One of the things human beings must learn is to identify their own strengths — and weaknesses. I can do a lot of things, some of them well, but one thing I know I could never do is manage a small business.

That said, though, I know several people who have taken the entrepreneurial plunge, and one thing they all try to do is maximize productivity while minimizing cost. That’s where VoIP comes in.

I’ve been hearing about internet phone service for a few years now, and it keeps getting better. Now I’ve stumbled across Packet8 Virtual Office, which offers business voip with a lot of bells and whistles.

The biggest deal for me is the unlimited long distance and international calling. Since business is carried on around the world, being able to connect with partners, customers, and others inexpensively is a huge advantage. Sometimes you need a real person, not an email, and Packet8 offers that.

But speaking of email, having a phone system capable of seamless integration just makes sense. Why spend a lot of time and resources putting in data multiple times in multiple places? It’s like reinventing the wheel.

If you have a small business and are looking for ways to cut costs, why not consider VoIP? A lot of the early quirks have been ironed out; the price is right, and that digital quality keeps getting better all the time.