VoIP Phones and Teleworking

Well, it’s the end of Telework Week and we’ve had a lot of fun sharing stories about how Vocalocity’s VoIP business phone service can help you stay connected – no matter where you are. One of the initiatives that Vocalocity supports is our internal Teleworking Program.

Did you know that we actually won the Clean Air Campaign’s Telework Catalyst Award in 2011 for our innovative, earth-friendly program? It’s true – with our formalized teleworking program, our employees annually save about 78 minutes of productivity each day they telework and save the metro-Atlanta region a combined 115,000 miles of vehicle traffic. That’s a lot of emissions and traffic congestion reduced from the city!

Meredith Roth is a business VoIP representative with Vocalocity who teleworks from her home once a week. She takes her laptop and plug-and-play phone home with her, and simply sets up her mobile office the next morning. It’s as easy as plugging in her phone to the Internet jack at her apartment and she’s ready to start taking calls! We had a short Q+A with Meredith about how teleworking has maintained productivity while ensuring a better home/life balance.

Q: How long have you participated in the telework program?

I have been participating in the telework program about a year now and it is absolutely fantastic

Q: How long does it typically take you to drive to work? How much productivity do you think you save by not having to drive to and from work?

I’m usually in my car about 40 minutes for a round trip commute. I am about 30 minutes more productive because I am able to start the day earlier in the morning and work a bit longer in the day by not fighting the morning and evening traffic congestion that plagues Atlanta.

Q: Tell us a little about your teleworking routine at home. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? What about when you’re done for the day?

To set everything up in the morning it takes about five minutes. Once everything is plugged in, I’m able to start the day from my living room couch. Everything works just as if I were working from the office. I’ve got the same direct dial, same extension number, and same voicemail. This enables me to be accessible to my customers despite not being physically in the office. When the day wraps up, I pack up my Vocalocity phone and laptop in a very averaged sized laptop case and put it in the car for the following day.

Q: What are the biggest benefits of teleworking in your opinion?

There are quite a few benefits that come to mind for teleworking. I would say that my top three are

• Increased Productivity
• Convenience
• Reduced Gas Expense

Q: As an employee, do you have any tips for a prospective customer or a business owner thinking about getting VoIP to work from home?

My tip for any prospective customers looking to implement VoIP for their home office would be make sure they have an adequate internet connection such as DSL, Cable, or Fiber, and to invest in a comfy chair. Other than that, it’s a no brainer.