Category: Digital Trends

Why you should use more emojis at work

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Emojis are an underrated communication tool. 

Everyone loves using emojis – we can’t be the only ones that go through all of them l whenever there’s an update, right? They’re fun, engaging and add emotion to the messages you send. 

Although most would use emojis in personal communications, it was commonly agreed that emoji use at work is ‘unprofessional’. However, with the landscape of work shifting towards hybrid/remote working models, digital communication tools like Slack popularised by the pandemic are likely to stay. As such, the use of emojis at work has become more common.

So, if you don’t already use emojis at work, here are the reasons why they’re actually beneficial to use: 

 

1. Improves connection to colleagues

Emojis adds *extra spice* to the message you’re trying to convey.  

‘Text tone’ can be hard to decipher and can often lead to misunderstandings between colleagues. Using an emoji helps to convey what comes so naturally to us during in person conversations – vocal intonation, hand gestures, facial expressions etc. This helps us to stay connected and improve workplace relationships. 

 

 

2. Communicate faster

Sometimes we just don’t have time to type it all out and some common workplace responses can be better communicated with just an emoji. It can also allow for communication of more nuanced feelings in fewer words, increasing efficiency. Here are some universally understood emoji responses in the workplace:

 

3. They’re fun 

If the above wasn’t enough to convince you about the pros of using emojis at work, then just the fact that they’re fun to use might convince you. Just look at them – how can anyone not have fun using them? 🤭 Using emojis can set the mood of conversations whether that be to lighten it or to encourage productivity. 

Although there are some that can be misinterpreted in the workplace you may want to avoid… 

 

While they might not be for everyone, the use of emojis has now become just as integral to workplace communications/relationships as they have in our personal lives. Learning how to smartly utilise them for efficiency and inclusion is essential to improving workplace communication. 

5 Emerging tech trends for 2023

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The tech industry grows exponentially every year and 2022 was no different. This year we’ve seen exciting tech trends like cloud computing and decision intelligence grow. 

So as the year draws to a close, we thought it’d be interesting to take a look at some of the emerging tech trends for 2023. 

  

1. Industry Cloud Platforms 

Cloud computing has definitely boomed with the huge emergence of SaaS and is set to continue developing as the demand for cloud computing increases. 

So what are industry cloud platforms? 

They are essentially an all inclusive platform with various cloud applications that users within a business are able to adapt to specific industry needs [1]. While cloud applications usually provide a few business solutions, an industry cloud platform encompasses all cloud applications that are useful to a business. 

This emerging trend is beneficial for businesses as the adaptable nature of the cloud platform accelerates the adoption of cloud technology. While 94% of enterprises already use cloud computing [2], implementing their use is still slow. This is due to various reasons including: too much choice/information to sift through when deciding between offerings, large variations in price points and hard to use applications. 

That’s why at Devyce, we’ve made our solution super simple for you! We provide the hybrid business phone system for the future of work so you can have two numbers on your phone – all on one handy app. Signing up only takes seconds! Don’t believe us? See for yourself over on Devyce 😏

 

2. Super apps

Much like industry cloud platforms, super apps are “like Swiss army knives with many tools that serve a purpose” [3]. These are apps with multiple “mini apps” within that can be added or removed per the user’s needs.

Super apps are developing to encompass commonly used app services such as messaging and financing apps all in one place, allowing individual users to tailor their user experience. They will also have applications in business as the technology develops to include enterprise mobile and desktop experiences [3]. 

The technology is still fairly new but is expected to grow in 2023 so we are excited to see where it will take us and businesses! 

 

3. Adaptive AI

Traditional AI technologies have been widely applied to industries to automate decision making by utilising advanced analysis and logic based techniques [4]. However traditional AI systems need to be programmed to update their processes when there are new insights and developments to its application. Adaptive AI eliminates this as it absorbs learning as it’s being built [4]. 

The pandemic had highlighted to many that flexibility and fast adaptability are crucial to businesses. Adaptive AI technology aims to provide this flexibility to companies as it is constantly learning and updating their models therefore making companies more resilient to unexpected changes in industry. 

Implementation of adaptive AI technologies is set to increase in 2023 as the technology develops and will greatly improve responses to real world changes as well as broaden decision making processes. 

 

4. Wireless Value Realisation 

This trend is all about integration of various wireless technologies to create a more reliable and cost efficient tech foundation for businesses [5]. Gartner expects that by 2025, 50% of enterprises will be using networking services that provide value further than communications [6]. 

The development of 5G is transforming how technologies work together to solve problems and improve existing models as it increases speed of connectivity and access to data in real time. As we continue into 2023, it’s expected that the use of wireless technology will go beyond connectivity and offer wider innovative value. 

 

5. Sustainability 

Green technology has risen to the top of priority lists for many enterprises and many look to develop more sustainable tech frameworks within the business [6]. Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in a company’s environmental and social governance as it becomes a leading factor in consumer decision making. This is pushing companies to revise their energy and material efficiency of IT services. 

 

Businesses have been using technologies such as AI, automation, advanced analytics and cloud services to reduce their environmental impact as well as provide consumers with the tools to track their efforts towards their sustainability goals. This trend will continue to grow and by 2025, Gartner predicts that 50% of CIOs will have performance metrics tied to their IT sustainability within the organisation [6]. 

