflix, on your social media feed, and on the websites that you visit. VoIP won’t be any different in the coming years. For example, the call center industry will use the power of AI to improve service delivery by providing self-help options that will lead customers to quick solutions. AI through bots will be used to predict customer behavior and provide business insights to organizations.

Telecom companies are already leaning in a big way towards machine learning and AI, as these technologies can help optimize back-end processes. They also power chatbots and speech recognition software that assist in customer service interactions and improve customer experiences.

For the telecom industry, AI can use data to predict peak traffic, provide better end-to-end service and enhance connectivity. They can also leverage these technologies for network capability improvements, provide seamless customer experiences, and boost infrastructure automation.

 

#3. Boost to UCaaS

As the future of communication infrastructures becomes cloud-based, cloud phone systems are emerging as the most cost-effective telephony option for businesses. The UCaaS market is predicted to reach $24.8 billion by 2024. Using UCaaS, organizations will have quick access to their data, audio, and video communication. Also, as everything is stored on the cloud, disaster recovery and business continuity will become much easier.

The pandemic was one of the market drivers for the growth of cloud-based telephony solutions, as it has forced businesses to move their in-house PBX systems to the cloud. The sudden shift to remote work pushed most companies to adopt and implement UCaaS.

In 2021, the UCaaS market is expected to grow to over $28 billion. What makes UCaaS so important? Modern UCaaS solutions make it easy for organizations to talk, text, share files, project updates, and give the leadership visibility into their teams’ performance. The rise of cloud-based phone systems like softphones is also leading the way.

 

#4. VoIP support for IoT

IoT connects internet-enabled devices to simplify data exchange. As this technology develops, VoIP will play a crucial role in the data capture and transmission levels of IoT. VoIP devices are evolving beyond sending voice and video packets. It can now even ensure that all its endpoints such as cameras and speakers work to connect with other devices. This is where IoT and VoIP meet.

When VoIP and IoT come together, they can revolutionize the way businesses operate. For instance, companies can set up smart offices, where a network will collect data from all the office equipment so that employees can have the information they require wherever they are. Or, imagine a voice-activated workspace, where an employee can ask VoIP to record a meeting.

 

#5. Merger of VoIP and WebRTC

The WebRTC framework was created to run real-time communications in a browser using simple APIs, and many organizations are opting for it. WebRTC has made it seamless to use internet-based communication on the go without any setup.

As WebRTC is an open-source standard, it works well with VoIP systems as well. For instance, WebRTC improves VoIP experiences with instant calls and live video support, and enhances peer-to-peer file swapping and direct calls from the web browser.

The telecom industry is expecting to see the merger of these two communication systems. By aligning the functionalities of WebRTC and VoIP, organizations will not need extra plugins and widgets for their communication functions.

 

#6. Increased focus on security

The one big disadvantage of seamless internet accessibility is the risk of cyberattacks. According to Statista, some of the most common types of cyberattacks include phishing, network intrusion, and inadvertent disclosure. As the pandemic forced more people to work from home, hackers began spreading malware through portable executable formats.

As VoIP communication systems run on the internet, they are prone to such attacks. Organizations will have to prepare themselves to handle this by providing another layer of privacy and security.

 

#7. Advanced VoIP assistants

With advances in AI and language processing, we will see voice assistants (like Siri, Alexa, and Ok Google) turning smarter as they will be able to respond to highly complicated questions and help automate mundane processes like routing calls to agents or sending calls to voicemail. Powered by AI, they will also be able to collect customer information by recording previous interactions automatically. This will make it easier for agents to pick up calls where other agents left off and provide personalized customer service.

Advanced VoIP assistants will also be able to do new and diverse tasks like recording meetings and transcribing them as the meeting proceeds.

 

#8. Growth in cloud platforms

The move to the cloud is happening at a rapid pace, as organizations adopt a cloud-first approach. This is particularly important as organizations change the way they consume voice services. Enterprises are increasingly looking at removing the need for physical phone equipment and benefit from the advantages that hosted voice platforms, like softphones, provide. These advantages include cost saving, flexibility, and disaster recovery capabilities.

 

Why VoIP solutions like Softphones will emerge as a Game Changer for the Telecom Industry in the Coming Decade 

The global VoIP market witnessed exponential growth over the last decade, and the rise of remote working is set to boost it further. This is especially because VoIP platforms are increasingly integrating with 5G adoption, UCaaS growth, and the use of AI and ML.

Global enterprises have a growing requirement for a cost-effective communication solution that can support workforce mobility. This is where VoIP systems play an important role. This technology allows users to implement flexible communication systems that cater to voice, SMS, email, video conferencing, and other types of communication methods that modern businesses require. VoIP technology can help reduce company phone bills and teleconferencing costs by up to 30% and save 90% on international calls.

The VoIP market is projected to grow up to $55 billion by 2025. As organizations go global, they need phone systems that improve communication and collaboration between employees spread across the world. This increases the demand for VoIP products such as IP phones and softphones. Also, telecom companies and governments are investing in wireless telecommunication technologies such as 4G and the upcoming 5G network, leading to higher transfer speeds for high-quality voice and data services. This will increase the impact that VoIP has on global businesses.

In fact, VoIP is one of the big reasons why the global telecom industry is undergoing such a drastic transformation. VoIP services offer features that traditional telephony does not. It’s cost-effective and does not require costly physical infrastructure. It’s also gaining traction as the gig economy grows and the changing nature of business requires enterprises to communicate anywhere in the world, at any time.

