After first being commercially introduced in the ’90s, Voice over Internet Protocol has grown to become a major way that organizations do business. The VoIP market is massive right now, and it’s projected to be valued at more than $50 billion by the end of next year.
For companies looking to select a VoIP provider, this means having a lot of choices. That can be both a blessing and a curse. If you are looking to choose the right VoIP provider for your business, you should do so carefully to get the most out of your investment.
How to Choose the Right VOIP Provider
Picking the right VoIP provider usually doesn’t happen by accident. Organizations that get the best results conduct a thorough analysis and select a provider based on the most relevant criteria.
The process of picking a provider should start by understanding what your needs are and how a VoIP system can address them. Maybe your company does a lot of international business and needs to make a lot of international calls. Or, maybe your organization deals with highly sensitive information and needs a VoIP solution that is private and secure.
After you have determined what your needs are, you should consider the volume and types of calls that your company typically makes. For example, a call center will need a VoIP solution that is much different from a production facility. Call volume is probably the biggest single factor when it comes to cost.
It’s also important to consider what business software integrations you might need. Sales and service departments will likely need CRM integration, while HR departments and recruiters will need integrations for an ATS (applicant tracking system). Your employees are already likely using these essential software packages, and you’ll need to keep them in mind when choosing the right VoIP provider.
Another key factor to consider is your company’s need for backup systems. If a significant portion of your business is conducted over the phone, then you can’t afford significant downtime. If this is the case, your company needs a robust backup system in place to ensure you can stay connected to your customers.
Pricing and your VoIP budget are also major concerns. A VoIP system can provide a significant return on investment. However, you don’t want to waste money on resources that won’t be used. A VoIP provider should be able to work with you and your leadership group on a custom package that delivers the most return on investment.
Finally, you should consider each provider’s track records for customer service. Inevitably, issues will pop up and there is a risk that something will go wrong with your VoIP system. You’ll want to be sure that you will have adequate support when that happens.
Knowing What Your Needs Are
Choosing the right VoIP provider starts with understanding what you need, especially when it comes to making phone calls. Whether your company makes mostly local or international phone calls should have a strong impact on the VoIP solution that your company selects. Because it functions via the Internet, VoIP is particularly well-suited to long-distance calling. Some providers offer different rates to different countries, and you should determine which companies you mostly do business with when evaluating each provider’s package.
Security is another key factor when choosing a VoIP provider. Reliable security protocols and encryption are must-haves for any VoIP package. If your company deals with particularly sensitive data, such as healthcare or financial information, make sure the VoIP provider has the necessary security compliance in place. Companies that deal with sensitive information should also consider additional security measures like multifactor authentication.
You should also understand what your needs are with respect to latency, which is a lag or delay in communication. All VoIP systems are vulnerable to some degree of latency, and providers should be able to show that they have a strong history of minimizing latency and downtime. Some providers will even offer an uptime guarantee at a cost.
VoIP systems can come with all kinds of features. It’s important to know what these features are and how they can meet the needs of your organization. These features may include:
- Auto attendant. This allows callers to navigate your phone system using a touch-tone keypad or voice prompts.
- Call forwarding. This feature lets employees forward calls to one another to ensure that an incoming call is sent to the right person.
- Softphone. Because VoIP is a digital and internet-based technology, it can be used on any digital device, including laptops and smartphones, through the use of a softphone app.
- SMS messaging. Text messaging has become a valid form of business communication, and it is supported by most VoIP systems.
- Video conferencing. Video chat exploded in popularity during the pandemic and it continues to be the way that many people do business.
- Voicemail-to-text. Most modern smartphones have this feature, and modern VoIP systems can automatically transcribe voicemails as a more convenient way to receive and review information.
VoIP platforms can provide much more than basic telephony and communications functionality. Your business likely has specialized needs, and some advanced VoIP features might be useful in meeting those needs. Be sure to ask providers about advanced features like artificial intelligence, virtual assistants, data analytics and more.
Call Volume Estimates
Call volume is the biggest factor to consider when choosing the right voice provider. It’s also important to consider call types. Determine how many workers you have on the phone at a time, whether those calls are incoming or outgoing, and how long those calls tend to be. Many VoIP providers set up pricing based on the number of phone lines that a company needs, so understanding your calling activities can help determine the number of phone lines that you need.
