VoWiFi is transforming the way small businesses communicate. Instead of relying solely on traditional networks, VoWiFi leverages Wi-Fi for phone calls, offering cost-effective and efficient solutions for businesses like yours.
In today’s fast-paced business environment, effective communication with your customers is crucial—VoWiFi enables small businesses to stay connected, cut costs, and grow.
What is VoWiFi?
VoWiFi, or voice over Wi-Fi, is changing how small businesses across all industries—including auto, HVAC, jewelry, med spa, and retail—are doing business. Unlike traditional cellular networks that rely on cell towers, VoWiFi enables users to place and receive phone calls using a Wi-Fi network. This means your smartphone can now make calls over the internet, providing a more versatile and cost-effective communication solution.
One of the key advantages of VoWiFi is its seamless integration with your existing phone number—it makes it easy to stay connected with customers and team members without the constraints of traditional cellular networks. Use your current phone number to make calls, even when connected to a Wi-Fi network. Meaning, you don’t need a separate app or number for Wi-Fi calls; you can continue using your phone as you normally would.
VoWiFi Benefits for Small Businesses
VoWiFi, or Voice over Wi-Fi, offers a multitude of advantages that can significantly benefit small businesses.
Here are several key benefits that make VoWiFi a game-changer for small business communication
1. Cost Savings
One of the most prominent benefits of VoWiFi for small businesses is cost savings. By utilizing existing Wi-Fi networks for voice calls, you can substantially reduce your communication expenses. This eliminates the need for expensive cellular plans, especially for employees who primarily work within Wi-Fi-enabled environments. This also makes it easy to have your employees use their personal cell phones for work rather than providing them with business phones. VoWiFi allows you to allocate your budget more efficiently while maintaining effective communication.
2. Enhanced Mobility
VoWiFi enhances mobility for your employees. With VoWiFi, your team can make and receive calls from virtually anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection. Whether they’re in the field or at your brick-and-mortar location, VoWiFi ensures uninterrupted communication. This flexibility empowers your team to stay connected and responsive, regardless of their location, contributing to increased productivity and customer satisfaction.
3. Improved Coverage and Call Quality
VoWiFi provides a valuable solution for areas with weak cellular coverage or limited network access. Small businesses often encounter communication challenges in remote or poorly covered regions. VoWiFi steps in to bridge these gaps by enabling calls over Wi-Fi, ensuring your business remains reachable and maintains high call quality even in challenging network conditions. This improvement in coverage and call quality can prevent missed sales opportunities and enhance customer interactions.
4. Seamless Transition
Another notable advantage of VoWiFi is its seamless transition between Wi-Fi and cellular networks. When your team moves from a Wi-Fi-covered area to one without Wi-Fi, VoWiFi automatically switches to cellular networks without interrupting the call. This ensures that important conversations continue uninterrupted, making it an ideal solution for businesses with employees on the go.
5. Simplified Communication Management
VoWiFi simplifies communication management for small businesses. With the integration of VoWiFi into existing phone systems, there’s no need for separate apps or numbers. Your team can use their regular phone numbers to make and receive calls, streamlining communication processes and reducing complexity.
Incorporating VoWiFi into your small business communication strategy offers many benefits, from cost savings to phone mobility to greater coverage.
How does VoWiFi work?
VoWiFi works by connecting the user’s device, such as a smartphone or tablet, to an available Wi-Fi network. This connection establishes a secure channel with the service provider’s network using voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) technology. VoIP is responsible for converting voice signals into data packets, allowing them to be transmitted over the Wi-Fi network. A data packet, often simply referred to as a “packet,” is a small unit of data that travels over a computer network. It’s like a digital envelope containing information.
Once your voice is transformed into these data packets, these packets travel over the Wi-Fi connection to reach the service provider’s infrastructure. This infrastructure acts as a bridge between the Wi-Fi network and the broader Internet. It efficiently routes your voice data packets, ensuring they reach their destination smoothly.
On the receiving end, the data packets are reassembled and converted back into voice signals. This transformation happens pretty easily, and the result is that your voice call is completed over the internet, rather than relying solely on traditional cellular networks.
VoWiFi takes advantage of Wi-Fi’s widespread availability to transmit voice calls as data over the Internet. This technology offers enhanced mobility, cost savings, and improved coverage, making it a valuable tool for small businesses and individuals. VoWiFi ensures that you can stay connected, make and receive calls, and conduct business efficiently, regardless of your location or network conditions.
Elevate the Calling Experience to New Heights
Elevate your small business’s calling experience with Podium Phones, a modern VOIP system designed to turn more customer calls into revenue. Say goodbye to the hassle of managing outdated phone systems and hello to streamlined customer connections. And never have missed calls result in missed sales again.
With Podium Phones, all of your calls are routed to the same inbox as texts, webchat, and other communication channels to ensure you never miss an opportunity to engage with your customers. Podium simplifies the communication process to help you stay on top of every message—your team can easily get back to missed callers before they turn to your competition. This information is accessible on both your desktop and mobile device, allowing you to respond promptly, convert messages to texts, and access your customer’s entire conversation history. This enhances personalization, helping you offer tailored solutions to your customers.
The tool also helps your team:
- Convert more leads with personalized and faster communication.
- Answer calls with context.
- End calls with a record of the interaction and a call summary.
- Offer other communication channels including Text, Webchat, and more.
- Access all customer communications in a single Inbox.
- Integrate your other business tools with your communication platform.
Podium Phones saves your team time and ensures you have a comprehensive view of the customer journey.
FAQS
Q: What is the difference between VoWiFi and Wi-Fi calling?
A: VoWiFi (voice over Wi-Fi) and Wi-Fi calling might sound similar, but they have some differences. VoWiFi is a broader technology that allows voice calls to be made over Wi-Fi networks, leveraging voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) to transmit voice as data packets. Wi-Fi calling, on the other hand, refers specifically to the feature provided by mobile carriers, allowing you to make calls using Wi-Fi when you have a weak cellular signal. VoWiFi is a more versatile and comprehensive solution that works over any Wi-Fi network, while Wi-Fi calling is a carrier-specific feature for cellular fallback.
Q: Why is VoWiFi showing?
A: If you’re wondering why VoWiFi is showing on your phone, it means that your device has detected a strong Wi-Fi signal and is ready to use it for voice calls. This is especially useful when you’re in an area with limited cellular coverage but have access to Wi-Fi. VoWiFi offers better call quality and reliability in such situations. Most modern smartphones have this feature, and it’s usually enabled by default. You can usually find it in your phone’s settings under “Wi-Fi Calling” or a similar name.
Q: How to enable WiFi calling on my phone?
A: Enabling Wi-Fi calling on your phone is typically straightforward:
- Check compatibility: First, ensure that your phone and mobile carrier support Wi-Fi calling. Most recent smartphones and major carriers offer this feature.
- Access settings: Open your phone’s settings app.
- Network and Internet/wireless and networks: Navigate to the section related to network or wireless settings.
- Wi-Fi calling: Look for an option like “Wi-Fi Calling” or “VoWiFi” and turn it on. You may need to follow on-screen instructions to set it up.
- E911 address: Some carriers require you to register an emergency address for 911 calls when using Wi-Fi calling. Make sure to provide this information if prompted.
- Testing: To ensure it’s working correctly, make a test call while connected to Wi-Fi.
Keep in mind that the exact steps may vary slightly depending on your phone’s make and model and your carrier. If you can’t find the Wi-Fi calling option in your settings, it’s a good idea to check with your carrier or refer to your phone’s user manual for specific guidance.
