5 Tips for Choosing the Right VoIP Phone System for Your Business

Most businesses are considering or have already switched to VoIP phone systems. These platforms offer several benefits, including cost savings, HD voice quality and reduced robocalls.

Before deciding to implement VoIP for your business, you should determine the important features to your team. This will help you narrow down the list of potential providers and plans.

Know Your Needs

No matter how much we use smartphones, chat apps, and email, there’s still no substitute for a reliable phone system. Small businesses, in particular, require a robust solution to communicate with customers, vendors, and teammates.

Choosing the right VoIP phone starts with knowing your business’s needs. Then, you can narrow down your options.

Choose a provider with features that align with your goals, including a comprehensive mobile app, business SMS, and advanced voicemail. Also, find out if your provider can offer additional services at no extra cost or provide emergency plans like a disaster recovery program. This way, your data won’t be vulnerable to natural disasters or power outages. Also, consider whether or not your chosen tool can integrate with other workflows, such as email software or cloud storage tools.

Know Your Budget

If you’re going to invest in a VoIP phone system, you want to make sure it’s something that can grow with your business. Ask about scalable solutions that include features like group messaging, videoconferencing, call recording, and desktop integration.

Look for a provider with a history of providing high-quality telephony services. If you plan to add employees or locations, you’ll want to know that your vendor makes it easy and cost-effective.

Finally, consider how your VoIP system will integrate with other tools you use for project management and communications. The best VoIP systems can seamlessly work with third-party applications, making your team more productive. They also provide better audio quality than traditional landlines, ensuring that calls are crystal clear for everyone.

Know Your Hardware

The right VoIP phone system offers more than a simple telephone service. It can also give you video communication, instant messaging, and team tools to attract new clients, support existing customers, and drive business growth.

VoIP works over the Internet, meaning you’ll need two devices – a router and a modem. Make sure that these can handle the traffic of your VoIP services.

A recent study says it’s essential to check with your provider to see if these are included in their monthly fees or if they require additional hardware purchases. Also, ask whether they will provide you with a list of required hardware and software to ensure the solution works well with your network. Also, find out if they offer free customer support or if it costs extra.

Know Your Network

If your network has a bandwidth bottleneck, the VoIP service can suffer from poor audio quality or dropped calls. Ensure that the router and other existing hardware can handle peak traffic by running a speed test. You can also configure quality of service (Quality of Service) to prioritize voice packets and data over other types of traffic like YouTube and Netflix.

A business-centric VoIP solution must be compatible with your current systems and other tools you use for collaboration and communications. Look for solutions that seamlessly integrate with project management and communications apps.

Ask about international calling rates and whether the provider follows reliable security protocols to safeguard your data. Find out if the provider offers plug-and-play hardware and how long it takes to port your number.

Know Your Provider

It’s important to fully understand the desired needs of your business before starting to shortlist favorable VoIP service providers. This will help you ensure that your business gets all the required features, allowing for smooth and efficient communication.

For example, if you need to forward calls to mobile devices, ask potential providers how this feature works on their systems. It’s also crucial to ask whether they offer a mobile app that supports Business SMS, digital faxing, and advanced voicemail.

Finally, consider how the chosen VoIP provider handles network emergencies. You’ll want a provider that offers backup solutions, such as mirrored systems in the cloud, to protect your company from data loss in case of a power outage or internet disruption.