 

If you’re looking for ways to improve your company’s sustainability efforts, have you considered the impact of what having a work phone does for your carbon emissions? 

Devyce can help you to reduce your carbon footprint from phones by providing you two phone numbers on your personal phone so you can eliminate the work phone! Find out more about how Devyce works here. 

So that rounds up some of the emerging trends in the tech industry for the coming year! Are you as excited as we are for the growth and development of these trends? Head over to our socials to share your thoughts! 

 

Reference articles: 

[1] https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/what-are-industry-cloud-platforms

[2] https://webtribunal.net/blog/cloud-adoption-statistics/#gref

[3] https://www.gartner.co.uk/en/articles/what-is-a-superapp

[4] https://www.gartner.com/en/topics/artificial-intelligence

[5] https://shapeitrecruitment.co.uk/gartners-top-strategic-tech-trends-for-2023/

[6] https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterhigh/2022/10/19/gartners-top-10-strategic-tech-trends-for-2023/?sh=105420514cb4

10 Reasons Why Customers Choose Devyce

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What are the reasons our customers choose Devyce you ask? 

Here are the top ten reasons why our happy customers chose us and what you could benefit from by switching to Devyce for your small business:

  • Improve efficiency

We know the feelings. Carrying around two phones can get frustrating. Then getting confused which phone to use for a call and accidentally using your personal phone to call a client. Also feeling irritated from having to switch between Apple and Android systems if your work phone is not a system you are particularly used to. So inefficient right?

Devyce solves this problem by providing you two numbers on your phone. 

Your Devyce phone number is stored in the cloud and phone calls/texts are sent over the internet instead of traditional phone lines which means you can have an additional operating number on your phone.

  • Save money with affordable pricing

We help our customers cut down on a costly business expense by removing the need for a work phone. With Devyce, you don’t need to sign up for expensive handsets and contracts for your employees as they can bring their own device. 

Our pricing plans (hyperlink to price page) are simple, affordable and transparent. No hidden fees, no lengthy contracts that are hard to get out of and an easy sign-up process. Within minutes you’d have an operating UK number ready. Save time and money for your business so you can focus on the more important things. 

  • Improve Sustainability

While saving money and time for your business, why not contribute to saving the planet as well? Deloitte global predicts that around 146 million tonnes of CO2 or equivalent emissions will be generated from smartphones in 2022 and 83% of these emissions comes from the manufacturing, shipping and first year usage [1]. 

It’s estimated that 910kg of CO2 is generated per employee working in offices each year [2] and the use of a work phone contributes to this figure. Using Devyce decreases your yearly in office carbon footprint, helping to promote more sustainable practices within SMEs.

  • Fast and reliable

Our customers are always able to receive those essential business calls wherever they are. 

Devyce works by facilitating calls and texts over the internet. This means all you need is a strong internet connection either over wifi or 4G/5G. 

Advancements in internet access technology means staying connected wherever you are, has become increasingly easy. You’ll rarely have to worry about downtime which can happen more often with traditional phone line services. Never miss business calls again with Devyce. 

  • Improve work life balance

It can be difficult to switch off from the workday when your work phone is still pinging or maybe even still getting calls. Many people find it hard to resist looking at their work phone out of work hours “just in case” there is something important that has popped up. From there it can be easy to fall into the rabbit hole of responding to work notifications well past business hours. 

Devyce have helped our customers improve their work life balance with a single button. We have a handy ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature where you can set the business hours after which you won’t receive notifications. 

  • Work from anywhere 

Take your Devyce anywhere… and we mean, anywhere in the world. Over 50% of our customers currently use Devyce abroad. Whether you are travelling for business or working remotely abroad, you can keep your UK phone number operating from there while also saving your business money on roaming costs. 

If you have a phone number attached to your business that you’d like to keep using while abroad, you can easily port your number to us (if you need help with this, contact us here: https://devyce.com/contact-us/). All of this means you can facilitate remote working for your business and even hire globally, further saving you money from lack of need for office space. 

  • Easily manage your teams

It can be tricky to stay on top of your team’s client call activity with a remote or hybrid based working model. For rapidly growing businesses, you might also struggle with managing a fast-growing team. Devyce makes this easier by providing team leaders with access to a Team’s Management Portal on our Teams Plan (hyperlink to pricing page). 

From the portal you can quickly allocate/de-allocate numbers and create call forwarding pathways or groups within your team. This means you can easily keep numbers operating while an employee is away and quickly route client calls to the right person, allowing you to create a seamless customer service experience for your business. 

  • Monitor the performance of your calls

Get access to a variety of key metrics like in/outbound call durations to monitor your performance as well as analysis tools. These can be easily navigated on the Team’s Management Portal and allows you to keep track of how well your business calls are performing, optimise your calls to drive KPIs and achieve those all-important business goals. 

  • Streamline your customer relationship management

Ensure that all your customers are taken care of by integrating a CRM platform like Hubspot with the Devyce Team’s Management Portal. This allows you to stay on top of individual customer queries and makes sure you never miss business calls. It also allows your team to have access to customer query logs so that any member of your team can quickly provide help. Streamlining your customer support flow is crucial to any growing business and Devyce helps you take that extra step for your customers. 

