How To Select The Best Business VoIP Service Provider

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If you own a business, you want to get a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service that meets your organizational needs. VoIP phone systems have gained traction over the years due to their advantages over conventional phone systems.  

Businesses, both big and small, need conference call facilities that allow different people to join the call simultaneously. Business VoIP systems are more affordable and come with inbuilt call forwarding, conference call, and other features that enhance communication.  

With numerous service providers offering business communication systems in the market today, determining which business VoIP service provider suits your needs can be an uphill task. If you’re looking to get a VoIP service for your company, here are four tips to help you select the best business VoIP service provider:  

1. Clarify The VoIP Features That Your Business Needs  

When shopping for a VoIP service provider, you need to determine the VoIP features your company requires to meet its day-to-day communication needs. VoIP providers offer a wide range of features.  

Having an idea of a must-have feature is helpful when shopping for a business VoIP service for your company. You also need to determine which features would be nice-to-have, and those that you don’t need at all. For instance, your company might find it necessary to have features like virtual assistance and VoIP analytics but not HIPAA compliance unless you work in the healthcare sector.  

A great way to identify features that suit your business needs is to research what VoIP features companies such as yours use, then check what leading VoIP providers offer.  

2. Have A Clear Budget  

Knowing how much you want to pay for a VoIP system is the other factor that enables you to select the best service provider. Although pricing for VoIP services is reasonably flexible, knowing how much you’ll be spending per month makes it easier to find a plan that suits your budget.  

Pricing per user varies widely based on the features offered. Ideally, the robustness of communication features increases when you pay more per user. The cost of a VoIP system will also vary depending on the kind of service you choose. Ideally, a hosted system will cost significantly more than a simple, cloud-based VoIP system.  

Ensure that you include the cost of acquiring communication hardware like desk phones and headsets when budgeting for a VoIP system.  

3. Know The Type Of VoIP System Your Business Needs 

The first step towards selecting the best VoIP service is determining the kind of phone system your company needs. Although VoIP has become popular due to its convenience, flexibility, and affordability, various options are available.  

Hosted PBX is one of the standard phone systems available. This system offers users robust features. It is hosted on-site and comes with s security system and a reliable server. 

Another VoIP system is the unified communication system that features a complete communication suite, including screen sharing, video conferencing, call forwarding, and instant messaging. If you have teams working remotely, this would be an ideal VoIP system to consider. 

Suppose your employees need to access VoIP functions while on the go, opt for the cloud-based system option. This VoIP system leverages cloud technology to provide users with mobile VoIP functions. Since most service providers feature different VoIP systems in their offerings, it’s helpful to know the kind of system your company needs.  

4. Determine How Many Users Will Utilize The VoIP Service  

VoIP providers price their service based on the number of users or phone lines a company needs. To select the best business VoIP service provider, you’ll need to know how many phone lines your company needs.  

In a typical situation, each team member should have a phone line. However, some employees may need the phone system more than others. Due to the nature of their tasks, sales agents and customer support teams are likely to use the phone more regularly than finance teams.  

Knowing how many users your VoIP system will serve makes budgeting more manageable. It allows you to leverage discounted fees from providers that offer companies that sign up for more phone lines.