 

Conclusion

The telecommunications industry is changing, and VOIP technology is set to replace traditional telephony. It’s no longer a question of if, but when. So in the next decade, we can expect IP telephony systems like softphones to become the communication solution of choice, as businesses jump ship from ISDN systems.

In 2021, telecom companies will maintain global competitiveness and boost productivity by leveraging emerging technologies that have the potential to transform customer experiences, network expansion, and infrastructure management. Also, consistent connectivity and enhanced customer service will be the key drivers behind the growth of global telecommunication.

The future of global communications will be more interconnected than ever, and also extremely mobile and flexible. Businesses have to ensure they stay in tune with this trend, by shifting to flexible and unified communication solutions.

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22Jun

10 Crucial Features of Softphone Solutions for Customer Service

June 22, 2021 Maulik Shah Softphone 69

softphone benefits

Businesses are constantly looking for ways to provide flexible and great customer service. Using telephones alone can be limiting and inefficient when it comes to accommodating your customers’ needs. While there are countless automation options available now, the human element is still a critical factor in fostering deeper relationships with your clients. This factor is nudging businesses to invest in softphones.

According to PwC, 82% of consumers want more human interactions while engaging with a brand. In fact, 59% of them claim that they are dissatisfied with automation-driven customer services as it takes away the human element from the business interaction. Softphones are helping customer-driven enterprises to bring personalization into their client interactions. Besides, they also offer flexibility, accessibility, and mobility in business communication.

A softphone is not, in fact, a phone. It is a software that allows you to use a computer, phone or tablet to place internet-based calls. This software is usually provided by a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider, and functions as a user-friendly interface that operates similarly to a traditional phone – users can dial numbers and access other VoIP telephony features. Softphones offer all the features of desk phones – and much more.

Softphones can operate entirely on the cloud, making them accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. With browser-based, mobile, and downloadable desktop phone applications, they make remote work seamlessly possible. 

Why Softphones are emerging as the future of Customer Communication for Enterprises 

Customers today want convenience and accessibility when they contact an organization’s customer service team. Softphone technology has convenience and flexibility built into its DNA. There are many benefits to using softphones within your business. Not only does it enhance customer experience, but it also improves employee workflows.

To give you a better idea of how softphones can raise the bar in customer communication for enterprises, here are some of the key customer-friendly features of the app.

 

#1. Softphone’s communication tools allow employees to address customer issues in real-time

Besides voice communication, softphones also enable video conferencing and instant messaging. Since they can be installed on diverse, portable devices, they increase an organization’s flexibility in communication, enabling employees to work anywhere, at any time.

Moreover, softphones notify users of incoming calls and messages in real-time. This significantly reduces waiting time for customers and ensures that company executives can immediately address and accommodate their needs. Softphones also provide a user’s presence status in real-time, displaying which executive is available to take a call. Likewise, it informs if a customer is available to take a call as well.

 

#2. Softphones allow customers to reach customer service executives over diverse communication mediums

VoIP-enabled softphones provide an integrated mix of omnichannel communications that include voice, video, and chat communication via a single, universal solution. This results in workforce optimization and allows agents to provide personalized experiences to customers.

By leveraging the unified communication benefits of softphones, customer service executives can integrate customer communication across channels. Customers can communicate with brands using a blend of these communication pathways, switching from one to another, as they would do with a consumer communication app.

 

#3. Softphones empower remote customer service employees to stay in touch with their clients using advanced UC tools

Remote working is fast becoming a norm among the modern workforce. Traditional telephony solutions worked well when employees remained on-premise, but fall by the wayside when it came to enabling remote work. Cloud communications have become critical for modern enterprises that are modernizing their operations and adding multiple communication channels to their workflows.

VoIP-powered softphones keep customer service executives to their customers, irrespective of location or device. With mobile applications linked directly to a user’s business phone number, employees can make and receive calls from their personal phone, while using their official phone number, staying connected with their clients even when they are on the go. 

Also, cloud-enabled VoIP mobile dialers provide organizations with the flexibility to onboard a remote workforce. Hybrid offices (that work with a combination of remote and on-premise agents) can use softphones to streamline team communications and build a collaborative work culture.

 

#4. Softphones provide HD audio and video quality to enable quality communication

The quality of your customer service can leave a lasting impression on customers. Choppy audio and lagging video calls can negatively impact your business credibility. Not to mention, it can make your company appear less professional to your customers.  Softphone providers understand the importance of high-quality audio and video for businesses.

Nowadays, softphones leverage advanced technology for high-quality audio and video conferencing capabilities. Whether you are using your mobile phones, desktops, or any other device, it delivers consistent call quality. Tragofone, for one, uses WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communications) technology to facilitate peer-to-peer and direct communications between enterprises and their customers. This simplifies and improves customer experiences.

 

#5. Softphones bring the power of seamless collaboration using the right tools

Another benefit of using a softphone is the access to collaboration tools to streamline teamwork among customer representatives. You can use it to store and centralize your contact directory, call logs, voicemails, and other necessary documents. In turn, all authorized representatives and employees have access to such data from their own devices. You can also add, edit, or remove users and devices from your database to limit certain authorizations and accessibility.

Moreover, softphones provide organizations with automation tools that help reduce workloads. This allows them to focus on accommodating customers’ needs and avoid getting distracted by other menial tasks. Its automation features also streamline workflows by routing calls to available representatives, forwarding calls to the right people, and enabling quick search directory dialing.

