Many of today’s small businesses are choosing voice over internet protocol (VoIP) to manage their communications. If you’re interested in taking advantage of versatile communication tools at a low cost, you’ll definitely want to try our #1 recommended VoIP service. To help understand what you should be looking for, here are 10 tips for identifying the best VoIP for small businesses.
10 Tips for Finding the Best VoIP for Small Business
1. Decide Which Features You Need
VoIP services offer a number of features, and some are more necessary for your business than others. Standard features such as caller ID, call waiting and call forwarding are useful for almost everyone, but beyond these, it’s important to determine which features are actually worth paying for. Some may be bundled into packages, while others can be added one by one. Outline your requirements ahead of time to ensure you get the right deal.
2. Set Your Budget
Once you know exactly what you need, it’s time to set your budget. Take a look at what you’re currently paying for telephone and communication software services and use this as a benchmark when shopping for small business VoIP packages. Be sure to take into account which services you currently pay for but don’t use very much, as well as services you don’t currently have and would like to add.
3. Seek Mobile App Solutions
Check that your VoIP provider offers mobile app solutions, as this allows team members to make and receive calls from outside the office. This is a critical function for today’s versatile and remote work options, allowing your staff to maximize productivity by being connected at all times. Also, when you call out using a mobile app, your customer will see your business phone number rather than your personal mobile number.
4. Plan for Third-Party Integration
Beyond simply managing incoming and outgoing calls, a VoIP service should integrate well with your company’s other support systems. It’s important that your VoIP service works seamlessly with other critical functions such as helpdesk applications, CRM software, and cloud storage services. Check to see if the VoIP provider you’re considering integrates with the services you currently use and whether it supports third-party API integrations.
5. Look for Strong Security Features
Business communications are vulnerable to a number of threats without strong security features, so be sure the VoIP provider you’re considering has addressed this. VoIP communications and data pass through the internet, which as we all know is a wide-open digital landscape. You’ll want strong security features such as end-to-end encryption, secure data access, and multi-factor authentication.
6. You Need Good Customer Support
Your VoIP service will be your primary means of internal and customer communications, so it’s important that it be backed by dedicated customer support. This is especially critical during initial setup and processes such as third-party integrations. After things are up and running, you may also need occasional help with maintenance and system upgrades. Strong and responsive customer support should thus be a critical factor in choosing your provider.
7. Check for Good Backup Features
As with any digital solution, things can sometimes go wrong with a VoIP system. Communications and business data are critical for your business, so it’s important to have a reliable backup and recovery solutions in place. A good VoIP provider will have you covered with options such as an available mirrored PBX system in the cloud.
8. Ask for Available Collaboration Tools
In addition to voice capabilities, the right VoIP provider will also provide collaboration features that team members can use to work and interact together. Some of these include online meetings, video conferencing, and SMS texting. Online meetings and video conferencing may allow things like screen sharing and the ability to annotate shared documents in real-time. These tools help maximize productivity, meaning you’ll get an optimal return on your VoIP investment.
9. Unify Your Company Communications
A VoIP service provider can unify all of your communications with unified communications as a service (UCaaS). This will integrate your phone calls, emails, chat functionality, and voicemail all within one app. Some platforms also provide capabilities such as smart meeting spaces and collaboration tools. Most businesses today communicate across multiple channels, and UCaaS offers an efficient way to manage this.
10. Check Reviews and Ratings
One of the best methods for determining whether a VoIP provider is right for your business is to take a look at what other customers have said about them. These days it’s easy to find online reviews of just about any product or service, so be sure to investigate how well your potential provider has serviced its clients. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for customer referrals if you find those useful.
Contact VoIP Virtual and try our #1 recommended VoIP service to learn how it suits all your company needs.