  • Flexible scalability

Whether you are growing or taking a step back before the next stage in your business, you can easily activate/deactivate numbers on your network to grow (or downsize) your Teams Plan. Our affordable price point also makes it easy for you to scale the usage to your businesses’ needs whether you are just starting out or already a medium sized enterprise, Devyce is flexible. 

To quote The Sound of Music: 🎵These are a few of (ours & our customers’) favourite things about Devyce. Our customers have thrived from using Devyce and we’re pretty sure your business will benefit too 😉 

If these 10 reasons aren’t quite enough to convince you yet and would prefer to see Devyce in action before you commit, that’s no problem! It’s super easy to book a demo with us here https://devyce.com/demo/ 

 

References:

[1] https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/insights/industry/technology/technology-media-and-telecom-predictions/2022/environmental-impact-smartphones.html

[2] https://observablehq.com/@mrchrisadams/how-do-i-work-out-the-carbon-footprint-of-providing-space-to-w

The Most Important Things Start-Ups Should Invest in Early

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When starting a business, you’ll undoubtedly have a million things to do, whether it be product development or fundraising. So, what do business owners need to prioritise for maximal growth? Truth is, there isn’t one area that should be prioritised more than another. This means it can get difficult to manage if internal processes aren’t optimised. 

 

Around 20% of businesses are dissolved in the first year according to research carried out by Fundsquire [1]. The reasons for startup failure could be one of many including: getting outcompeted, hiring the wrong people or burnout. 

To help better manage your business and avoid startup failure, owners should look to invest early into these things:

 

  1. Scalable Tech Solutions 

Whether it be long processes like data logging or physical equipment like work phones, there are almost definitely tech alternatives available that will make your life easier as a business owner. 

An example is Devyce – a modern business phone system.We provide you with two numbers on your phone through an app so you can affordably make business calls without having to commit to a lengthy contract with a phone provider. 

Devyce also offers a Teams Plan to provide your employees with business numbers and you have access to a Teams Management Portal where you can view call analytics and manage employee inbound/outbound calls. The Teams plan is scalable to your business needs and growth so it will save you money in the long run, allowing you to allocate more budgets to other departments such as Marketing. 

 

Check out our Teams Plan for your business here: 

 

  1. Marketing

So, getting Devyce has saved you a lot of money on the telecommunications side. Now what do you invest in? Marketing! 

Many businesses underrate the importance of marketing, especially in the early stages. An important component of marketing is customer relationship management. While many businesses’ marketing efforts are directed towards top of the funnel objectives and getting those sales, the actual relationship a business has with its customers is widely neglected. 

It can get difficult to stay on top of all your customers’ journeys without a system to collate all the information. To ensure you foster and maintain beneficial relationships with your customers, business owners should look to utilise CRM platforms like Hubspot. This will encourage more positive reviews to be generated for your business, further helping as 90% of consumers rely on reviews when making a purchase decision [2].  

You can also integrate your CRM system with Devyce to keep track of your client calls and the follow up! 

 

  1. Your Team

The people you choose to work with can be the make-or-break factor for your business. It’s important that you take the time to hire the right people to deliver on your long-term business goals. Not only will you need to hire the right people, but you will also need to invest time into their development as your business grows. 

However, the pandemic has changed the way we work, and many businesses need to hire remotely. This has many advantages for business owners including saving money due to lack of need for office space. Although, it can be challenging as business owners will need to find ways to seamlessly integrate new hires into the company from afar. 

Here’s how Devyce can help; our plans are easy to sign up to and within minutes you can assign business numbers to your employees. With Devyce your employees can work from anywhere in the world and the app is easily accessible on any smartphone – just download it from your app store! 

 

Find out how else your business can benefit from switching to Devyce here.

References:

[1] https://fundsquire.co.uk/startup-statistics/

[2] https://www.qualtrics.com/blog/online-review-stats/

5 Important Digital Tools for Small Businesses

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Starting a small business is daunting to say the least.

Picture this: a great idea for a business pops into your head one day. 

Ready to launch now? Absolutely yes. 

After months of hard work, you finally launch your business in high spirits. Then as your business grows, you are hit with an ever-growing mountain of things to do; from managing your employees to finances and every little detail in between. You are feeling overwhelmed and wondering how you will ever get on top of this mountain. 

No worries, we’ve got you. 

We know you’re extremely busy running your business so here are 5 of the most useful digital tools you can take advantage of: 

 

Communication tools:

Communication is the key to any successful relationship whether that be with your employees or your customers. To help with this you could get… 

 

  • Devyce – 2 numbers, 1 phone

Devyce is a cost-effective and sustainable digital solution to the work phone. 

It allows you to have an additional phone number on your phone to use for work communications. On average phones are replaced every two years [1] and each phone during its lifetime can create up to 110kg of CO2 per year [2]. Eliminate the use of a second phone and get Devyce. 

Another great feature of Devyce is the team management portal for you to monitor and manage your employee call activity and quickly access call logs. 

 

We know what you’re thinking, having your work communications operating on your personal phone might disrupt your personal life (or vice versa) however Devyce also has a handy ‘do not disturb’ feature where you can turn off work notifications to keep a healthy work life balance.

All these features make Devyce a great telecommunications tool for your small business! 

