We’ve all heard about climate change, and many of us try to do our bit for the planet. But this global climate change can exacerbate natural disasters and increase the risk of them happening more frequently.
In fact, climate-related disasters have tripled in the last 30 years. Why? Simply put, the increase in temperature leads to rising sea levels.
Not to mention higher wind speeds, more intense, prolonged droughts and wildfire seasons, and worse storms, to name a few.
The question is whether your organization is ready for this increase in natural disasters? The next is, do you have a recovery plan for when disaster strikes? And does this include VoIP?
Companies heavily focused on customer service, communication, or sales need a consistently efficient and reliable communication system.
If this system breaks down due to natural disasters, even for just a day, it can result in significant business losses.
This is why a well-crafted recovery plan should be included in the event of disasters, and VoIP may just be the solution your organization needs.
This article looks at how a VoIP disaster recovery plan could be the best solution to implement in your organization’s disaster recovery. We have lots to cover, so let’s get started.
What’s VoIP?
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a cloud-based technology service. It allows your organization the means to make and receive calls using an internet connection instead of the analog signals needed in traditional phone lines.
Users of this system dial through an internet connection, where their information is transferred digitally. This means that you are not only can you make calls, but you can also communicate via video, share screens, or share documents.
Additionally, you don’t need to be tethered to your desk with this solution. Instead, you can communicate using your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
In addition, you can opt for more advanced features such as call routing, auto-attendant, call waiting, call tones, multiple phone numbers, etc.
Another perk of using VoIP is that it’s very cost-effective for domestic and long-distance or international calls. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
Things to Consider When Introducing VoIP for Disaster Recovery
VoIP is a generally reliable and increasingly common solution for organizations to implement into their recovery plan.
However, though it has significant benefits (discussed below), it is not immune to issues and interruptions.
Here are some things your organization could consider doing to minimize the risk of issues arising and get the most out of your VoIP disaster recovery.
Check Bandwidth and Internet Connection
This is one of the most important things to do when using a VoIP service. Ensure your organization has sufficient bandwidth and a good internet connection (including internet speed) to make the most out of the VoIP.
You can check this by talking to your internet provider.
Invest in Backup Connections
To support your VoIP service, it’s essential to invest in a second internet connection from a different ISP (Internet Service Provider).
This ensures that if your primary internet connection is interrupted by severe weather or disaster, your phone system can stay functional by using the secondary internet connection.
Decide What Equipment Is Best for Your Business
you must have the equipment you need to cover your current and foreseeable needs. For example, you may need to get several phones, provide tablets for staff, or work smartphones.
Be sure to get the equipment you need to make the best out of your VoIP disaster recovery.
Make Sure Staff Are Mobile-ready
Following on from above, ensure your staff is mobile-ready. This means ensuring your team is provided with the desktop and mobile applications that can enable them to work anywhere, regardless of any disasters.
In addition, be sure to ensure your staff knows how to use these applications to ensure productivity and professionalism.
Protection and Recovery
Choosing the right VoIP service provider is essential. Your organization must offer you a level of protection to ensure that your cloud phone system is shielded and can be restored quickly after a disaster.
Benefits of VoIP for Disaster Recovery
Changing from a traditional phone service to a cloud-based VoIP phone service can have many benefits. Let’s take a look at these now.
Lower Costs
One of the greatest perks of VoIP is that your organization can have lower monthly costs on both domestic, long-distance, and international calls.
Many VoIP providers will include unlimited domestic calls and usually offer a cheap rate on international calls.
Accessible
The joy of VoIP is that you don’t need to be on-premises. Instead, you have the flexibility to access this service anywhere that there’s an internet connection using a laptop, phone, or tablet.
This means that if offices are out of bounds, your team can carry on working remotely in the event of a disaster. It’s also an excellent travel solution, as it doesn’t have restrictions imposed by a landline.
Consistent Communication
As VoIP is a cloud-based service, it can provide a more consistent and reliable form of communication, as long as you have a good internet connection.
When VoIP is backed by a dependable provider, communications should flow regardless of disruptions.
If you lose connectivity, there’s no need to worry. As a cloud-based service, you can quickly recover important information and data when you next regain connectivity.
Better Voice Quality
As long as the internet connection is fast and stable, the voice quality of your VoIP should be excellent. Of course, as noted, the quality is affected by the internet speed and stability.
Still, if that is all good, your calls and videos should be clear and crisp, without lagging or latency issues.
VoIP could excel in this area during a disaster if phone lines are down or analog signals are affected by the disaster.
Suitable for All Business Sizes
The size of your organization will usually determine the cost of your package and service. However, the beauty of a VoIP disaster recovery plan is that it works just as well for one person as it does for a large organization.
So, regardless of the size of your business, VoIP could be the right move when it comes to implementing a disaster recovery plan.
Are You Ready to Implement a VoIP Disaster Recovery Plan for Climate Change?
If disaster strikes, thanks to climate change your organization needs to be able to recover quickly and efficiently. For businesses that rely on streamlined communications, this is even more important.
Implementing and VoIP disaster plan could be the best course of action for your organization to maintain communication in the face of disaster.
This cloud-based service should help you recover communications quickly so that you and your team can carry on as usual. It is designed for you to make and receive calls and share documents, videos, or other essential business elements.
However, choosing the right VoIP service provider makes all the difference. If you want to know more about what we do and how we can help, click here. We’d love to hear from you.
