Advances in communication technology have made a variety of cost-effective features available to companies of all sizes. These newly available features provide benefits including greater productivity and flexibility for employees and enhanced reporting for the business.

The following is a list of these new features:

• Session Initiation Protocols – Session Initiation Protocols (SIP’s) enable the control of multimedia events such as video and voice conferences on Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) networks. SIP’s also allow users to manage their phones activities including collection and deletion of voicemails, accessing call logs, and directories.
• Messaging - Messaging enhancements now allow for a variety of activities which can increase productivity.  Enhancements allow users to dial phone numbers from their browser page without the need for a modem or external dialer. Unified messaging can be used to send voicemails to emails in “Outlook” for listening as long as a sound card is installed. “Send calls exception lists” allow for the bypass of voicemail for designated users so that the recipient can receive calls directly from people on that list. This screening process allows for urgent or expected calls to be directly routed to the recipient.
• Mobility – Mobility features include Smart Phones which serve as an extension of the phone network without accessing wireless provider systems. Wi-Fi enhancements can be used for cordless phones to extend their range, freeing users from being anchored to a specific area. A twinning feature allows for calls to ring on land lines and mobile handsets simultaneously which prevents missed calls and improves both employee flexibility and productivity.
• Corporate Features – Features include the ability to store recorded calls in voicemail boxes for use at a later time. These calls can be used for verification, training, and other purposes. Call observation allows for multiple listeners from different locations to observe calls.
• Networking Multiple Phone Systems – New networking capabilities allow for the interaction of multiple phone systems with each other. This feature can improve productivity and communication as the systems are structured to exchange user names and extensions from multiple office locations. Additionally, these networks can then serve as redundant backups for each other once integration is complete.

These new features can work to save companies money by alleviating the necessity to add entirely new systems. The second bonus is that these features can result in better bottom lines for businesses due to productivity gains.