Firms prepare to get VoIPed up

Oh, bloody hell. Oh, there you are.

Yes, a survey says most British businesses believe VoIP technology will transform working practices.

Did you get that?

OK. VoIP and IP telephony now has a significant impact on the way organisations run their businesses, according to a survey released today. Don't laugh. Or was that interference?

Anyway, eighty per cent of companies responding to a survey believe VoIP and IP telephony communications will help transform their working practices within the next two years.

I said two years!

Over 265 UK companies were questioned by Business Intelligence, in association with mybusiness.net. The top five drivers for adopting VoIP and IP Telephony are: Cost reduction, teleworking, flexible working, improved customer service and better communication.

I SAID BETTER COMMUNICATION.

Oh forget it, I'll call you on a landline.

The biggest implementation challenge is getting people to change their working practices. Large companies are finding this harder than smaller organisations - 30 per cent of companies with a turnover of more than £100m rated this as ‘very challenging', compared with 21 per cent of those with a turnover of £1m.

The number one technical issue was ensuring quality of service.

"There's a clear difference between those who think this technology is just a replacement phone system and those who are maximising all its uses," said Business Intelligence MD David Harvey.

"There's also a paradox here," he said. But I didn't catch the rest. Probably something about how VoIP is going to change our lives by improving communication.

I said by improving communication. Oh forget it, I'll email you. µ

L'INQ
www.voipforbusiness.co.uk