  • FreshDesk – A customer service software for your website 

Maintaining an open line of communication with your customers can be harder than it seems. 

Customers will reach out to customer support through multiple channels. This can become difficult to keep track of so let FreshDesk ‘delight your customers with effortless customer service’. 

 

Financing tools:

One of the top reasons why startups/small businesses fail is a lack of cash or failure to raise new capital. [3] Sounds pretty obvious right? However, many business owners struggle to manage their finances and budgeting. 

Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a financial expert to be able to start your own business (even accountants struggle with the papers sometimes). There are many digital tools to assist you. Spendesk being one of them. 

  • Spendesk – A 7-in-1 spend management tool 

Spendesk encourages smarter spending decisions by providing:

  • A management platform where you can view and manage spending from company cards 
  • Review and pay invoices
  • Track expenses
  • Generate financial reports
  • Automate accounting
  • Create and optimise budget plans for your business

Make smarter money decisions, budget better and stay on top of your finances with Spendesk. 

 

Marketing tools:

Developing a solid marketing plan and creating great content for it is one of the key reasons for success for many businesses. 

  • BuzzSumo – an all in one content marketing tool 

BuzzSumo is a hub platform where you can:

  • Discover and research new content ideas
  • Find relevant influencers to work with 
  • Industry trend updates
  • Develop your content strategy and create compelling content
  • Analytics for content engagement

This all inclusive platform is great for industry trend research, allowing you to create and optimise your content marketing strategy. 

 

  • Buffer – social media management tool 

Buffer is a great tool for starting out with social media management as it offers a clear and easy to navigate platform for:

  • Creating and scheduling social media posts
  • Accessing all your social media messages across all platforms in one inbox
  • Social media analytics 

All of these features are great for effective communication with your audience, learning more about their preferences in regard to your business and utilising new insights to optimise your services and marketing plan. 

So, will you be using any of these digital tools? Feel free to head to our socials to share your business story and what digital tools you’re currently using! 

 

References:

[1]

https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/science/environment/the-hidden-environmental-toll-of-smartphones/#:~:text=Smartphones%20generate%20more%20greenhouse%20gases,the%20energy%20sector%20and%20transportation.

[2]

https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/europe2019s-consumption-in-a-circular/benefits-of-longer-lasting-electronics

[3]

https://www.cbinsights.com/research/startup-failure-reasons-top/

The New ‘Nothing’ Phone

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What is ‘Nothing’ all about?

Nothing is a tech company, founded in 2020 by Carl Pei and is based in London. Their mission is to ‘remove the barriers between people and technology’. They hold the intention to create technology that just works, that you don’t need to think about and just feels like ‘nothing’ [1].

After receiving an initial £7 million in seed funding, with further large investments along the way, the new nothing phone has finally landed and is available here in the UK now [1]. The question is, is the most hyped smartphone of the year worth it, and will it beat the notorious tech giants?

Can they do the seemingly unimaginable?

The new smartphone largely mirrors that of an iPhone, but comes in at almost half of the price, at £399 [2]. Yet with the mid-range price, it has still managed to incorporate high-end features found on expensive devices, including a 6.55  OLED display and a dual 50-megapixel rear camera, to name a few [2]. However, it isn’t a market leader regarding its specifications or features. With Google’s launch of the Pixel 6A which includes similar features and at a similar price point [3]. Will the Nothing phone stand out?

Making a phone that stands out in a saturated and competitive marketplace, is tough. However, the Nothing phone has challenged the status quo, by embracing a futuristic and retro design by creating a completely transparent back, revealing the inner workings of the phone. Incorporating a ‘Glyph Interface’, which lights up the back when you receive any notification, and…it’s customisable [2]. Moreover, it leads the industry regarding its sustainability ethos, with 50% of the plastic parts sourced from recycled and bio-based materials  [2].

A potential problem?

The founder stated that they are building an alternative to Apple, which essentially means they want Apple users to switch over [4]. However, the Nothing OS is built on Android. Meaning the transition for existing Android users is far simpler.

The problem is that in essence, Apple has created a rather large ecosystem, through platforms including Apple Music, Apple Fitness, and more [5]. This means switching to an Android operating system could be a problem when looking for a seamless switch.

However, it’s still very early days for the Nothing phone, having only been released on the 21st of July. They have an innovative product that has been cleverly designed, with great aesthetic detail and seamless hardware integration, but will it be enough to replace the renowned iPhone users?

We will have to wait and see!

Sources

[1]
https://nothing.tech/pages/about-us
[2]
https://nothing.tech/pages/phone-1
[3]
https://www.androidpolice.com/google-pixel-6a-vs-nothing-phone-1/
[4]
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/excited-about-nothing-phone-1-23477896
[5]
https://www.lifewire.com/the-nothing-phone-1-doesnt-stand-a-chance-against-the-iphone-5499243

5 Unexpected ways businesses could be more sustainable

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Small businesses have a greater impact on the environment than you might imagine.

Sustainability is an increasingly important aspect for businesses of any size to consider as the environmentally led decisions owners make can be a deciding factor for consumers.

Consumer wallets are becoming increasingly green with 1 in 3 consumers stating they’d prefer eco-friendly product options in a survey. Over 35% of these respondents revealed they would buy an environmentally friendly product over a cheaper option [1].

