VoIP Call Center

February 19, 2013

VoIP Call Center Provider Shares Insight on Value of SIP

By Susan J. Campbell TMCnet Contributing Editor

Communication is vital within the call center environment. Agents rely on multiple channels of interaction to support customer requests and cater to a growing base, but such access can be a strain on the organizational budget. As technology in this area continues to evolve, a number of call center operators are turning to session initiation protocol (SIP).

A signaling protocol, SIP improves voice and video over IP, file transfers and video conferencing. It can also contribute to significant savings for a business when compared with traditional phone lines. In a recent SBN Online report, PowerNet Global’s (News - Alert) Director of Enterprise Sales, Anton Loon, shares his insight. 

For a number of organizations focused on catering to the needs of the customer, the VoIP call center offers a cost-effective way to streamline communications. When launched with SIP technology, according to Loon, a migration happens very quickly and at a lower cost. Businesses of all sizes can leverage SIP, right-fitting the solution to their size and budget. 

PowerNet Global, for instance, provides SIP trunking so clients can leverage their existing equipment investments and select the number of lines needed for the business, instead of being stuck with a set number. This flexibility allows the organization to grow the VoIP call center or any other division of the company on their schedule. 

While SIP trunking has made its mark on the industry, there are still many who are confused regarding the difference between a SIP solution and traditional call routing. In traditional TDM systems, or time-division multiplexing, physical switches were used to route calls. IP routing is used in SIP, allowing employees a much easier and more efficient way to connect with each other or with those outside of the company. 

Through PowerNet Global, SIP offers cost savings, options, simplicity and even superior support. Given that SIP has been around for a while, it’s somewhat baffling that companies haven’t raced to this communications strategy to maintain costs and enjoy greater flexibility. Loon explains that up until recently, the IT manager was putting his neck out if he suggested the company switch away from what they knew was a reliable service. AT&T (News - Alert) was known to work and if a change brought problems with it, heads were likely to roll. 

Today, however, the cost savings are just too good to ignore, according to Loon. Plus, as more companies adopt cloud technology and virtualization, making such a migration is not as daunting as it was in the past. Plus, a request for a new phone system or extended capabilities can be met within 24 hours, providing for considerable flexibility and scalability for rapidly growing companies. The technology has proven itself time and again. Now that it’s here to stay, more companies are getting on board to experience the benefits. 

For instance, a hosted IP PBX system from PowerNet Global not only produces considerable cost savings, it also offers robust features, is flexible and simple and requires no large upfront investment. Working with PNG ensures companies have access to a solution that is custom fit to the environment, simplicity in operation and more features that typically available in a traditional PBX (News - Alert). 

Remote employees are also better managed, according to Loon. This is an important point in an economy where mobility is often enabling the competitive advantage. SIP ensures employees can easily access the corporate network while on-the-go, an important capability in a market where two minutes may be too late.


Edited by Jamie Epstein

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