Over the past 20 years, new technology has changed the way we do business. Today, the vast majority of companies are heavily reliant on the web – and that is not simply limited to large companies, with stats showing that 57 per cent of SMEs couldn’t function without it.

Businesses have recognised the need to move processes online, but despite that we still lag behind our European neighbours when it comes to adopting digital technologies.

One of the key barriers identified by the business-led Productivity Leadership Group is connectivity, with slow internet connections stopping companies from doing what is best for them. Whether it is embracing cloud computing or implementing an internet-based phone system, companies are hamstrung by ill-equipped internet connections.

All forms of our communication go through the internet – phone, IT, email. We’ve always used VoIP and its flexibility was important to us. Everything is stored in the cloud so having a robust broadband provider was paramount to the efficiency of our business.

Maurice Power, Managing Director, Ferguson Financial Solicitors

One in five businesses in the UK suffer with an unreliable internet connection

Challenge

Phones have remained a constant in businesses for decades, but the availability of faster broadband has seen a shift towards Voice over IP (VoIP) systems. Run over the internet, VoIP is a high quality option which allows businesses to consolidate their communications over one line, which can significantly reduce costs.

However, as VoIP services are web-based that means they are entirely reliant on the quality of your connection. So if you have a slow connection or are prone to dropouts, you can expect patchy calls – not much fun for people on either end of the phone. Latency is another infuriating issue, with people frequently talking over each other due to a delay in the transfer of information on the line.

If you’re reliant on the internet to do business then it’s natural that poor connectivity will have a detrimental effect. Research shows that day-to-day operations completely grind to a halt at 38 per cent of businesses when connectivity fails – far from ideal if a deal is on the line. And with UK businesses clocking up 149 million hours of internet downtime each year, there is a staggering £11bn worth of lost productivity.

For many using VoIP services, these exasperations with your internet connection will be all too familiar. But why are businesses so willing to accept these frustrations? And how can it be fixed?

We have been able to create a virtual network with other media-related businesses that we work with around the city as we can send and receive large audio files instantaneously and have Skype conversations without any buffering.

Tim Coleman, station manager, Radio Plus

If you are planning on switching to VoIP – or have already done so and are being plagued by problems due to a slow or unreliable connection – then the solution is simple. full-fibre internet connectivity is available now and is by far the fastest technology available for companies in Coventry.

Solution

You can expect speeds of up to 1000Mbps – and when you consider that 1.5million UK businesses suffer with speeds less than 10Mbps, the difference is night and day.

But it’s not simply just a case of superior speed. With full-fibre, there is also greater reliability as the higher capacity bandwidth can easily deal with the strain that often proves too much for standard internet connections. And with increased reliability comes greater staff productivity – and far fewer ‘head in hands’ moments.

The VoIP service has been a great addition. It has brought the cost of our telephone calls down and that means we’ve been able to pass the benefit onto the customer.

Howard Vacca, Maintenance Manager, The Bull Hotel

Impact

With the support of full-fibre internet connectivity, your VoIP service will be noticeably more robust. You’ll no longer have to worry about lags ruining the flow of conversations, and dropouts will be consigned to the past. In short, you will move from a patchy service to one which is seamless.

Crucially, you will be able to confidently access the many additional benefits it offers. Whether it is video conferencing or sales driven tracking and statistics, VoIP can be a huge help to businesses – but only if the infrastructure is in place to allow it to succeed.

Entire offices will be able to switch to cheaper, business-friendly VoIP systems – and with those who switched from standard phone services saying it has saved 35 per cent on costs, there is a genuine impact on your bottom line.

In short, a superior internet connection lets you make the most of latest technologies – and allows you to put your money to work elsewhere.

The difference in speed and reliability is amazing, plus we’ve saved money by using internet telephony. We can now all work seamlessly online at the same time, which in turn means we provide a better, more efficient service for our clients.

James Craven, Managing Director, Royle Recruitment

To find out how full-fibre connectivity could benefit your business, contact hello@hbtcommunications.com

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