Not only will adopting sustainable practices in your business benefit our planet, the figures show eco-consciousness is key to staying competitive in the market.

Take a look at some of these unexpected ways you could make your business more sustainable:

 

1. Eliminate the work phone
Smartphones are small devices with a surprisingly mighty impact on the environment.
Its life cycle impacts the environment greatly – with 80% of the carbon footprint coming from the manufacturing process [2]. Greenhouse emissions from smartphone manufacturing are forecasted to be 146 million tonnes of CO2 in 2022 [3].

62.3 million people in the UK used smartphones [2] and approximately 32.7 million people in the UK were employed [4] in 2021. Potentially 32.7 working adults use a second phone at work meaning doubled impact of using smartphones on the environment.
Eliminating the use of a “work phone” can reduce the environmental impact your business has. A sustainable alternative to consider is Devyce.

The innovative VoIP service provides your employees with a second work phone number on their phone with a great do not disturb feature that enables seamless transition between work and personal life. It also includes a team management portal allowing business owners to keep track of employees’ calls.

Getting Devyce for your business is not only sustainable but also a cost effective measure!

 

2. Sustainable storage
Storage of products is an often overlooked aspect of small business sustainability.

Some storage considerations for your business are:

  • Ensure electrical appliances eg. freezers, have green energy ratings
  • Opt for eco-friendly facilities eg. warehouses making use of solar panels
  • Reducing usage of pollutive plastic containers
  • Track inventory and reduce your storage need ie. consider donating or recycling items you no longer use

3. Limit paper usage
It’s a common misconception that paper doesn’t negatively impact the environment due to its biodegradable nature. In fact, paper can remain legible and intact for decades with 75% of our paper entering waste streams [5].

The average UK employee uses up to 10000 sheets of paper in the workplace each year – most people in the UK use up to 4.5 trees worth of paper each year. That’s a whole lot of trees!

Work towards:

  • Digitising processes where possible (also reduces your storage space!)
  • Using sustainably sourced recycled paper
  • Repurposing paper waste
  • Offsetting environmental impact through charity programs eg. replant trees

4. Switch to green web hosting services
Believe it or not, running a website also impacts the environment. The servers hosting your website and data centers are constantly running, using vast amounts of energy.

Some things to consider to decrease the environmental impact of your website:

  • Opt for host platforms using renewable energy sources
  • Offset your internet carbon footprint through sustainability schemes

5. Make your physical spaces greener
Whether you have an office or physical stores, there are many measures you can take to be more eco-friendly:

  • Choose spaces with plenty of natural lighting to reduce energy usage
  • Reduce single-use items eg. paper coffee cups
  • Improve air quality by bringing plants into your spaces
  • Switch to LED lighting
  • Limit cooling/heating of the space
  • Encourage composting of waste
  • Use green cleaning products/services
  • Incentivise eco-friendly commuting from staff

Making even a few of these changes to your small business can have a great impact on helping your business grow towards a more sustainable future.
Which of these changes will you be making for your small business? Head to our socials to share your business’ sustainability journey!

References:
[1] https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/more-consumers-are-opening-their-wallets-for-eco-friendly-products/

[2] https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/science/environment/the-hidden-environmental-toll-of-smartphones/#:~:text=Smartphones%20generate%20more%20greenhouse%20gases,the%20energy%20sector%20and%20transportation

[3] https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/insights/industry/technology/technology-media-and-telecom-predictions/2022/environmental-impact-smartphones.html

[4] https://www.statista.com/statistics/281998/employment-figures-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/

[5] https://www.lancashirebusinessview.co.uk/latest-news-and-features/why-do-we-still-use-paper-in-2021

The Essential Guide To Voip Systems For Small Businesses

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The ultimate guide to setting up your team with the best VoIP phone system to enhance your small business!

What Is A Voip Phone System?

VoIP phone systems are the new age landlines. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) does as it says, uses the internet to make and receive calls completely wirelessly. VoIP systems digitise calls and texts and send them through internet lines, rather than ordinary landlines. VoIP has been around for a while, but is becoming more and more popular as it is evolving to be quicker, cheaper and more efficient. Many businesses and households already use VoIP systems for their communications, a seemingly clever move as landlines are slowly becoming obsolete.

 

How Do You Use A Voip Phone System?

 

VoIP systems work over the internet, but what does that mean?

Well, in the simplest of explanations, VoIP systems digitise your voice into online data and send it to your phone provider via the internet, which is then passed on to the receiver. VoIP phone systems rely on high speed internet to make and receive communications; this means you can make calls with a VoIP system on a computer, a mobile phone or a VoIP adapter.

 

Why Should You Use A Voip Phone System For Your Small Business?

Having a digital communication system for your team is the new trend in business. Giving employees a second phone number for work, all on the same system, instead of a second mobile phone or office phone, benefits the business and the employee, allowing companies to maintain professionalism and employees to stay connected no matter where they are.

Features included with VoIP systems include:

✅ Virtual receptionist

✅ Call forwarding

✅ Voicemail transcription

✅ Do Not Disturb button

✅ Conference call

✅ Call recording

✅ Call logs

✅ On-hold music

Cost efficient
Perhaps the best advantage of the VoIP phone system is the price. Most VoIP providers charge a monthly fee, based on how many users are on it rather than how many minutes are used; meaning you can have unlimited calls for a lower price. For example, most VoIP providers will charge around £20-30 a month, whereas landlines will charge around £50-75 a month.

