Are you looking for a VoIP provider? Switching to a VoIP system can be a daunting task and there is a tremendous amount of information out there, and it can be challenging to know where to start.
This guide will explain everything you need to know about VoIP providers and help you choose the right one for your business. You’ll also discover the benefits of upgrading to a VoIP system and how it can improve your customer service and contact center operations.
VoIP providers have grown significantly in recent years. VoIP systems are a more efficient and cost-effective option than traditional phone systems. The cost savings alone justify the change. By using VoIP, companies have reduced international calls by up to 90% and operating costs by 75%. Read everything you need to know before switching to a VoIP system.
What is VoIP?
VOIP is a technology that converts voice into digital signals, allowing you to make calls directly from your computer, VoIP phone, or any other data device.
In other words, VoIP telephony is telephone communication over the Internet. It is also called IP telephony, broadband telephony, or broadband telephony.
It offers many advantages and improvements over traditional telephony, including free and inexpensive calls within the country and worldwide.
Factors to Consider Before Choosing a VoIP Provider
VOIP telephony is a technology that can solve some of these problems and has become one of the resources that allow companies to set up home offices and services throughout the World.
Want to know more about the factors to consider for VoIP providers? Then find out and enjoy reading.
Quality of service
When choosing a VoIP provider, one of the most critical questions is whether the quality of service provided meets expectations. Many people who use business phone systems spend a lot of time on the phone, for example, communicating with customers, so any service must work well. Also, a system that doesn’t work for home use, even if it’s cheap, is useless.
There are many aspects to the quality of service, but remember that VoIP will only work reliably if there is a high-quality broadband connection provided by the VoIP provider or other broadband providers. If several people are participating in a video conference or sharing a screen simultaneously, any fiber connection should be fine, even if it requires a lot of bandwidth.
International and local calls
Do you usually make local or international calls? Again, this will influence the VoIP package you choose. VoIP is generally a very cheap option for long-distance calls, and if your line has good bandwidth, you can also expect good call quality. If you consider using a VoIP rate plan for international calls, make sure that the plan covers the countries you plan to call most frequently.
Reliability
Generally speaking, VoIP telephony services for SMBs are more reliable than they used to be. However, that doesn’t preclude investigating each provider specifically. Ask if they have contingency or disaster plans. What if the phone lines go down?
At a minimum, it should be possible to automatically transfer calls to a landline or cell phone. Can employees continue to work elsewhere? How quickly can they be moved and picked up in the event of a natural or artificial emergency?
Also, ask the provider about its data centers and infrastructure. Are there multiple backup options? What facilities are available to keep the phone up and to run? These are all critical questions to ask and get answered.
Background and experience
As a general rule, the longer a provider has been in business, the better their service. Of course, there are always exceptions. However, providers that have been in business for a long time tend to offer better service. Can you trust a start-up that doesn’t stop abruptly?
Another factor to consider is the provider’s experience in the industry. Some industries are highly regulated and must comply with specific regulations. Examples include healthcare, education, and finance. Several providers specialize in meeting the needs of these businesses. Instead of a one-size-fits-all service, they can offer customized features to meet customers’ needs.
Mobility
With today’s dispersed teams, field staff, and 24/7 businesses, it’s crucial to be able to access your phone system on the go. It makes your team’s job easier and improves customer satisfaction.
Check to see if the VoIP provider you are evaluating has a mobile app and what features it includes. If it’s essential to your business that you can access the entire system from the app, you should choose a provider that offers this feature.
Also, check if you can make calls from your cell phone when using your business number. Staff who communicate with customers via mobile devices should be able to represent your company and maintain a professional reputation.
If your VoIP provider offers a mobile app, check to see if it is compatible with your smartphone’s operating system. For example, if your organization has an Apple phone, the app should work on iOS devices.
Pricing
The price of a VoIP system varies considerably depending on the provider you choose and the service package you select. That’s why the first point – how you want to use VoIP – is so important. Do you want a metered plan with meager monthly fees, or do you want to pay a little more each month for an unmetered plan?
Do you want to rent a desk phone for each user included in your plan? Moreover, do you use call center management software? Do you have an old phone system and want to use SIP trunking, or are you ready to implement a pure VoIP system? There are many plans out there, and the more you know about how your business works, the easier it will be to choose the right plan.
Integration with third parties
The ability to integrate telephony with other systems is one of the best features of VoIP. A good VoIP system can be integrated with third-party tools such as VoIP Phone Solution, Microsoft Dynamics, and Salesforce to increase staff productivity and improve the end-user experience.
Customer service can communicate with customers via email, SMS, and chat systems, in addition to phone calls. Messages can be sent, video conferences can be held, voicemails can be listened to, and other messages can be viewed all in one system, significantly improving work efficiency.
Conclusion
Gone are the days when SMBs had limited options for Internet telephony. Today, many affordable and feature-rich VoIP solutions are available, and choosing the right one can often seem like a daunting task. The ideal choice will vary from business to business, but understanding a few key variables can considerably narrow the options.
Author Bio
Cecilia Lyman Robertson is a 44-year-old CEO who enjoys networking and Voice Over IP for Business. She has a post-graduate degree in business studies.