 

#6. Softphones have your security issues covered

You might think that using a traditional telephone is safer than using the internet for communications. However, both are equally vulnerable to hackers, scammers, and fraudsters. But one advantage of using a softphone is its built-in security features that safeguard your representatives and clients.

Popular VOIP software often comes with robust and reliable security features. These include:

–        End-to-end encryptions of calls and data

–        User authentication upon logging in

–        Monitoring and tracking tools

–        Management and control features

With softphones, you can add layers of protection around your communications, unlike traditional desk phones.

 

#7. Softphones power your communication with analytics and reporting

One of the most outstanding features of softphones for enterprise use are its analytics and reporting functions. This allows organizations to collect and analyze data based on the calls and interactions between their representatives and customers. They can use this information to evaluate their employees’ work performance. Likewise, they can also use it to gather critical customer data such as their behavior, demands, and preferences.

By leveraging data and analytics, businesses can identify their customer service strengths and weaknesses, determining specific areas that need improvement in order to provide better customer experiences. You can check out this article comparing different VOIP software systems to find out which ones offer effective and accurate analytics and reporting tools for your business.

 

#8. Cloud-based softphones can easily integrate with other software tools

The phone has always been a device that was used along with other business tools. Modern softphones enable a wide range of possibilities in terms of collaboration and productivity. Cloud-based softphones can connect diverse business tools to produce faster workflows and less human error.

A customer usually connects with a customer service executive when they face a problem with a product or a service. This means the representative has to have instant access to the customer’s background information.

Softphones enable CRM integrations that give customer executives more context and background about a customer. They can be easily integrated with a company’s CRM to provide complete customer information. This equips executives to provide satisfactory answers to customer queries without any time-lapse. Calls can be auto-logged into the CRM and agents can view customer data while speaking to them.

With integrated softphone software, enterprises can:

–        Make calls from directly within their CRM.

–        Sync call data and notes between applications.

–        Enhance customer surveys.

–        Assist with sales automation.

 

#9. Softphones ensure that customer service executives never miss calls

A VoIP softphone solution ensures that no call is unanswered, as it automatically routes every inbound call to the best representative who can service a customer’s needs. If the first-choice agent is not available, the call automatically goes to the next person who is best equipped to handle the query.

Softphones make call forwarding simple, ensuring that a customer’s needs are always met. With this phone system, no call goes to an automatic voicemail. Customer service executives can ensure that their customers are met with a live person when they call in, thus improving overall customer satisfaction.

 

#10. UCaaS and IoT is the future of enterprise customer interaction – and softphones are the go-to UCaaS medium

Unified communications-as-a-service (UCaaS) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are the next steps of enterprise-client interaction. Softphones support this by providing a simple, lightweight communication platform across multiple devices and offering most of the features that organizations seek from UCaaS deployments. Softphones are revolutionizing the way customer service executives work and connect with customers.

 

Conclusion

Softphones are enabling organizations to set themselves apart from the competition by delivering seamless customer service and thus boosting productivity. For customer service executives softphones have directly translated into fewer missed calls, more opportunities to connect with clients, and better customer engagement. Softphones have helped organizations to completely re-imagine their customer relationships – by enabling omnichannel communication and ensuring they are just one quick call away from their consumers.

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19May

5 Benefits of Softphone for Telecom Companies

May 19, 2021 Chetan Patel Softphone 59

softphone benefits for telecom companies

The global telecom industry has been undergoing a seismic shift in the last few years. The technology that has driven this change is Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP. VoIP-based mobile dialer phones – or Softphones – are an entirely new way to make voice and video calls. As this technology matured, its impact on the telecom sector has increased. Today, VoIP is the driving force behind many telecom majors and continues to grow in influence.

An important reason for the growth of VOIP technology is the increased global reach of businesses and changing working models. The gig economy is growing, and the changing nature of business requires organizations to retain the ability to communicate anywhere in the world at a minute’s notice.

A report by UK’s Ofcom suggests that “in the coming years’ broadband-based call services will become increasingly common, as PSTN is reaching the end of its life, becoming increasingly difficult and costly to maintain. Many major telecom providers are offering VoIP products delivered over broadband to their customers.”

How are VoIP-based mobile dialers changing the telecom industry?

A 2021 Global Market Insights estimates that the size of the VoIP market was over USD 30 billion in 2020, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15% from 2021 to 2027. Innovation by the VoIP industry, as well as improved internet connectivity, is driving this trend. Also, with over 80% of global organizations adopting Unified Communications, it is clear that softphones have a booming market.

In this blog, we will look at the VoIP mobile dialer technology and how it has metamorphosed the global telecommunication space.

  • What is a Softphone or VoIP mobile dialer and how does it work?
  • Why Softphones are a game changer for the telecom sector.
  • Benefits that telecom companies can offer global enterprises through VoIP-based softphones.
  • What advantages do telecom companies get by offering VoIP mobile dialers to enterprises?
  • The future of a VoIP-powered telecom sector.

Softphone: What it is, How it Works, and its USP for telecom players

What is a Softphone or VoIP mobile dialer and how it works

What is softphone

Softphones are software-based dialers that can be used on any computing device. They are quick and easy to deploy as well as maintain, and system admins can implement and update VoIP software across all machines in one go. Since no new hardware installation is required, they’re cost-effective as well, with organizations needing to pay only licensing and service fees.

