Instead of using traditional copper landline wires, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems use the Internet instead. Data is sent across the internet in ‘packets’ rather than physical lines, which gives a lot more network agility and flexibility. No more worries about missing calls because you’re away from the phone, or only being able to route customers to one person. Instead, VoIP phone systems offer clearer sound, and better reliability and are packed with handy features like call reports and analytics, voicemail and hold music, call divert, video calling, automated call recording and much more. Plus you can log on from any device, including your laptop, tablet or mobile phone. You never have to miss an important customer call again.
VoIP has certainly skyrocketed in popularity in recent years and it’s not hard to see why. At bOnline our pricing packages start at an ultra-low £6+VAT per month too, which is extremely competitive against the bigger players like Sky and BT. But for all businesses, security comes pretty high on the list of essentials, so we’ve put together this brief article to explain how safe VoIP is and what you can do to improve it.
How to keep your VoIP system secure
VoIP is an extremely secure way of managing your business and interacting with customers. However, maintaining this security isn’t a one-off job, but something that should form part of your general cybersecurity plan. You don’t need to be super techie to protect your business either, it’s just a case of knowing a few basics. Plus our team is of course always on hand to answer any questions.
Once you have your new VoIP phone system up and running, a really good place to start is with your employees. Make sure they know about things like scams and how to avoid them for example. It may also be a good idea to partner with an IT and cybersecurity provider, particularly if your business deals in sensitive client information.
Training your team also means you get the best out of your VoIP system and all the features it has to offer. It’s always time well spent.
What else can you do to protect your business calls?
There are a few other simple steps you can take as a small business owner to help reduce any vulnerabilities. For example:
Encrypt your WiFi
Encrypting your calls is great but many people don’t think to encrypt their Wifi too. It’s not as difficult to do as it may sound and is an important way of boosting your VoIP security whilst also stopping hackers in their tracks.
To add an extra layer of security, you could even encrypt VoIP calls over a VPN connection. VPNs are commonly used for computer networks and may be something you have set up for your business already. It means that authorised users can access company data even when they’re offsite, whilst still being protected from hackers.
Have a robust password policy
Make sure your team knows what a strong password looks like, and use 2-step authorisation if possible. You should also update your business passwords regularly, at least every three months.
When you have both call encryption and secure passwords in place, VoIP allows for a much more secure solution than simply using a landline. And don’t forget, landlines are now becoming obsolete anyway, due to the 2025 landline switch-off. Again, this is something our team will be happy to advise you on.
Keep your computer and other devices updated
Whilst it can be really tempting to simply ignore any system updates, they’re there for your protection. So it’s always worth updating your laptop, PC and any other devices when prompted. If you have a slightly bigger team, you could even assign someone to have responsibility for ensuring best practices and making sure operating systems are updated.
Also, when a team member leaves, make sure their account is quickly deactivated.
Don’t forget: The landline switch-off is coming
Is your business ready?
As we’ve mentioned already, by 2025 traditional landlines will be switched off so you’ll need to go digital in order to make and receive calls. This is where a VoIP phone system from bOnline comes in.
A VoIP phone system from bOnline comes packed with features that help you run your business more smoothly. And with packages starting from just £6+VAT per month, you could easily save yourself some serious cash.
Why not sign up for a FREE one-week trial? We do everything for you with no downtime – and you can even keep your number.
If you have any questions about VoIP and how it can be tailored to suit your business, feel free to check out our help pages or call the bOnline team on 0203 617 9950.
