Modern enterprises are favoring the idea of “Bring Your Own Device” to reap the benefits of mobility and save investment costs. Some techies have even drawn a conclusion that increasing use of Unified User Clients will open an exit window for the hard VOIP terminals.
Both types of terminals i.e. the Unified User Clients and hard VOIP handsets have their own benefits and are equally useful in bridging communication gaps between employees. For those who think that office IP Phones are nearing extinction, the following reasons may compel you to rethink:
- Reliability : The phones connected with IP-PBX are functioning over a wired connection. The wired connectivity assures continuous communication in case the cellular network or internet connection goes down.
- Convenience : Lengthy calls can be strenuous on GSM devices. Plugging in a USB handset device or earphones in the deskphones offer convenience when compared with the mobile phones or user clients.
- Learning Curve is Small : Baby boomers still constitute majority of working population and they find it difficult to use latest communication tools. Therefore, companies have to conduct regular training programs to make them learn the basics of these tools. On the other hand, deskphones can be easily learnt and used.
- Partition between Work and Personal Calls : Getting work calls on personal devices can be a menace when an employee is not working. The VOIP Phone handset acts as a concrete barrier between the professional and personal life, removing work distractions when the user is at home or involved in personal communications.
The Deskphones have their perks and can’t be replaced with wireless mobility extensions. The same goes for the User Clients too. The clients offer mobility and other functions, which make them an indispensable part of office communication systems. Some of the applications of these terminals are:
- Continuity : The usability of the soft user terminals depends on the data connectivity and, hence, is immune to any network outage which is rampant with the wired networks. Using desk extension from smartphones, laptops and desktops enable mobile workforce to be an active part of office communications, regardless of their location.
- More Desk Space: VOIP handsets : do eat up a huge space on the working stations, whereas soft clients give employees access to extensions from their laptops or smartphones, freeing sizeable amount of space on the desk.
- One Stop for Various Communication Modes : Along with a range of call management features, the user clients enable employees to Chat, send Instant Messages, check Presence Status and arrange Audio Conference from a single interface, saving employees’ time of juggling between different screens.
- Multiple Devices with a Single Number : The mobility extensions can be downloaded on laptops, desktops and smartphones and are functional on all of these devices with internet connectivity. The mobility extensions bear the same number as the hard desk IP Phone and hence employees don’t have to share their personal number in their professional circles.
