VoIP
Things at work were overwhelmingly hectic over the last few months. Almost nothing was getting done. It was a daily routine for at least two or three employees to start arguing over busy signals and interference on the phones. It was good entertainment, but it did not take too long to get annoying. Work days just seemed so much longer because of the phones. My wife would get mad at me because I would turn off my phone once I left the office. Some nights, I would not even answer our home phone. It was easier for me to just let the answering machine record a message. I hated the phone. Thankfully, the situation at work is resolved. Everyone was arguing amongst one another so much that my boss had no other choice but to invest in a new communication system. Ever since, life around the office is so much more productive and hassle free. A pbx phone system was installed to help reduce the amount of traffic on the mainline used to contact people away from the building. If someone needs to talk with another employee within the building, they can do so now using a separate system. It is still possible to use outside lines through these phones, but it helps to manage internal traffic much better. The use of this second phone system has drastically improved not only the quality of work around the office, but also the morale of the employees. We are much more social and not as high strung. Supposedly in the near future, we are expected to get another upgrade in the company communication system. A few of the higher-ups are getting voice over ip capabilities where they can use the Internet to talk with people and do not even need to pick up the phone. As technology improves and there are more ways to communicate, it is evident that an effective way of contacting people can not be underestimated. In the long run, time is saved and there is greater productivity. Also, I find that some of these different systems are fun to use. It does not feel so much like work when you are on the Internet talking to someone. Using the phone definitely feels like work, but the Internet can provide a closer resemblance of face-to-face contact which is so much nicer.