Easy Setup
Setting up a second phone number on your personal phone is easy as pie. Most VoIP systems work through a phone app and can be downloaded and running within minutes with a smartphone. No need to spend extra hours installing complicated technology.

Professionalism
Having a second phone number allows you to stay connected with colleagues, clients and customers while still maintaining professionalism. Whether you are part of, or running, a small business, or working for yourself, or as a freelancer, having a professional phone number can go a long way in gaining customers’ trust and confidence in you and your business. Giving out your personal number is not only ideal for you, but also perhaps not comfortable for the customer. Virtual phone numbers allow you to have an online landline number, if you chose, for your business to maintain professionalism and privacy.

Enhances Communication
Despite more people than ever working from home, business communication cannot stop; it can be difficult to stay in touch from home with colleagues and clients.

A virtual number makes you accessible wherever you are, enhancing team collaboration by making it easy and simple to send and receive messages and important information, no matter if a team member is in the office, at home or the other side of the world. Having a solid communication system that supports your employees’ lifestyle of remote working, for example, can build morale and keep them motivated despite communication limits created by the pandemic.

Call from anywhere
Remote and hybrid working is the new normal since the pandemic. VoIP phone systems support the remote and hybrid work model, as it allows employees to communicate from wherever they are, whether it is at home, at work or on the other side of the world.

Scalability
With a cloud-based phone system you can add or remove phone lines for new or leaving employees. As your business grows, your phone system can too, without any stress or hassle.

Better Customer Support
Being able to contact customer support in case of an emergency is essential when running a small business. If your phone lines are down, it can negatively affect the accessibility of your business and leave customers stranded and unhappy with your service. Most VoIP service providers maintain direct contact with you and your company, so that if you have any issues they are available straight away to fix your problem; you won’t have to wait hours or days to get a reply from a big corporation that owns your landline.

Simple Equipment
VoIP being a cloud based service not only provides better quality and service, it also presents a more practical solution for small businesses. To use a VoIP phone system you don’t need any extra equipment or IT specialists to install and manage it, which not only makes life easier for you but also saves time and money for your business

 

Which Is The Best Voip Phone System For Small Businesses?

There are many VoIP phone systems on offer to small businesses, you’ll want to get the best one for the best price. The good thing about VoIP phone systems is that all you need is high quality internet connection, a router and a modem, all which businesses have anyway, to get started. The big question is which provider to go with.

Devyce is a VoIP service that specialises in fitting the needs of a small business. We know what a small business needs in terms of communication, and Devyce deliver. Devyce offer a special Teams Package tailored to small businesses at only £15.99 a month per user. With Devyce, the account manager has access to our Portal, which provides instant number allocation and deallocation, call forwarding, call recording, full call reporting and analytics and CRM integration. You can give your employees a new number, or bring their number to Devyce by porting. Devyce provides an easy, cheap and efficient VoIP phone system that optimises your small businesses communication and, with customer support available 24/7, supports you every step of the way.

 

Step By Step Guide

An easy guide on how to get Devyce for your team:

1️⃣Purchase Your Team Devyce Plan Here: https://devyce.com/pricing/

2️⃣Log In To Your Devyce Account And Access The Portal Here: https://login.devyce.io/u/login?state=hKFo2SBKMW8tSk1pd0dUd2NHSXoxN3FJZ3NNb29LdnE2Ukdtd6Fur3VuaXZlcnNhbC1sb2dpbqN0aWTZIEMwLWFWNGM4YUVsVS0tejZNRGgwbzJwLWZaNldKUHo5o2NpZNkgN0NxRk41bDlWV3FSalR6UXE2MHdOaWdJV1NGTjdTMGg 

3️⃣Add Amount of Numbers Needed

4️⃣Allocate Numbers To Employees

5️⃣Employees Download Devyce App

6️⃣ Monitor Team Communication via The Portal

 

Sources

https://www.grammarly.com/business/learn/digital-communication-strategies/?&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=search1gbnbstyleguidedsa&utm_targetid=dsa-1296364243343&gclid=CjwKCAjw8sCRBhA6EiwA6_IF4XLPe0nJsgPPCguig9KGXqbwu-Xfj7R7pyul_Fia3eBvqjZ2TMYN4hoC7hMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.ukpostbox.com/blog/how-to-digitise-your-business-comms

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8955-virtual-phone-numbers.html

https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-what-is-voip-and-how-does-it-work-explained/

https://www.business.com/articles/voip/

https://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/guides/internet/internet-phone-voip-offers

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8924-voip-for-business.html

https://fitsmallbusiness.com/voip-vs-landline/

Why You Need A Second Phone Number For Your Business And Team

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As the pandemic forced us all to work remotely, digital communication has never been so important. Improve your team’s communication by getting a virtual second phone number for your business and stay connected with colleagues, clients and customers. 

