VoIP gets a bad rap. Primarily because VoIP providers fail to teach businesses how to use it correctly. To set the record straight, let's start with the basics and work our way through a few myths as well as realistic expectations of VoIP providers. Note: You probably aren't expecting enough.

No one wants to make a call for help when they can quickly get results with a self-service portal. In the IT world, a do-it-yourself account management portal allows you to quickly add services or products, make bill payments, submit and track support tickets and check your billing history. All without leaving your desk.  

If you’re in the market for an IT provider, a self-service portal should be at the top of you must-haves list.

Great business partners are committed, passionate and smart team players. They challenge you to think beyond the norm and inspire you to reach new goals. Unfortunately, the wrong partnerships can become tedious, leading you down paths that cause confusion and missteps. The bottom line: Your relationships can mean the difference between business success and failure.

Kirk Herbstreit is the nation’s most trusted authority in college football. He’s made a career out of recognizing what it takes to win on ESPN’s College Game Day.

Excellent IT customer support is critical for business success, which makes it a real problem when technology companies exaggerate their abilities. And, no, the promise of a 1-800 support line bot to return your call in 24 hours is NOT the 24/7 support. Unfortunately, it's the small to medium businesses that suffer most when IT providers fail them.

Sure. Not everyone working with customers needs a softphone app. Maybe you like being tied down to your desk phone every day, all day. Or maybe when you call a client from your personal cell phone, you don’t mind exposing your number.

Maybe. But if you do want more freedom and privacy, a softphone app is for you.