Celebrating Earth Day: Our Favorite Green Benefits of Business VoIP

“Going green” is really just about doing what you can to help better the environment. If that means leaving less of an environmental footprint thanks to your business’ communications tools, then all the better! Because it’s Earth Day (and because we always love a good opportunity to talk about reasons to embrace business VoIP) we want to remind you of the numerous environmental benefits that come with cloud-based solutions – especially for businesses switching from traditional, wire-based phone systems.

Below, we highlight some of the ways Vonage Business Solutions’ cloud-hosted service contributes to a company’s overall “green” approach:

Bolsters Brand Differentiation

Sixty-six percent of customers believe that companies should support the environment, according to a recent Nielsen survey. Cultivating a “green” brand allows you to cater to this growing majority of conscious consumers. At the same time, it enables you to stay one step ahead of industry trends and mandates, such as the FCC’s 2014 push for a nationwide migration from copper infrastructure to Internet protocol (IP). This seems especially appropriate after Hurricane Sandy which, after gutting copper-wire systems along the East Coast, brought an increase in the use of more-sustainable solutions such as business VoIP.

As more businesses make the decision not to install (or re-install) copper landlines, they’re participating in what FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler cites as the “IP Transition.” Such a decision says a great deal about a company’s brand and its commitment to greener business practices. And those that opt for an advanced business VoIP solution also enjoy more efficiency and a technology that delivers significantly lower costs.

Cuts Down on Commuting

Because cloud-hosted business VoIP phone systems allow your workers to simulate the office environment – whether at home or in satellite offices – it’s easy for you to develop a quality telecommuting program. This virtual working environment requires far fewer employees to drive to the office, which dramatically reduces greenhouse gas emissions from burning gasoline on the road. You can also omit the need for in-house meetings altogether by relying on services such as our Conference Bridge that connects up to 30 people in one session.

Saves on Utilities

A business VoIP phone system works over virtually any high-speed Internet connection. Team members can plug in their office phone at home and have calls flow just as they do at the main office. Also, superior mobile apps ensure a seamless working experience on the go.  And with Find-Me/Follow-Me – a VoIP feature that allows the phone system to sequentially deliver calls to various numbers – employees can be reached wherever they are. If employees don’t have a smartphone, we can integrate with regular cell phones, too. In other words, anyone on your team can receive business calls regardless of physical location and without interruption for clients and customers. These features make full-time telecommuting possible for many businesses, reducing money spent on office utilities including electricity, heating fuel, and technology-related expenses along with the cost of a lease or rent.

Other Green Benefits

Looking for more great green benefits? There are so many to incorporate and enjoy, for instance:

• Paper savings thanks to Paperless Fax, which minimizes the need to print incoming faxes
• Vonage Business Mobile apps provide full functionality of your business phone system from anywhere; available for iPhone and Android

Business VoIP proves that making even one small upgrade can have an impact on the environment. We salute those companies doing their part to support a smarter, more sustainable working environment. You can be one of them!

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