VoIP Trends In 2023: AI, The Cloud & More
Revolutionizing business communication, the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) industry shows no signs of slowing. In fact, 2023 has witnessed widespread adoption of this technology as hybrid workplaces look for appropriate communication solutions. With this adoption, has emerged some key VoIP trends to pay closer attention to.
So what has brought on this rapid adoption? On-premise communication systems usually entail a significant price tag for businesses. VoIP promises lower costs, enticing small to large businesses to jump on the VoIP bandwagon. But how will this technology progress in the remainder of 2023? Let’s jump right in to explore what VoIP essentially is and what those VoIP trends are.
What Is VoIP?
VoIP (short for Voice over Internet Protocol) was created in 1995 by the company VocalTec. Customers were able to use VocalTec’s computers to make calls over the internet. These calls were cheaper as they avoided huge international calling rates and fees.
When dial-up Internet connections made way for more reliable and faster Wi-Fi, the internet became easier to access, as did VoIP services. Online voice calling services such as Skype then emerged. Since, VoIP has been integrated into many popular apps and business practices for its many benefits and super-low costs – often providing free calls over WiFi.
10 VoIP Trends In 2023 To Watch
VoIP service providers are propelling their technologies to the forefront of the business world. Let’s take a look at the top 10 trends to expect from the VoIP industry this year.
1. Further Integration of AI
Clearly, AI will continue to dominate the next few decades. It’s predicted that 95% of customer communications by 2025 will be powered by AI. It’s understandable, as AI can provide:
- Sentiment analysis (analyze customer trends)
- Automated sales
- AI scoring (rank customers based on sale probability)
- Instant customer service and support (via chatbots and more)
Many worry about the emergence of AI-based VoIP scams. As platforms evolve, so will the AI-based protections used to spot and remove scams.
2. More VoIP from ‘The Cloud’
You won’t be surprised to know that VoIP services have already moved to the cloud. It makes sense because cloud-based VoIP drastically reduces business costs and improves scalability.
More businesses are moving towards hybrid working, on-premise PBX systems or self hosted VoIP are becoming technologies of the past. Cloud-based VoIP services allow employees to call from anywhere with an internet connection. The cloud train has well and truly left the station — if you’re still using on-premise VoIP, maybe it’s time to upgrade.
3. Huge Security Improvements
There are a number of scams that have popped up to take advantage of flaws in VoIP systems. These scams usually include;
- VoIP phishing, or “vishing”
- Identity theft or impersonation
- Subscription fraud
- Hacking of vulnerable VoIP systems
Moving into the second half of 2023, we’ll see VoIP providers offering stronger security, AI-based threat detection, and VPNs. What’s a VPN? Think of it like a protective jacket for browsing — put it on, and you won’t pick up a cold (or, in this case, a virus!).
4. Mass Integration with Business Apps
The next big step for VoIP service providers is seamless integration into personal and business apps. Nowhere is this more important than in company CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tools. Huge leaps in cloud-based VoIP point towards easier integrations into corporate environments. It’s not just CRM software, either. Project management tools will also receive a massive productivity boost from VoIP integration.
5. Cross-device Compatibility
This leads us to VoIP integrations across all devices. On-premise VoIP comes with one huge flaw – you need to be on-premise. For this reason (if they haven’t already), 2023 will see most major VoIP service providers developing more mobile and tablet-friendly apps for remote workers. Combined with cloud-based VoIP, this powerful communications technology will become more mobile than ever. Employees will rarely be out of reach, and customers’ queries will never go unanswered.
6. Wider Adoption by SMBs
2023 will see wide scale VoIP adoption from Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs). VoIP services are becoming more affordable and accessible than ever, prompting more small businesses to move on VoIP. However, large enterprises are aware of these emerging trends too. Consequently, VoIP providers will try to upscale their infrastructure to meet corporate requirements. Until then, common users of VoIP technology will remain mostly SMBs.
7. Video Conferencing A Primary Focus
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, video conferencing has become an essential part of business operations. The video conferencing market is projected to grow from $7 billion in 2022 to a staggering $17 billion by 2030. With this renewed dependency on video conferencing, VoIP providers will focus on improvements. Leading vendors in the next few years will be focusing on video conferencing software as a flagship product.
8. All Roads Lead to UC
VoIP trends point toward Unified Communications (UC) or Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) as businesses look for a one-size-fits-all solution. UC brings video and audio calling, instant messaging, and email into one centralized platform.
Unified communications benefits are many. Mainly, they’re a productivity booster. Employees don’t need to constantly divert their attention to different apps and can use a single platform. As more VoIP service providers adopt and integrate UC, business communications are accelerated and simplified.
9. Streamlined CX
Perhaps most importantly, focus on Customer Experience (CX) is a major VoIP trend in 2023. Wouldn’t it be great to have a customer support agent available at the click of a button? It’s happening now. Not only that, but VoIP platforms and interfaces will continue to become more user-friendly. If VoIP services can provide better customer support than traditional methods, we may see VoIP technology replace it altogether.
10. Growing Ecosystem of Customization Options
If VoIP apps are to become a standard on more devices, vendors and devs will need to add more customization options. Customizations may include;
- Custom call greetings
- Various integration options
- Customizable app themes
- Call routing options
We’ll also see an emergence of completely customizable VoIP frameworks as businesses require tailor-made solutions.
Although it’s not a new technology, VoIP is taking the business world by storm. Leading vendors offer creative solutions for customer support and powerful intra-company communication. In addition to the trends listed in this article, 2023 will see a boom in the industry as it’s adopted even further, across the globe.
