You can use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) software to make calls using the internet. This solution reduces the cost of phone calls because you only need to pay for internet access and there are no extra charges. Top VoIP software vendors offer mobile apps to enable you to make and receive calls anywhere. Important features of this system include video, screen sharing, chat, file sharing, and web conferencing.Show more Sophisticated solutions also offer automated attendants, call queues, and email integration. Popular VoIP platforms include Skype, Viber, Avaya, and 8x8. You can read our in-depth reviews of these solutions and also check out RingCentral which has been given the highest score in this category by our team of B2B software experts.Show less
In order to develop this ranking of best VoIP Phone Systems for Small Business we have researched leading applications currently available on the market, analyzing their features, ease-of-use, customer service, offered integrations with other systems as well as mobile support using our patented SmartScoreTM rating system. This list has been developed by Nestor Gilbert, our SaaS expert dedicated to the VoIP Phone Systems for Small Business category.
VoIP software products provide the perfect solution for enhancing your team’s communication and customer support without breaking the bank. As a small business, working with traditional phone lines to support your customer service operations can add significant expenses to your operational costs. But with a VoIP solution, all calls happen through the Internet, eliminating the need to add costly phone lines or put in a new system to support your company’s business phone service needs.
At present, there are plenty of great VoIP software options available in the marketplace. Before committing to a particular business communication system, however, there are many factors to consider before deciding which one is worth an investment. In this buyer’s guide for the best VoIP phone for small business, you’ll find all the essential details that you must know to find the business phone service that can meet the needs of your business.
To start your search for the best VoIP phone systems for small business, you can begin by signing up for the free plans or free trials and demos offered by software vendors on their websites. This can help you explore each product’s features and capabilities and determine if it can meet the unique requirements of your business. It also allows you to perform a comparison of different VoIP software systems and discover which one brings the most benefits and advantages.
The best way to do this is to try out the leading systems in this software category: RingCentral, AVOXI Genius, GoToConnect (formerly Jive), Acefone, and Aircall. All of these apps have received high SmartScore rankings and user satisfaction ratings in our database and are popular for their extensive and flexible VoIP capabilities.
VoIP phone systems target small to medium-sized businesses that need a cost-efficient solution to streamline their customer support operations and improve internal voice communications. With their ability to make calls over the Internet, business VoIP phone systems can help small businesses save on costs and make communication with their team and customers much more simple. For these reasons, a growing number of small businesses are ditching traditional phone lines and turning to VoIP office phone systems to reach customers and team members anywhere, anytime.
There are various types of VoIP software available in the market today. Some examples include the following:
VoIP phone systems for small business offer the following key features:
VoIP phone systems provide newer and better ways for small businesses to communicate with their clients and employees. As such, many small businesses are now switching to these systems to save money and time. In addition, VoIP systems have additional features that make it easier to manage call center operations.
Office phone systems for small business are also far more economical than conventional phones. Typically, a VoIP system costs much less than conventional phone systems. This is because VoIP systems use only a fraction of the electricity, wiring, and hardware required by conventional phones. Plus, business phone systems VOIP software don’t require monthly fees or expensive long-distance charges. With some systems, you only pay for the number of minutes you use. That said, it’s easy to see how these tools can save businesses money and streamline customer support tasks.
Even the best VoIP office phone systems have their fair share of risks and disadvantages that can threaten your line of business. However, learning about these risks can help you better prepare your organization to avoid and mitigate these threats.
Malware and viruses
Like any other software application, VoIP business phone systems are also vulnerable to various kinds of malware, worms, viruses, and other cyberattacks. Unless you have a secure and private VPN network to protect you, hackers can find ways to unencrypt your phone calls and steal confidential data from your customer, including their credit card numbers, passwords, bank accounts, and more.
Call tampering
Call tampering is a method used by hackers to disrupt calls made on VOIP phone systems and make their quality unstable. By withholding the delivery of voice packets or injecting noise packets into your communication stream, call quality becomes spotty, resulting in lengthy periods of silence experienced by your customers during calls.
The cost of VoIP office phone systems for small business vary widely depending on your usage and the features that you want to include in your package. There are also plenty of decisive criteria that round up the final costs, such as installation, hosting, purchase of specialized hardware, and extra services.
Especially for small businesses like yours, cost is an important buying factor that can help you decide whether a VoIP product can meet both the budget and the specific demands of your business. Luckily, there are plenty of office phone systems for small business that offers affordable and cost-effective plans. For instance, VOIP phone systems business teams use that costs as little as $19.99/user/month. Most of these systems already include the essential features that you need to run your call center and customer support operations much more smoothly.
As the number of small businesses that rely on VoIP solutions continues to increase, it’s important to keep track of VoIP industry trends to see whether you are harnessing the maximum benefits of this technology. Here are some of the most recent VoIP trends that you should be aware of:
Mobile VoIP
Mobile VoIP solutions are becoming more popular as they provide small businesses with faster and more affordable communications solutions. With mobile VoIP, small businesses can make and receive calls at the cheapest rates. This technology also allows customer support teams to access their phone systems from anywhere, making it the perfect solution for businesses with remote, hybrid, or highly mobile teams.