VoIP-enabled softphones are the new way of making voice calls – as it revolutionizes the way audio voice calls are transported. In traditional telephony, the sound was converted into electrical signals, which were then transmitted through a network of phone lines. This system is called a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

Voice calls work differently with VoIP. Now, the audio doesn’t get translated into electrical signals. Instead, it is converted into internet protocol (IP) data packets that are transported via the internet from one end of a call to the other. Softphone devices include computers, smartphones, or tablets. The software itself is provided by a dedicated VoIP or communication service provider.

Modern softphone applications have an accessible, user-friendly interface that users can navigate with ease. This means an organization’s entire workforce can make calls using their own devices while using simple and familiar dialing and calling experience.

Now that you know what a softphone is, let’s understand how it’s changing or impacting the telecom sector.

Why Softphones are a game-changer for the telecom sector

softphone for telecom company

In an established commercial sector like telecom, not all new technologies capture the collective industry imagination like VoIP mobile dialers have done. Why has this new technology taken such a hold over the telecom sector?

The answer to this question can be found in the number of advantages VoIP offers over the older telephony method.

As VoIP technology gets more mature and better developed, its benefits outrun PSTN on a number of fronts.

Telecoms companies and carriers, then, have little choice but to adapt to VoIP. It’s what customers want, so it is what they must deliver. Also, it is not only customers who will benefit from a switch to VoIP dialers.

The seemingly unstoppable migration to VoIP is good news for telecoms firms, as there are several notable advantages for them too. Let’s look at some of these advantages:

  • Cost

Making calls via VoIP is more cost effective than doing so via a PSTN. A VoIP mobile dialler doesn’t need expensive hardware installation or phone lines. It can be up and running in the time it takes to install the required software. Since geographical distance doesn’t matter in VoIP calls, long-distance calls don’t come at a premium.

  • Portability

Modern organizations are no longer restricted to a single geography. Companies work out of multiple premises and even encourage remote working. VoIP telephony is in sync with this modern, mobile style of working.

  • Unified communication

VoIP mobile dialer systems offer users more than just voice calls. They deliver Unified Communications as a Service. Voice calls, instant messaging, and video conferencing can happen through one system.

  •  Maintenance

The traditional PSTN relied on an aging infrastructure. Telecom companies often ended up providing services using outdated copper wire phone line networks. As these networks got older, the cost of maintaining them rose multiple folds.

Also, a physical network of phone lines is vulnerable to issues like weather or vandalism acts. VoIP-delivered services are much easier to maintain and fix.

  • Convenience

Across the world, major telecom carriers are already leveraging VoIP technology, building internet protocol (IP) based networks to provide both voice calling and broadband services. Relying on such IP-based networks is far more convenient for carriers as they don’t have to maintain a separate PSTN for call services.

Benefits that telecom companies can offer to global enterprises through VoIP-based Softphones

The move to Unified Communications (UC) by businesses around the world is unstoppable. A Grand View Research forecasts that the global UC market will register a CAGR of a whopping 17& from 2019 to 2025.

Workers are increasingly demanding packaged mobile solutions and organizations are driving softphone adoption in a big way. This means that ignoring the opportunities this market presents is not possible anymore. 

As the COVID pandemic unfolded, enterprises of all sizes transitioned their workforce to remote working technologies.

A major challenge for many businesses, especially small companies with limited resources, is to equip their remote workers with the right tools. No business can afford to lose touch with its customers, which makes communication technology a key requirement. In fact, many work from home employees use their own devices, be it a desktop or mobile phone. This makes Softphones a handy tool. What are its advantages for organizations?

  • Low cost and minimum hardware

Softphones can be downloaded on existing devices, eliminating the need for hardware investment, cabling requirements, or dedicated lines. If a softphone requires a software upgrade, most providers let you upload the latest version for free.

  • Easy scalability

To make communication quick and seamless for employees, downloading a softphone is the easiest option. That way, new employees can be easily provided with a phone and phone number in no time. In fact, some companies are avoiding landlines altogether by switching to VoIP and taking advantage of softphone options.

  • Increased privacy

No one wants to give out their personal number for work purposes. Softphones allow employees to hand out one business number through a simple softphone app download on their mobile device or laptop. This way, they don’t miss any calls and don’t compromise on privacy.

  • Video capabilities

Most softphone applications include video conference capabilities. This is a very useful feature for organizations that conduct frequent meetings with external clients or with overseas teams.

  • Security

Most softphones come with end-to-end encryption and have systems to detect and stop fraudulent callers, keeping organizations, their employees, and their data safe. They also have firewalls against hacking and making fraudulent calls on a company’s behalf.

  • Benefits of unified communications

As more and more telecom companies offer a VoIP-powered common communication platform across devices, it makes it easier for employees to communicate with one another and simplifies the way they connect with clients. They can schedule conference calls, send instant messages, converge voicemails with emails, and access several other communication options that PSTN and traditional phones do not offer.

  • Softphones are future proof

Like any software, a softphone app can be easily upgraded. This enables organizations to have access to the latest features and functionalities when updates are rolled out, without investing in any additional equipment.

  • Softphones support BYOD policies

A bring your own device policy encourages employees to use their own devices. This works well for remote workers, and employers don’t have to incur the costs of providing equipment. Softphones easily fit into an enterprise’s BYOD policy as users can convert any device into a business communication tool.

What advantages do telecom companies get by offering VoIP mobile dialers to enterprises?

The telecom sector was originally built on the foundation of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). This network required telecom companies to invest heavily in physical infrastructure.

VOIP mobile dialers do not require such an infrastructure, as the entire process of making and receiving calls happens on internet waves. Audio is transformed into data packets whenever a call is made. VoIP technology uses the internet to carry data packets to call recipients anywhere in the world. This process of conversion to data packets happens in the same way that all forms of online information are sent or received.

