Skype for SIP-enabled IP-PBXs

by Khris Kendrick, Sr. Director – Business Development, Grandstream Networks

With a myriad of new technologies, it’s no wonder SMBs have a challenging time deciding which investments make sense. A business’ main priority is to make sales and keep customers happy and connected so they become repeat purchasers. Building brand loyalty is critical for accelerating growth because, as the saying goes, “It’s harder to gain new customers than to keep existing ones.”

With that in mind, how can SMBs maximize one of the most common business devices, the phone system, by making it easy and cost-effective to stay in direct communication with customers worldwide while reducing call expenditure from long-distance services or dedicated 800 numbers?

With financial and productivity benefits of IP-based solutions, the transition from legacy to IP networks continues to burgeon. The majority of new solutions being implemented are based on standards such as SIP, the application layer protocol widely used for controlling multimedia communication sessions like voice and video over IP. Standards compliancy provides easier integration with other network hardware and software solutions, ensuring greater investment payback.

One method is to leverage the IP-PBX with Skype for SIP, using products like Grandstream’s GXE502x series.  This can lead to significant cost-savings by directing outbound calls to mobile phones and landlines worldwide at competitive rates. More importantly, customers and remote employees can make free inbound calls to the corporate IP-PBX or traditional system from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. Inbound calls requiring assistance from technical support, sales or customer service can be handled by this method for free, as opposed to using a dedicated 800 service.

The corporate website is another direct link to customers and an ongoing investment for businesses. Skype for SIP enables users to click on a global click-to-call button on the site to place an immediate call to sales or support.

“Skype for SIP is a complementary communications product that offers businesses new possibilities by connecting their SIP-enabled IP-PBXs to Skype. Using an interoperable gateway or IP-PBX will ensure your SIP connection has been pre-tested and delivers the best calling experience,” said Perry Teevens, Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships for the Skype for Business team. “The benefits include ability to take advantage of low-cost rates and subscriptions to more than 170 countries, as well as receiving free calls to your business from the more than 560 million registered users worldwide.”

Whether you are an SMB sifting through technology choices or a telecom reseller helping customers get the most out of their infrastructure, consider the options that help build brand and customer loyalty through direct real-time communication, accelerating business growth and reducing calling expenditures.

More at grandstream.com.