AI-powered VoIP
Thanks to recent technological advancements, AI technology has further strengthened the capabilities of VoIP solutions. Given their benefits, AI-powered VoIP software products are becoming more in demand among small businesses. As AI capabilities continue to become more powerful, many VoIP service providers are now leveraging this technology to improve customer experience and provide small businesses with smarter or more efficient communication solutions.
There is no question that implementing a VoIP solution for your small business is the best decision that you can make to save costs on your customer service operations. However, choosing the right VoIP service provider for your needs is not as easy as one might think. Here are some important steps that you can follow in picking the best VoIP phone for small business:
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Infrastructure plays an important role in a SaaS software. If there is an outage, you would not be able to access the service. So, you should pay good attention to the program’s infrastructure when evaluating SaaS providers.
Many enterprises fail to ask their shortlisted SaaS vendors questions about disaster recovery, service level agreements (SLAs), and security. These are crucial infrastructure elements that need careful consideration when considering a provider.
SaaS is straightforward to subscribe to. All you need to do is go the website and buy a suitable package for the required number of users. For this reason, many companies pay attention only to the price of the package and not to infrastructure considerations. They may also think that careful evaluation is not essential since it is so simple to get started quickly.
But you need to be ready for situations as such as the SaaS vendor going out of business or their website going down. You need to have contingency procedures in place to face these situations to make sure they do not have a harmful effect on your organization. It is easy to subscribe to a SaaS system, but think about the impact on your enterprise if the program is withdrawn by the vendor.
The best VoIP phone system for small business is RingCentral. Based on its overall features, benefits, and user satisfaction score, the platform clearly outperforms its competitors and provides small businesses with a more cost-effective and efficient communication system. It is a feature-rich solution built to help you centralize your call center operations and bring outstanding mobile support to both your team and your clients.
Moreover, RingCentral combines the power of business phone systems VoIP, video meetings, and messaging in one app. Designed to help you create a more connected operation for your business, the platform makes it easier for you to reach anyone at any location. Whether you need to communicate with your team or address concerns from your customers, RingCentral provides the essential VoIP features that you need to stay connected.
Best of all, RingCentral offers a variety of cost-effective pricing plans that you can choose from. Starting from $19.99/user/month, the solution is equipped with a rich feature set that includes call forwarding, voicemail, video conferencing, call reports, app integrations, and call monitoring.
Here are some of the main benefits of using VoIP phone systems for small business:
Lower costs. On top of streamlining your communication with your team and your clients, VoIP phone systems business solution also lowers the costs that you need for implementing a business phone system. Instead of relying on phone lines, you can simply send voice data over the Internet. This helps you avoid expensive landline fees and eliminate the need to install costly phone equipment.
Better phone quality. One of the best things about VoIP systems is that they ensure better phone quality for small businesses and their customers who use them. As long as you have a strong internet connection and adequate bandwidth, you can rely on a good VoIP solution to provide you with excellent call quality.
Flexibility. Since VoIP solutions mostly operate in the cloud, they can be easily accessed and utilized by your team regardless of where they are. Whether they are working from home or their office desks, VoIP solutions are designed to support call center operations of small businesses with in-office or remote work employees.
VoIP software products offer a variety of features that set them apart from other communication tools. Here are some of the core features that you can find in most VoIP phone systems:
The easiest VoIP phone systems to use for small business are RingCentral, AVOXI Genius, and GoToConnect.
RingCentral. This solution is packed with intuitive and user-friendly features that make it easier for your team to adapt the software in no time. Installation of the entire system is also a breeze, enabling you to get started on your call center operations in no time. With its ability to connect you with your team and your customers in real time, the solution makes a great choice for small businesses looking to streamline their communications.
AVOXI Genius. Another easy-to-use VoIP solution that provides small businesses with a more efficient and affordable approach to customer service. It is packed with an extensive range of features and functionalities that enable you to manage your virtual contact center from anywhere at any given time.
GoToConnect. A simple and user-friendly VoIP platform that combines different communication and collaboration tools, such as VoIP functionalities, phones, audio, web, and video conferencing. Built for flexible work, the solution allows you to make calls, attend virtual meetings, and receive messages from any location.
Some examples of good free VoIP phone systems to use for small business are Flock, Slack, and Skype.
Flock. A good free VoIP phone system for small business. Combining business communication and collaboration functions in one platform, the solution allows you to unify disparate teams and improve productivity across your organization. It also has a variety of conferencing features to ensure that your team is connected at all times and can work more collaboratively and efficiently.
Slack. Another free VoIP solution built with real-time messaging and video and audio conferencing capabilities. It helps you connect with your team and your clients from anywhere in the world. With file-sharing tools, the platform also allows you to work more collaboratively and efficiently.
Skype. A popular business communications tool known for its free-to-use video chat, international calls, and texting functionalities. On top of those, it also offers collaboration tools such as document and image sharing.
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