With new technology and the clarity of VoIP phone systems in recent years, it is high time for businesses to switch from traditional providers of VoIP solutions. In most circumstances, a classic phone system may provide equivalent or even more advanced capabilities at a lesser cost. Do the following to make changing your business easier.
1. Find out how many users you need
The first step in getting VoIP up and running in your office is finding out how many employees or users you want. Having a clear picture of the number of users at the start of the process will make certain decisions easier as you move forward. This will help you determine how many channels you need, whether your internet connection can support the expected call volume, and which features are the most important. With some providers, you can save money if some employees only need an extension, not their own number. Contact your potential supplier to find out what offers they can give you.
2. Think about the VoIP needs of your team
Not all VoIP phone systems are created equal. Some are designed specifically for small teams, while others are designed to support companies with more call traffic. Different VoIP systems offer different advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, before getting too deep into the VoIP rabbit hole, you need to determine your needs and wants first.
- Features: Some VoIP providers offer calling and text messaging solutions, while others support your business with video conferencing, file sharing, team messaging, and more. With services like Ideacom or 8 × 8, you can combine all of your business communications on one platform, while simpler solutions like Ooma or Phone.com represent additional tools to your existing technology suite.
- Headphones vs softphones:If your current business has fixed technology, you may need a VoIP service that can use your existing hardware. If you don’t want to worry about a phone system or a headphone system, consider choosing a virtual phone system like Google Voice or Grasshopper.
- Call handling: Call handling functions to vary depending on the provider. If you want to control the entire voting experience from voting to voting, you need a sophisticated VoIP system with features like a barge, whisper, monitor, and more. The simplified system provides basic call handling functions for transferring, transferring, and recording calls.
There is no single VoIP solution. That’s why you need to shop around to find the perfect system for your business. There is also a virtual phone system that allows you to use your personal smartphone as a business phone in a few simple steps.
3. Make sure your office Internet connection is fast enough
you once know how many users you will have, you can test your Office Internet connection to see if it can handle VoIP for this type of user volume. This is important for two reasons:
- Checking your connection before accepting a VoIP system will save you from headaches and frustration due to inconvenient call quality and missed calls that come with insufficient connections.
- This could help you save a lot of time and effort. If you switch to a VoIP system and find that your connection is insufficient, you will have to cancel your service and go back to what you have or renew your internet connection in your office, which is problematic.
4. Determine what your VoIP budget is
Set a VoIP budget before comparing features, providers, and prices. Another $ 10 per user per month can be added up quickly. Therefore, it is best to set boundaries before you start evaluating the platform.
Most of the VoIP platforms offer a discount if you sign up for an annual contract or if you meet certain user thresholds. This can help offset costs when you need to upgrade to a more expensive plan to access advanced features or higher usage restrictions.
The shiny features are easy to handle, but the package keeps you from running out of budget. The best way to stick with it is to set a budget first. Once you have a budget, determine your needs and the features you will need.
5. Determine which features are most important
There are many different functions available, such as Business Unique phone number for each employee, automatic call router, calling rules, conference calling, mobile app, and more. You want to know which specific features will be most useful for your business. For example, you may want a home VoIP system for your office, but your company really keeps you updated. In that case, you’ll need a solid mobile app. Or maybe you get a system with more than 10 lines. In this case, detailed call forwarding rules are required.
Here’s what you need to do to narrow things down:
- Write down exactly why you got a business phone system, what you want it to achieve, and its main uses (calling, conference calling, calling, etc.).
- Find out which VoIP features are most directly related to your needs and applications.
- Make two lists: one of the features you need and one you want but don’t need to have.
When choosing your VoIP phone provider, the selection process is greatly accelerated and more efficient thanks to the two lists of functions that have just been created.
6. VoIP system general terminology
The comparison of VoIP providers is often astonishing, especially in terms of technical jargon. Here’s a quick breakdown of common abbreviations you’ll encounter:
- VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol): VoIP may be a technology that transmits calls as data over the web.
- PBX (Private Branch Exchange): PBX phone systems are hardware and software that handle incoming calls and automatically route them to the right departments and extensions.
- ISP (Internet Service Provider): An ISP may be a company that gives you internet access.
- PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network): The PSTN is an old-fashioned, circuit-switched telephone network that transmits calls via copper wires.
- IVR (Interactive Voice Response): An IVR system may be software that uses automated voice menus to route callers to the acceptable extension without human assistance.
- UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service): A UCaaS tool combines voice, SMS, video conferencing, email, team messaging, file sharing, and more into one platform.
7. Select VoIP Phone Service
Now is the best moment to pick a service provider. Make sure the number of users, budget, and feature list all work for you before making a decision. You’ll want to compare providers once you’ve made your pick to see which:
- Have the characteristics you’re looking for: Prioritize your must-have list while also considering your like listing.
- Check through customer reviews to see whether or not it actually does what you want it to do. It’s fantastic to have a mobile app, but if it’s buggy and frequently drops calls, it’s not going to be of much use to you.
- Is it within your financial constraints: Divide the monthly budget you specify by the number of users you have? As your finances change, you may need to fudge a little in one direction or the other, but it should give you a per-user ballpark to start with.
- Is it simple to use: This one is very self-explanatory.
- Has good customer service: Because VoIP systems are rarely professionally set up or serviced, having strong customer service is critical. You have to sort things out on your own, which emphasizes the importance of timely and professional customer support.
8. Order phones and other hardware
It’s time to order your hardware after you’ve accepted your service. Most VoIP services do not require the use of a dedicated VoIP phone. If you wish to keep your analog phone, for example, you can usually buy an adapter to plug it in. You can also use your computer, tablet, or phone in most circumstances.
To take advantage of all of the additional VoIP services, you may need to acquire a VoIP phone setup. The good news is that VoIP phones are available in a range of configurations, ranging from simple and inexpensive to complex and expensive. If you need assistance with troubleshooting, check this post about the finest VoIP phones.
9. Set up and configure your VoIP system
Most of the time, all you have to do is connect your phone to your Ethernet system, adjust your phone settings, and you’re good to go. In some circumstances, after you’ve installed your firewall, you may need to contact your provider again to make sure everything is working properly. You should be able to handle most VoIP settings if you are a tech wiz.
Each supplier provides extensive tutorials to make things easier. If you’re encountering technical difficulties, you can contact a company like Nextiva, which will lead you through the phone setup procedure step by step.
Bottom Line
Businesses need the best telephone capabilities to keep their workers and customers connected, and VoIP systems give them. They’re simple to use, inexpensive, and simple to set up. The difficult aspect is restricting your options to just one VoIP service.
There are a lot of wonderful tools out there, but for teams seeking a complete VoIP solution that adapts to your business from beginning to end, we propose Ideacom. It has a lot of features, is inexpensive, and is simple to use.
Chris Mcdonald has been the lead news writer at complete connection. His passion for helping people in all aspects of online marketing flows through in the expert industry coverage he provides. Chris is also an author of tech blog Area19delegate. He likes spending his time with family, studying martial arts and plucking fat bass guitar strings.