The benefits of Softphones far outweigh that of PSTN. In terms of connectivity, they do not require public bodies or private companies to establish and maintain physical infrastructure – only an internet connection is needed.

Similarly, expanding and upgrading PSTN requires huge financial investments. For VOIP mobile dialers, the upgrade can happen with a simple software update.

Many of the features that are offered on VOIP mobile dialers, such as call waiting or call forwarding, come as part of a complete package, and at no extra cost. On the other hand, most of these are paid features on PSTN.

Major telecommunication companies are moving to VOIP dialer services because advances in internet technologies, such as 5G networks, remove obstacles for VOIP such as internet speed.

The future of a VoIP-powered telecom sector

What does the rapid advance of softphones mean for the future of the telecom sector? Will it displace traditional telephony and become the communication technology of the future? Current trends and statistics definitely point towards this.

Let’s consider the US market. The shift to softphones is accelerating in North America, and some experts predict that the technology could replace PSTN as early as 2025. To stay in tune with this trend, many leading telecom firms are already moving significantly towards VoIP dialers. Also, many big US companies already power landlines via VoIP.

In a report on the future of fixed telephone services and the growing traction for VoIP, the United Kingdom’s Ofcom observed: “PSTN is reaching the end of its life and becoming increasingly difficult and costly to maintain. We recognize that the migration to VoIP is necessary to ensure the continued provision of reliable landline telephone services given that the PSTN can no longer be sustained in the long term.”

There is growing consensus that VoIP mobile dialers are the future of the telecom sector. To survive and prosper, all telecom companies will have to become VoIP-enabled firms.

Conclusion

The telecommunications industry is changing, and VOIP telephony technology is set to replace older PSTN systems that are currently in place. It is no longer if, but when.

VoIP has been proven to be a more superior and feature-rich technology. For organizations, there are added benefits and significant savings on communication costs. There are already VoIP services in the market that cater to the unified communications needs of businesses. For companies that wish to cut down on expenses and boost communication efficiency, VOIP mobile dialers are the way to go.

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05May

What is WebRTC and How it Benefits Enterprises?

May 5, 2021 Chetan Patel WebRTC 69

What is WebRTC

Web Real-Time Communications (WebRTC) is an open source solution that was built by Google in 2011. It allows peer-to-peer communication in web browsers and mobile applications through the use of application programming interfaces (APIs). This includes audio, video, and data transfers.

To define broadly, WebRTC reduces barriers in communication. This disruptive technology leverages plugin-free APIs and can be used in both desktop and mobile browsers. Today, WebRTC is supported by almost all major browser vendors. Before the birth of WebRTC, external plugins were needed to achieve the same functions.

In the last decade, WebRTC has seen steady growth in popularity and adoption. By 2016 there were an estimated 2 billion browsers enabled to work with WebRTC. It has also logged over a billion minutes and 500 terabytes of data transmission per week from browser communications.

WebRTC’s main function is to allow access to devices. Users can access the microphone or camera on their phone or laptop, or even the entire screen. They can capture displays and even have that screen shared or recorded remotely.

WebRTC isn’t limited to voice and video. It allows sending and receiving any type of data. It’s also becoming a go-to choice for real-time communications as it is an open source project, is free for commercial or private use, is available in all modern browsers, and since the source code is portable it can be used in mobile apps as well. WebRTC has created a vibrant ecosystem of different vendors and companies, which, in turn, has enabled the creation of new use cases and business models.

In this blog, we will take a holistic view of how WebRTC works, how it powers softphones, and in what ways can businesses benefit from using this open source technology:

  • How does WebRTC work?
  • VoIP Vs WebRTC powered Softphones
  • Why you should use WebRTC Softphones
  • How WebRTC enhances SIP capabilities
  • Is WebRTC Secure?
  • Benefits of WebRTC
  • WebRTC & Enterprises: How business can use and benefit from it

How does WebRTC work?

If you wanted to build something that allowed for voice or video calling a few years ago, you would have used C/C++. This would involve long development cycles and high development costs. WebRTC changes all that – it replaces C/C++ with a Javascript API.

WebRTC makes use of 3 main Javascript APIs:

  • Media Stream: It acquires audio and video by accessing your device camera and microphone.
  • Peer Connection: It communicates audio and video. Allows peer-to-peer audio and video communication. This includes establishing the initial connection, monitoring, and closing the connection.
  • Data Channel: It communicates arbitrary data. Enables bidirectional transfers of data between two peers.

These APIs allow browsers to use and send audio, video, and data to other browsers or endpoints.

VoIP Vs WebRTC powered Softphones

You can have VoIP without WebRTC, but you cannot have WebRTC without VoIP, as WebRTC is an evolution of VoIP.

Questions have been raised in the telecommunication industry whether WebRTC is compatible with or runs against VoIP? Are they friends or foes? Can the two systems coexist, do they overlap, and how do organizations benefit from them?

VoIP has been in the telecom arena for a while and has grown to become a formidable communication replacement. Many businesses now rely on the cloud power of business VoIP to take care of their business communications.

So where does WebRTC fit into this? The short answer is that the two work well together. With the addition of WebRTC, VoIP not only thrives but gets a boost as well. The WebRTC standard makes VoIP more robust, user friendly, and flexible. We now commonly find VoIP coming directly onto websites. It also has started popping up in mobile apps to allow for simpler, powerful, and accessible unified communication platforms.