As we deal with the aftermath of the pandemic, we have entered 2022 in a more digitally advanced space than ever before. Workspaces have become more digitised, in order to keep colleagues, clients and customers connected despite them being scattered around the globe unable to connect in real life. The McKinsey Global Institute estimated that companies digitally accelerated up to five years, in 8 weeks due to the pandemic. Businesses were forced to embrace new digital technology in order to maintain communication within their team and with their customers. Internal communication apps, such as Slack, grew 30% during the pandemic, as team members looked for new ways to communicate with each other without being in the office.

This digital trend of new communication is not ending as the pandemic does, if anything it has revolutionised the way companies use technology, enhancing their communication by making it more efficient, cost effective and wireless. 

Having a digital communication system for your team is the new trend in business. Giving employees a second phone number for work, all on the same system, instead of a second mobile phone or office phone, benefits both the business and the employee, allowing companies to maintain professionalism and employees to stay connected no matter where they are. 

What Is A Digital Communication System? 

Adopting a digital communication system is essentially getting a VoIP phone system, which stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. You can get a virtual number for yourself and/or for your team, either a solo package or a system package. Having a virtual phone number, or a virtual office, allows you to access your work number anywhere in the world, with no fuss or extra costs.

Why You Need A Second Phone Number

There are many advantages of using a virtual number system for your team, especially for small businesses. In such a digital world, businesses cannot function without a secure, effective and professional communication system to strengthen the businesses internally and externally.

Have a read of the advantages of using a digital communication system for your team. 

✅ Easy Setup 

Setting up a second phone number on your personal phone is easy as pie. Most VoIP systems work through a phone app and can be downloaded and running within minutes with a smartphone. No need to spend extra hours installing complicated technology. 

✅ Cost Effective

Unlike the traditional landline, having a second phone number through a digital communication system doesn’t cost a bomb. The costs of running a business, big or small, are immense; especially installing and maintaining technology. Without the need for any hardware equipment or maintenance, having a virtual phone system can save companies thousands. Also, the more digital a business is, the more it can cater to remote working, which also cuts down costs on office bills. 

✅ Work Life Separation 

Having a second phone number for work also aids your work life balance. Having a digital number means you can customise the times that the number is active, maintaining office hours and drawing a line between work and home life. This is especially important for those of us working from home, as any clear boundary between work and home can help maintain a healthy work/life balance.

✅ Enhances Communication

Just because people are not in the office, does not mean company communication has to break down. It can be difficult to stay connected to customers and colleagues when working from home, however. 

A virtual number makes you accessible wherever you are, enhancing team collaboration by making it easy and simple to send and receive messages and important information, no matter if a team member is in the office, at home or the other side of the world. Having a solid communication system that supports your employees’ lifestyle of remote or hybrid working, can build morale and keep them motivated despite communication limits created by the pandemic. 

✅ Extra Features

Using a digital communication system for your business gives you a plethora of features not accessible when using traditional phone lines, both benefiting you, your team and your customers and clients. 

Such features are:

  • Customisable Voicemail 
  • Digital Receptionist
  • Call Forwarding 
  • Call Recording 
  • Full Report and Analytics

✅ No Second Phone

A great advantage of using a second phone number  is not having to carry around a second work phone. Not only is this a hassle for team members, it also makes life more complicated and less organised. A business number is supposed to make life easier for the person using it, not complicated it further. Having a second number, instead of a second phone, simplifies but maintains work communications for employees. Also, giving out second phones for work greatly contributes to e-waste, as many of them end up in landfill when someone is done with it; with a virtual number, you simply reassign the number to a different employee when someone is done with it. 

✅ Professionalism

Lastly, having a second phone number allows you to stay connected with colleagues, clients and customers while still maintaining professionalism. Whether you are part of, or running, a small business, working for yourself, or a freelancer, having a professional phone number can go a long way in gaining customers’ trust and confidence in you and your business. Giving out your personal number is not only ideal for you, but also not comfortable for the customer. Virtual phone numbers allow you to have an online landline number, if you chose, for your business to maintain professionalism and privacy. 

How To Get A Second Phone Number 

As mentioned above, all you need is an app and internet connection to use a second phone number for work. 

You simply purchase a plan, Teams or Solo, and download the app! 

By purchasing a Teams package for your business, you gain access to the Devyce Portal where you can assign and deassign numbers to your employees. All they need to do is download the app to activate their number and that’s it! 

The best thing is that you can track your team’s phone usage and get all the data on where calls are coming from, how long they are and who is answering them to get a clear understanding of your business’ communications. 

Switch to a digital communication system for your business and improve communications by giving your employees a second phone number. 

Devyce Plans: https://devyce.com/pricing/ 

Sources

https://www.techstrange.com/second-phone-number-app-for-business/

https://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/2019/12/01/why-have-a-different-phone-number-for-business/

https://www.grammarly.com/business/learn/digital-communication-strategies/?&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=search1gbnbstyleguidedsa&utm_targetid=dsa-1296364243343&gclid=CjwKCAjw8sCRBhA6EiwA6_IF4XLPe0nJsgPPCguig9KGXqbwu-Xfj7R7pyul_Fia3eBvqjZ2TMYN4hoC7hMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.ukpostbox.com/blog/how-to-digitise-your-business-comms

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8955-virtual-phone-numbers.html

What is an eSIM?

