By Ankit Dudhwewala, Co-Founder, Appitsimple Infotek
Effective communication is essential for a successful business, especially in a digital and connected world where smartphones have changed the trade dynamics. From the internet revolution in the late 1990s to the start of call center life in the early 2000s, businesses are managed in ways never thought of before. In addition, the amalgamation of the internet and technology has given way to new concepts like cloud telephony and voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP).
The advent of VoIP and cloud telephony has given way to business call management apps. From startups to call centers, in the beginning, today, cloud telephony is being explored by several startups for branding a business or managing communication with clients.
What is cloud telephony, and how has it evolved in India?
Cloud telephony or hosted telephony is a voice and messaging service that replaces traditional business telephone equipment with a third-party VoIP service. One of the most significant benefits of cloud telephony is that enterprises can manage business calls without compromising on cost and quality.
Cloud telephony evolved as part of India’s startup culture in 2008 and changed the business landscape in India. Since then, it has boomed, and today several companies are offering cloud telephony solutions to call centers, startups, and even businesses across the country. Business call management apps use cloud telephony or VoIP technology and help companies handle inbound and outbound calls efficiently.
According to a report, around 2000, ITES and BPO businesses boomed in India, and cloud telephony played an instrumental role in the growth in this sector. As a result, this technology touches our everyday business and personal lives very closely.
The call center business has grown exponentially in India in recent years. As several companies from the US, UK, and Australia outsource human resources from India, cloud telephony and VoIP technologies are leveraged by BPOs to lead several new and upcoming businesses to their goals.
The Year 2008[2] was a milestone in the history of cloud services when Google stepped into cloud services and started hosting their services at very feasible prices to startups. This paved the way for many startups to adopt and render cloud-based services at affordable prices to small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
How Indian businesses can leverage cloud telephony
Call management systems or apps can help businesses manage and control incoming calls. The evolution of VoIP technology or phone calls over the internet has made it easy to use your smartphone for business communications. Such technology is being referred to as mobile voice-over-internet-protocol. Mobile VoIP services enable you to use an Android or iOS app that uses your Wi-Fi or cellular data for incoming or outgoing calls and texts. In addition, you can get a business phone number, which means you can separate personal and business calls.
In the future, every company with a website to serve their customers will have a telephone number that can integrate with its CRM system and automatically help the customers over the phone.
Outlook at cloud telephony services market
The cloud telephony services market is scheduled to embark on a positive trajectory across the 2022-2032 forecast period, registering a CAGR of 9.5% to reach US$ 51.5 billion, according to a report[3]. It has been reported that VoIP technology may help reduce phone bills and teleconferencing costs by up to 30 percent. Furthermore, adopting 5G connectivity across multiple end-use industries will fuel market demand. From 2022-to 2032, the industry is poised to grow 2.5x as per the report.