WebRTC can be considered an extension of VoIP that brings the potential of making phone and video calls, chats, and Peer 2 Peer file transfers directly to the web browser or mobile app. WebRTC allows for more widespread adoption of VoIP, acting as an extension for VoIP into new platforms.

Why you should use WebRTC Softphones

VoIP softphones are emerging as the fastest way for organizations to start making and receiving calls. You can download apps made by vendors, or even third-party ones that work with your VoIP Solution. However, not all softphones are the same. Some of these are free of cost, some are payment-based, while others may not be compatible with all the features offered by your service provider.

For instance, some vendors provide VoIP softphones only for a few platforms like Windows laptops and iOS phones. So if an employee is using a different device, he doesn’t have the software option to use a VoIP softphone.

VoIP softphones that are based on WebRTC are an ideal solution for businesses as they require no plugins, frameworks, or applications, are entirely peer to peer, and clock the highest performance and lowest latency. What are the other reasons that make WebRTC based softphones the most go-to option?

  • With web-based calling, the hardware or operating system is not of importance. The solution works on any WebRTC-supported browser.
  • Organizations don’t have to worry about updates. Most companies apply security patches to operating systems and software applications like web browsers by default.
  • WebRTC based calling has benefits over hardware VoIP devices as well. Businesses don’t have to buy separate equipment for calls. Most employees already have laptops, desktops or mobile devices with a browser. In that case, they don’t require physical equipment at all. This eliminates the costs associated with VoIP calling and lower CapEx and OpEx. You don’t have to plug phones into the network, provision them for VoIP or fix them when something malfunctions.
  • Secure or HTTPS WebSocket calling reduces security risks for enterprises. Every new piece of hardware or software application that you bring into your business poses a security risk, as it can be an avenue for hackers to exploit. However, no modern enterprise can do business today without using a web browser. And if you can make calls using the same browser, you close several security loopholes.

How WebRTC enhances SIP capabilities

Though WebRTC and SIP don’t need each other to function, connecting them together can help organizations extend their communication possibilities in a big way. The most significant benefits of integrating WebRTC to SIP include a more seamless user experience with one click audio contextual communication and a provision to receive inbound calls over the Internet without crossing the PSTN. This way, web users can connect with legacy PBX equipment with a single well-defined protocol.

Another positive outcome of using SIP and WebRTC instead of PSTN is the HD audio quality. It also results in improved audio transmission reliability by using codecs that are included in WebRTC, like Opus, which is a better fit to be used over the public internet. This codec is well integrated in PBX like FreeSWITCH, Asterisk, and almost all modern softphones.

As the adoption of WebRTC grows, it will result in VoIP and SIP becoming more robust, user friendly, and flexible. Organizations that leverage deeper customizations of WebRTC can offer greater web browsing experiences to their customers and deliver better communication tools as well. As the value of personalized communications and platforms grows among modern-day users, innovative tools that enable simple, direct, and customized communications will become a key factor in gaining an edge over the competition.

Is WebRTC Secure?

While WebRTC offers new and innovative value propositions like in-browser audio, video, and data communication without plugins, it also raises important security questions. Is the technology secure to use? What must developers implement to ensure seamless security while using WebRTC?

  • All components come with mandatory encryption, and all JavaScript APIs need secure origins via HTTPS or localhost.
  • WebRTC requires explicit permission from the user before it can allow the use of their microphone and cameras.
  • WebRTC ensures complete and always-on end-to-end encryption. Also, it provides security for both voice and video as it uses the Secure RTP (SRTP) protocol for encryption and authentication.
  • WebRTC does not need any software plugins. Therefore, it provides the security benefits of avoiding downloading software platforms like Flash.
  • WebRTC enables an organization’s employees to work from a single communications device, be it BYOD or tablets. This opens up new ways of getting maximum benefits from a web browser. As WebRTC is supported by the security benefits of TLS (Transport Layer Security), it makes the use of BYOD safe from a security standpoint.

Benefits of WebRTC

Benefits of WebRTC

It is easy to understand the hype around WebRTC when one looks at the advantages it delivers to both users and developers. Be it the fact that WebRTC is open source, to its low latency and interoperability, makes it an attractive technology option:

  • Low latency delivery and networking: At sub-500-millisecond glass-to-glass latency, WebRTC is the fastest way to transport video across the internet. A video call API with a WebRTC integration enables users to share data directly to a device or application without getting into the series of servers.
  • Platform and device independence: WebRTC is supported by all major browsers and devices. This makes the technology easy to integrate into a range of apps without needing any dedicated infrastructure. Any WebRTC-enabled browser that uses any operating system and web services application can create a voice or video connection with another WebRTC device or media server. The browser operating system is not relevant.
  • It’s an open source technology: WebRTC draws huge benefits from having thousands of software developers working on it in tandem, standardizing conferencing protocols, and making interoperability less of a concern.
  • Adapts to any network condition: WebRTC makes reliable publishing over poor network conditions possible because it supports ‘simulcasting’. With WebRTC simulcasting, a user can generate multiple streams at varying bitrates and quality, so that poor network conditions don’t obstruct video contribution.
  • Screen sharing: WebRTC video chat applications enable the sharing of a screen remotely with another device or user who has appropriate access.
  • Seamless multi-user video conferencing: WebRTC signaling servers enable organizations to make real-time and smooth multi-party video and voice calls globally. WebRTC video and voice calls require minimal media stream to connect users in multi-party video calls.
  • Easy collaboration: The old process when you had to sign in for an account, download the platform and install several platforms to connect with another user is gone. WebRTC text chat makes it convenient and simple to collaborate.
  • Real-time services for live communication:  WebRTC can integrate with any application to experience a live conversation across sectors. The WebRTC infrastructure and video chat SDK creates a direct route to make live conversation possible and provide real-time communication services, whatever the industry.
  • Interoperability with VoIP and video: This could easily be the biggest benefit of WebRTC. It provides interoperability with existing voice and video systems. These include devices that use SIP, Jingle, XMPP, etc.
  • Secure voice and video calls: WebRTC provides always-on voice and video encryption. It uses the Secure RTP protocol (SRTP) for encryption and authentication, for both voice calls and video. This is hugely advantageous over WiFi networks as it prevents eavesdropping and recording of calls.

