SME owners relying on VoIP this summer?

A large number of small and medium-sized business owners could be set to turn to VoIP solutions to keep in touch with the office in the coming weeks.

According to a survey conducted by Cisco, owners of firms of this size are expecting to work remotely for an average of 18 days this summer, with 15 per cent likely to be outside the workplace for 36 days or more.

Therefore, VoIP tools could be vital for business owners who are looking to enjoy some time in the sun this summer, but cannot afford to be out of touch with their office for extended periods of time.

Glenn Bray, senior director at Cisco's Cloud Collaboration Applications Technology Group, said it is clear from the results of the survey that telephone conferencing technology has become "ingrained" in the everyday activities of SMEs.

This is because almost half of respondents said traditional, in-person meetings are becoming less relevant in their day-to-day operations.

"It's clear small business owners need to stay 'connected' to the office, even during the summer vacation season," he continued, noting tools to conduct meetings remotely will be essential.

The survey also found that even when SME bosses are not enjoying a summer holiday, VoIP may play a key role in the successful running of their business.

Nearly a quarter of respondents (23 per cent) said their firm relies on telecommuting, with many employees preferring to work remotely and take advantage of a VoIP provider to avoid the hassle and inconveniences of traditional meetings.

Common annoyances with face-to-face get-togethers include them frequently running longer than planned, cited by 29 per cent as an irritant, as well as being hard to organise due to conflicting schedules, highlighted as a problem by a quarter of SME owners.

ITBusiness.ca recently noted the ability to turn any location into an office was recently noted as being one of the key benefits of VoIP, which could be useful for bosses looking to enjoy some downtime while not being out of reach.