While public discourse often speaks about small businesses as a uniform group, they are all but that. Every business is special and specific and has its own comparative advantages and issues that need to be solved. But, when it comes to phone service providers for small businesses, there are some overarching features to look for.
Generally, VoIP services will always be superior to a regular phone line or mobile operators. There are three main benefits of using such a service:
- Lower costs
- Better oversight
- Easier scaling
And the last point is arguably the one most people disregard even though it is essential to your company’s growth. Especially for companies that use a lot of phone calls for marketing or support, you might cap yourself with not wanting to grow due to fear of overhead.
But, not all services are the same, and you will always need to see if the VoIP service you are looking for is the right solution for your business needs.
Different Needs of Small Businesses
A VoIP service is one of those items that basically any office-based small business needs. Here it is in the group with VPN connections, UPS batteries, or Anti-Virus programs. You need to have one, but which one you choose will be up to you.
Companies that don’t use a lot of calls, or maybe prefer services like Skype or Discord, might just need one phone for international business calls. Such businesses will often include small IT development studios or different types of designers and boutique manufacturing facilities.
But, even the last one might want to have a slightly wider service coverage if they want to have good customer support.
Companies that are directly based on calling people via phone, or answering calls, will see a VoIP phone as an essential tool. Not only would you be able to make a lot of calls at a flat rate, but the integration of digital calls with CRM will be indispensable.
Advantages of VoIP Phones
The most obvious benefit of VoIP services is lower costs. Every business is in the business of making money, and the lower costs you have the better deals you can give to your customers.
Additionally, VoIP phones are usually charged at a flat monthly rate for a certain number of lines. This means that if you offer your services globally and have people working in 3 shifts, they will only need 1 set of phones and cost the same as a single shift.
You might fall into the ‘’loss prevention’’ mindset here, but that is another bridge to be crossed entirely.
Further, there is significantly improved oversight. Integration with CRM is often native, and the calls are tracked in real-time. This way you can easily see what the company is doing, as it is doing it.
Finally, doubling your company’s capacity doesn’t mean doubling the VoIP system. You are not concerned about how many phone calls are being made and by how many people over the day, only at the same time.
If only a dozen lines are used at any given moment, you only need a dozen lines in total. This will work even if there are two dozen people working. Such scaling is hard to find and can be a huge boon for phone-reliant services.
Best VoIP Services
There is no such thing as ‘’the best VoIP service’’, only one that is best for you. The one that fits your needs and budget is the one you should get, even if others offer more features.