WebRTC & Enterprises: How businesses can use it 

WebRTC is already widely accepted and used in office communications and its growth trajectory is going further up. Let’s look at some industries where WebRTC plays a key role:

#1. Contact Centers

For contact centers, WebRTC opens up huge possibilities for communicating with customers. Most major web browsers support WebRTC, which means contact centers can offer customers more contact channels that do not require downloads.

With WebRTC, customers can call a company using their website. This is a viable option as they don’t need to leave the company’s web page to get in touch with them. It also provides the contact center with critical data on the customer journey.

Contact centers can directly go through their website to have live video calls with customers, eliminating the need for downloads or plugins. Also, since WebRTC allows sharing data, video, and audio, contact centers can use it to offer support to customers.

WebRTC enables online messaging, or live chats. This creates a space for real-time communication through a website. Customers send a message and agents can reply instantly. As WebRTC can be embedded in both mobile apps as well as browsers, contact centers can also offer live chat from mobile devices.

#2.  Business Communications

From fixed lines to mobile networks, circuit-switched systems to VoIP, telephony has taken huge steps in the last few years. WebRTC is currently the biggest driver behind telecom innovation, as IoT and browser communications are set to drive future telecom growth.

A few seconds of delay is immediately noticeable when engaging in a video conference. With WebRTC, users don’t have to download bulky plug-ins and apps or deal with a codec that can’t facilitate high-level data streams. Now, your conference calls – be it audio or video – can proceed smoothly.

File sharing is a major feature of WebRTC. Recording, sharing, and hosting, files are in expansion mode today. Creating and hosting videos on your website helps promote your brand and build relationships with consumers.

#3. E-Commerce

What if you could click on an ad and immediately be connected with the company rather than waiting for the web page to open, scrolling and finding things out for yourself, and then hunting for a phone number to contact? WebRTC changes the way people interact with ads and companies.

#4. Healthcare

Healthcare providers and startups are jumping onto the WebRTC bandwagon. If you need to see a specialist anywhere in the world, WebRTC video streaming means your feed is less likely to cut and is more secure than if you used a plugin. WebRTC is making medical innovation accessible to all. Location or mobility will no longer come in the way of a patient’s ability to receive healthcare.

#5. IoT

WebRTC was initially used by social apps like Facebook Messenger, Discord, and Houseparty. Now it is a part of the smart home devices domain as well – as doorbells stream video to your phone, and remote building security and access use voice and video.

How WebRTC can benefit businesses

WebRTC’s unique features like easy collaboration, low latency delivery, and secured multi-user voice and video calls make it a viable technology option for businesses:

  • WebRTC can be easily integrated into an organization’s website. Once that is done, all it takes is a click of a mouse for users to call the business directly, be it for sales, support, or a customer service query. The outcome for an organization is that its service personnel can engage with more customers, faster and get more issues resolved.
  • WebRTC can be embedded in a company’s website, mobile apps or on marketing banners that are published on the internet as advertisements. This creates new and additional call-in channels for consumers to reach out to the company.
  • WebRTC enables the sharing of relevant data – for instance, customer-specific information – with an organization’s support staff that’s handling a customer query. WebRTC enables organizations to know more about their end users. When a user is surfing a company website, his browsing information can be passed to the agents, along with the incoming call. This reduces the time taken to collate this information during the call.
  • WebRTC makes collaboration simpler. With no additional software needed, a company’s staff can attend key meetings online with no obstructions. This enables them to work more efficiently. It also saves money as there is no requirement to buy updated software.
  • WebRTC facilitates inviting external parties to web conferences over the internet without the need to install any plugin or application, with or without authenticating the person’s identity. This reduces resistance and helps meetings turn more productive.
  • Due to its increased security WebRTC can also be used for information transfer.

Conclusion

WebRTC has emerged as a disruptive and innovative communication solution that is driving the growth of business unified communication. As this free, high-quality technology, that seamlessly enables P2P connections, grows from strength to strength, it is not hard to imagine a day when WebRTC enabled communication will rule voice and video calling, as well as data transfers.

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09Apr

How VoIP Softphone Empower Your Sales Team?

April 9, 2021 Nikunj Parmar Softphone 77

VOIP Softphone

Customer experience on steroids is what happens when you switch to VoIP softphone to empower your sales teams. It is easy to use and integrates into your existing setup with ease. Your sales team will take to it and enjoy better efficiency as well as productivity.

The VoIP softphone on your mobile

People are already familiar with the softphone interface. Quite a few 4G/LTE services employ apps that have a familiar dialer interface and access to contact lists. However, there are limitations here in as much as

  • Most communication is one to one
  • You may or may not be able to engage in video calls and other functions through a single interface – you may need to switch to other apps
  • Conferencing is tricky to set up
  • Each individual user has a unique SIM card and number, making it difficult to integrate with business CRM and accounting as well as assure confidentiality and security.

