At ARC Technology here in Cape Town, South Africa, we’ve noticed that remote working has fast become the preferred onboarding solution for many small businesses to thrive throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, cost-effective tools like softphones have grown more popular. If you’re new to the concept, you may be wondering: What exactly are softphones? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of using them in the South Africa small business world?
Let’s look at the basics of softphones, so you can decide whether or not they’ll be a boon for your brand.
What are softphones?
Softphones are applications that you can install on a smart mobile device or computer to turn them into a VoIP (voice over internet protocol) phone. This means that you can make calls at cheaper rates, stay connected to your office when you’re on the go and you can use a custom and professional telephone number to maintain brand trust.
The most popular and trusted softphone software can be obtained from your local internet and VoIP service providers, but there are cheaper and even free options on Google Play and the Apple App Store.
How do softphones work?
Setting up a softphone is quite easy, and if you have a smartphone or a laptop, you are already halfway there. To set up your softphone you will need:
1. A desktop computer (preferred for stability) or mobile device that can use softphone applications (laptops, smartphones and tablets).
2. A VoIP headset with microphone (to get rid of ambient noise and to free up your hands).
3. The preferred softphone software (such as Microsip, BRIA or Zoiper).
4. A solid internet connection (remember that cable connectivity beats wireless when it comes to call quality).
5. Your VoIP Account or Cloud PBX extension details (from your VoIP provider, such as Arc Tech)
Once set up, you can use the softphone app to both make and receive business calls using your business landline number. You can also communicate with your colleagues via their extension number and transfer calls between one another. Those you call from your private phone or computer using the softphone application will only see the landline number in their caller ID popup. It’s that simple!
Now, before you get excited and dash to replace all your existing VoIP hard phones with softphone apps, let’s take a look at the advantageous and disadvantageous impact softphones can have on your small business.
Pros of using Softphones
- It is basically a landline that you can take and use out of office.
- Say goodbye to those big VoIP desk phones, and hello to extra desk space.
- You cut expenses, as softphones VoIP, at much lower call rates, and there is no need to upgrade to the latest VoIP desk phones and software every year.
- Keep personal numbers private, especially for out-of-office employees that need to use their private cell phones for business calls.
- Softphone apps are designed to be more user-friendly than hard phones, all with the same call functions including muting, hold, and transferring, and some additional functions such as video and conference calling, voicemail-to-email, and more detailed caller information popups.
Cons of using Softphones
- Free softphone applications are not 100% reliable and are susceptible to downtime due to bugged programming updates, unlike professional and frequently tested and backed-up VoIP solutions provided and maintained for by your local VoIP experts.
- Softphone call quality is often choppy and delayed, especially when using wireless connectivity.
- Depending on your device setup, battery power and signal strength, softphones can miss some incoming calls (We can help you optimise this though!)
Tight budget? Softphone your only option?
We understand that most small businesses have a small budget for telecommunication infrastructure solutions, especially at the start when the financial focus is more on getting the product in front of the right target audience. However, customer care is a big part of what keeps people coming back for more, and being accessible via a landline number promotes a lot of trust. If you plan to only setup a softphone solution for business calls, we will help you with an automatic divert in the event the softphone is unreachable, so that you do not miss any important business calls, even if the internet or softphone are offline for some reason.
At ARC Technology, we offer internet, VoIP and Cloud PBX solutions, including our own selection of trusted softphone applications, to make your business as functional, approachable and trusted as possible. We believe communication infrastructure is an invaluable tool for growing any small business into a successful conglomerate. Don’t waste time searching for the best and most cost-effective internet and telecommunications solutions. Instead, give us a call or send us a message and we will call you right back, so that one of our Solutions Architects can evaluate your current infrastructure and help get your business on the right path without breaking the bank.
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