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What is an eSim?

eSim stands for Embedded Subscriber Identity Module. Unlike the traditional phone SIM an eSim is built into the phone and cannot be removed.

eSims are quickly growing in popularity, as an easier, newer and more reliable technology than SIMs. eSim technology means you don’t have to buy a new SIM if you switch network providers or phones; you can easily switch providers and have multiple accounts on my phone, and switch between them with ease.

The future of smartphone technology means you do not need to limit yourself to one account, one number and one network on your phone.

How Does An eSim Work?

eSims are not quite ready to entirely replace physical SIMs; most people use eSims as a second SIM to hold a second number on their phone, for work or for travel. However, a future where plastic SIMs are obsolete is not far off, and would cut down hugely on e-waste.

To get an eSim on your phone is actually very simple, as scary as it may sound. If it is not physically embedded into your phone, you can use a QR code, like you use to view a menu at a restaurant, to download the eSim into your phone.

If you use an iPhone, simply follow these steps:

  1. Open Settings, navigate to Cellular
  2. Click “Add Cellular Plan”
  3. Scan the QR code provider by your eSim carrier

If you have an Android phone, follow these steps:

  1. Open Settings, navigate to Network and Internet
  2. Click the +
  3. Click “Don’t have a SIM card”
  4. Scan the QR code provider by your eSim carrier
  5. Click “Activate”

Will My Phone Work With An eSim?

Most modern smartphones are eSim compatible. Laptops or tablets with data connection can also be used with eSims.

Smartphone models that can be used with eSims are:

✅ Apple (iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone SE, iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad, iPad mini)

✅ Samsung (Samsung Galaxy Fold, Samsung Galaxy Note20, Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S22, Samsung Galaxy S22+, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, Samsung Galaxy S20, Samsung Galaxy S20+, Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G Fold, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G)

✅ Google (Google Pixel 6 Pro, Google Pixel 6, Google Pixel 5, Google Pixel 4, Google Pixel 4a, Google Pixel 4 XL, Google Pixel 3, Google Pixel 3 XL, Google Pixel 3a, Google Pixel 3a XL)

✅ Huawei (Huawei P40, Huawei P40 Pro, Huawei Mate 40 Pro)

Research conducted in July 2020 by ABI Research estimated that, by 2025, around 781 million eSim-enabled phones will be circulating.

Why Should I Use An eSim?

The basic advantage of an eSim is that if you want to change network provider, data or phone plan, you can do so without making any stops to the shops or physical changes to your phone; you can make these changes while on the move.

This is ideal for the frequent traveller, or someone wanting to separate their work and personal lines on one phone. You can switch lines on and off depending on where you are and which line you need for what.

Here is a closer look at the pros and cons of having an eSIM:

Advantages of an eSim

  • Flexibility

eSims are built for the customer’s convenience. They can give the user much more flexibility when it comes to managing different carrier plans. Smartphones with an eSim either embedded or downloaded into their system let you add a second network, plan or line. Meaning you can have a separate line for work or travel that is specifically catered to your personal use, and an eSim lets you change providers simply by clicking a button.

  • Multiple Lines

If you don’t want to have two phones, one for work and one for personal use, for example, an eSIM is a great solution. You can add up to five eSims on one phone, and receive calls and texts from as many numbers at the same time while also having the option to use each line for specific use.

This is a great solution to e-waste, as many businesses give out work phones that eventually end up in a landfill. eSims are the next environmentally conscious and technologically advanced step.

  • Better Design

Without the need for a physical SIM slot, not only can smartphones be built smaller, but they can also be built smarter, for example waterproof and more dust resistant, made to last longer.

eSim smartphones are more resilient and convenient for designers and customers.

  • No Roaming Charges

When you have the freedom and ability to switch lines on one phone, it also means you can avoid paying roaming charges abroad. If you are a frequent traveller, a British expat or just a holiday goer, you can use a separate number while abroad to avoid paying roaming fees, which you would have to pay using your normal UK number.

For example, you could disable your UK number and use your Devyce number with an eSIM with data while abroad to stay connected but not pay extortionate amounts.

  • Easy Activation

Activating an eSim requires none of the bother of inserting a physical SIM, handling the tiny chip and unlocking the miniscule holder, requiring the steady hand of an expert.

Also, when using a new physical SIM, it can often take up to 24 hours to activate. eSims get you connected in up to 15 minutes.

Disadvantages of an eSIM

  • Changing devices

As easy as it is to switch network providers, lines and so on, it is less easy to switch over from an old device to a new one with an eSIM. With constant updates on smartphones, many of us upgrade our phones every couple of years, and it is easy to transfer all the information from one phone to another with a physical SIM that holds it all.

However, in an ever increasingly wireless world, many of us store our information, contacts and photos on the cloud, which makes it easy to move information from one phone to another, regardless of what type of SIM you have.

  • Privacy

Your data, overall, is more safe with an eSIM, as there is not a physical copy of your information that can be stolen and downloaded. Yet, there is a risk in keeping anything on the internet, as it can be vulnerable to hackers. But, then again, this is the same with anything wireless, most of our lives are downloadable on the internet and it is up to us to install and manage privacy tools to protect our data.

Devyce is introducing eSIMs with UK data to our Xpatfone customers, for British travellers and expats abroad. Subscribe to Xpatone here: https://xpatfone.com/ and be the first to know when UK data is available!

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