 

VoIP softphone app

The VoIP softphone is quite a step in terms of functionality:

  • You have the familiar alpha-numeric dialer keypad but with more functions to let users send SMS or email or documents from within that interface and even during an ongoing audio or video call;
  • It is easy to convert a call into a conference call
  • You may let employees use it as an intercom
  • You do not pay high call charges typical of SIM based phones
  • Integrate it with your existing IP PBX and CRM
  • Any time anywhere access

So, the question is, how does all this help your sales team do better?

Branding 

It is one thing to use a personal phone number for business calls and another to have a company number associated with the brand. Sales executives feel a higher level of confidence when they have an official phone number to use to receive and make calls. Customers like to call a company number, not a personal number and this enhances your brand value leading to a positive, cumulative effect.

Convenience

The VoIP softphone app works in the mobile, just like a dialer but with features that aid convenience.

  • Sales executives use the VoIP softphone from their desktops and mobiles but call charges are to the company’s account
  • All calls can be recorded
  • It is linked to the CRM contact list and data records, which makes it easier for salespeople to access customer data and deliver a better user experience.
  • Sales executives can carry out conversations while out of the office and after office hours
  • The softphone can be used as an intercom for collaborative teamwork.

You can set up and configure the softphone with Do Not Disturb Features so that executives are not unnecessarily bothered by customer calls when they do not want to accept such calls. However, through push notifications, they can know if a customer or a colleague has attempted to contact them. You never miss an opportunity. In the UK alone missed opportunities cost businesses about GBP 30 billion each year.

Now, if an executive wishes to call back they must know what the call is about. This becomes easy by referring to past conversations and the CRM to bring up customer data on the screen prior to initiating the callback. Imagine if that executive was using a personal mobile. He would not have access to data and it would be frustrating for the existing customer to have to repeat all details. So, if your sales executive must respond, he can get off to a running start and even upsell or cross sell or get a repeat sale by having access to past data.

Everything in one place

There is nothing wrong with using apps like Whatsapp for audio-video chat and calls but you stay within the limitations of such free to use platforms. Each employee must have a separate mobile number which introduces disjunctions in data continuity and security. Customers may be asked to call different numbers of different employees and employees cannot link customer data within Whatsapp. Instead, you would find the VoIP softphone to be a better alternative in all respects such as a single incoming number with extensions for different employees, call records and CRM connect. Your salespeople find it easier to work and become more productive.

Time saving

Imagine a scenario in which sales employees use personal mobiles. In every instance when they must confer with a colleague or dig up some essential bit of information they are likely to tell the called party at the other end “let me check. I will call back…” This need never happen when you have VoIP softphone systems and apps. Called party is put on hold while the executive can talk over the “intercom” with a colleague or fetch data from the CRM. It saves time and makes for a happier experience to use proposed softphones that are infinitely more feature rich than free to use apps.

First call resolution

This terminology is carried over from call centers where it is important for agents to try to effect first call resolution for a happier customer experience. It applies to your sales teams too and becomes easy with the use of VoIP softphones and softphone apps that permit first call resolution in different ways:

Suppose a sales executive must call a potential customer but is not in the office. With the VoIP softphone, he does not have to wait and can call up records from the CRM, view data and simply initiate one click call. During the call, the customer may ask questions and request clarifications which may necessitate calling in a colleague. This is done through conferencing.

If a product demo must be shown then you switch to video and give a demo, fully satisfying the called party who can then proceed to confirm the order during the first call. You have happy customers and happier sales executives who can convert more such leads in less time. With your custom softphone solution, you can even configure it to send out an SMS after completing a call, further cementing customer relationships.

Appear as a local business 

One huge advantage of the VoIP softphone and SIP in the background technology is that you can make it appear as if your number is a local number. Callers love to call someone in their city or geographic region and makes life easier for sales teams to persuade potential customers. One sales executive may initiate contact and easily switch it to another who is more capable of handling that specific call or inquiry.

Team work

The success of a sales team depends on team work.  No doubt apps like Whatsapp and Skype or Zoom facilitate communications and conferencing but even then the features are limited. With Custom Softphones that include WebRTC and SIP technologies team collaboration is easy. Your team can use the phone as an intercom and connect with other remotely based salespeople. You can hold internal conferences whenever required, practically everyday before work starts to chalk out strategies. You can use the softphone as a collaboration tool and training tool.

Centralized transactions

What you get when you use custom or white label softphones is decentralized operations, enabling sales executives located anywhere to work efficiently and brilliantly on their own. They can call up records and call on team members when required. Yet there is centralization of call records and transactions in the CRM leading to better security and transparency for everyone in the loop. Managers have access to data and can gain insightful analytics leading to improvements in strategies.

Think of the VoIP softphone as your IP PBX in a different avatar. While the IP PBX is mainly an on-premise solution with mobility extension, softphones could be the other way around: distributed mobility ported into the office system permitting more flexibility, promptness and precise handling of calls.

Tragofone is a VoIP softphone that has SIP in the background to permit a near telephony experience with direct inward dialing numbers, local number facility and extensions in much the same way an IP PBX behaves. It is overlaid with WebRTC so you can easily switch to web based calls, video chats and conferences as well as in-talk document exchange. Use it on mobiles and desktops and connect to the backend seamlessly to give unfettered freedom to sales teams to achieve their best.

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