Information technology has continued to advance over the years, these advances have continuously been improved due to the increase in international business activities. Multinational business activities can only be made easier if there is frequent and prompt communication. It has become easier to monitor international business trends through this technology. This modern technology has reduced inefficiencies that were brought about by human error and instead software’s have been programmed to accurately perform the required tasks. Even though these technologies are expensive to invent and maintain, they are economical in terms of production output. In recent developments a communication technology; voice over IP, abbreviated as VoIP, has been introduced to the business world, this technology has continued to excite its users because of its numerous advantages.
According to (Williams, 2009 pp33-34) “Voice over IP provides a single network through which consumers can perform various tasks like making calls, sending emails and passing any other computer data. This simplifies the work which would have otherwise involved the use of many devices and consequently eliminates implementation cost. This device is also more adaptable compared to other communication systems which have a specialized geographical coverage.
It is being picked up by more telecommunication companies who are adapting it and spreading its use even to the poorly networked regions”. (Weber, 1998) argues that, through voice over IP technology, data can be shared over several devices even without the use of a standard phone or a computer. With the increased international coverage of the broadband network, international calls are being made possible through the internet by VoIP phones.
These will in turn slash down on the amount normally used to make these calls. It has been deduced that voice over IP will provide more multimedia experience which will be able to be transferred between computers and phones. Compared to a phone line which can only accommodate two communicating people, a voice IP can involve more than two parties through conferencing by compressing the data. With voice IP, it is not only the voices that can be exchanged but as one talks, other data materials like files and pictures can be exchanged through a web cam. (Anderson, 2001) It is also possible to view the picture of the person that you are communicating with on line. Voice IP has a high capacity to tolerate fault because the inherent complexity in PSTN is eliminated making it flexible and hence supporting several communications.
VoIP technology is very portable which has made it possible to transfer data service of the office through the intranet of the organization. Using VoIP for voice communication, involves lesser and cheaper devices for regular internet users. They will only need a sound card, a microphone and speakers to access these exiting features. Business activities and social relationships can be intensified by the use of this technology which offers a wide variety of applications that facilitate international launches.
Voice over IP technology has very many benefits that can be utilized by any commercial institution to facilitate good business relations. Different branches of company will not necessarily have to come together for meetings, with video conferencing through the VoIP, different parties from different regions can effectively hold their meetings. With a VoIP connection, it is easy to oversee and manage company activities; in fact this will save the manager from having to walk from one department to the other trying to find out what his staff is doing. This can be transferred to the information technology staff that is more skilled in using it.
The company will also be able to intensify its business activities in the internet through this technology that allows them to share their views with their prospective investors and even customers. (Richard, 2003) This is because voice over IP provides them with a variety of links which they can browse through. Due to the wide geographical coverage of the technology, business activities can be done and managed even in the places that are deemed to have poor communication coverage. (May, 2002)
With this technology the company will have the latest updates of the immerging skills and technologies in the world. This will help them to be making necessary adjustments in their products so as to fit well in the society. Through the facilities provided by this technology, possible businesses opportunities can be found which will enable the company expand its business coverage. Knowledge is also transmitted from one company to another and through this networking, different partnerships may be formed.
The main drawback of voice over IP is that it requires a specialized technician to manage it. The company also has to ensure that it has enough band width to adequately handle its activities. This technology can expose a company to its competitors who will be able to track the various procedures that they use to market and sell their products and consequently adapt the same to counter attack them. Profiles that were considered secret, are no longer so.
Conversations can be trapped and stored using this technology and this may cause strained relationships that had taken time to build. The company has to go through various adjustments to incorporate a new technology; this involves training its staff and installing new equipments. This is a costly exercise that not only consumes money but also time. (Williams, 2009) With more inventions in the field of information technology, the former ones that may have equally coasted the company to install become out dated and are resold at a much lower price.
With more inventions still being made on the voice over IP technology, we can only wait in anticipation for more exciting devices that will further improve the communication system. The changes may not always be friendly as they require a lot of working capital to train experts and install them. This excitement also pause a greater challenge to the business communities who are now supposed to also advance by seeking technological knowledge that will enable them to use it in the most appropriate way.
Technology will always change, and with the emerging class of technicians we have to be always ready to advance higher as we adapt to the new inventions. A company with new improved technology improves the quality of its production and quantity of the finished products. Once the technology is in place, goods and services produced satisfy potential customers and company is able to grow all the time. Therefore, I recommend that the new technology be adapted so that the company can make use of rapidly changing technology in order to match with the consumer’s tastes and preferences. (May, 2002)
References
Weber R. (1998): Information System Control and Audit: Prentice Hall pp. 12-16.
Williams K. (2009): Using Information Technology: career education pp. 33-34.
Richard T. (2003): The Ethics of Information Technology and Business: Blackwell Publishers pp. 27-30.
Anderson J. (2001): Security Engineering: John Wiley & Sons pp. 24-27.
May C. (2002): The Information Society: Polity Pr pp. 39-42.