In some departments, like customer service, every single employee needs a dedicated phone line. But in most departments, a one-to-one ratio isn’t necessary. Some VoIP providers offer reduced monthly fees when a business meets a certain threshold for the number of lines it needs.
Integrations with Important Software Your Business Uses
While VoIP is great on its own, the real power of a modern VoIP system comes from its ability to integrate software. The most fundamental VoIP software deals with call management, which includes basic functions like routing calls and call presence. Call management software can also provide management functions like displaying call metric data, indicating agent performance, setting up rules for automated call routing and making call volume predictions.
Your business likely communicates with its customers outside of phone calls, and software integrations for a VoIP platform should incorporate the different ways that your business communicates. These might include third-party applications for email, text messaging, video chat and more. Having all these channels on the same platform helps to simplify workflows for your employees.
Modern VoIP systems also allow for the integration of third-party business software tools like Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics. These integrations make your staff members more effective and help you put everything in one place, minimizing application sprawl.
If you already have effective software tools that your team enjoys using, make sure that any VoIP platforms you are considering have the capability to incorporate those tools. Also, determine which integrations your business might need going forward. Choosing the right VoIP provider has a lot to do with these integrations, and most providers have a list of software tools that can be integrated into their platform.
If you have a long list of features that you would like to use, break down your list into “must have” and “nice to have. ” It can also be helpful to put down a list of features that you won’t need to make sure that you aren’t paying for capabilities that you won’t be using.
Pricing
Pricing can vary significantly from provider to provider. If you’ve done your homework and understand the needs of your organization, then you will be better positioned to understand how a provider’s pricing structure would suit your company. Most providers offer a monthly or annual per-user fee, but some offer a metered package. Some providers also have additional charges for IP phone rentals, call management software, SIP trunking, and more.
Be sure to ask about fees and costs that go beyond phone lines. Usually, the more you pay per user, the more features a provider will include in your package. Pricing will also depend on whether you are using a hosted or cloud-based system.
Obviously, you’ll want it’s that budget before you enter into a negotiation. Pricing can be flexible, and it is possible to reduce some costs. However, you’ll want to know which fees are flexible and which ones are fixed so you can choose the right VoIP provider. If you decide that you need to upgrade your plan, you should be prepared to pay higher costs.
Backups
Although it’s nice to think that it won’t happen, your VoIP system could potentially go down at some point. This could be incredibly costly, and studies have shown that each minute of downtime could potentially cost any company thousands of dollars. The cost of VoIP downtime at your company will depend on how much of your business is done over the phone.
When it comes to choosing the right VoIP provider, it’s important to establish what each provider would do in the event of their system going down. Some providers offer guaranteed uptime or have a service level agreement. Providers should also be able to explain the backup plans they have in place to ensure that your company stays connected to the outside world. Negotiate any service-level agreements based on your level of need for constant communication.
Customer Service
As with backup systems, it’s nice to think that you’ll never need customer service for your VoIP solution. But if you want to get the most out of your investment, it’s hard to do so without assistance. If you run into a problem with quality or latency, it’s good to know that you can reach out to an expert and get some help.
Of course, every VoIP provider says they provide great customer service. So how do you know which ones actually do? Online reviews are a good place to start. You and your leadership team should also use your personal networks to get recommendations and feedback on various providers. Also, providers might have different approaches when it comes to customer support.
Some providers offer around-the-clock support, while others only offer support during business hours. Some providers offer support over live chat or text, while others ask you to call the customer support department, which could require sitting in a queue and waiting for an available representative. Choosing the right VoIP provider has a lot to do with customer service, and you’ll want to make sure that the level of service it offers meets the needs of your organization.
Taylored Systems: The VOIP Provider Your Business Needs
At Taylored Systems, we offer comprehensive VoIP services to Indiana businesses so they can meet the expectations of today’s customers. The hosted VoIP solutions that we offer are perfect for modern companies because they require very little setup and minimal overhead.
We can help your company design and install the VoIP solution. If you aren’t sure if it’s time for your business to switch to a hosted VoIP system, our experts can assess your needs and provide their recommendations. We also back up every solution with 24/7 customer support. We also offer VoIP solutions as part of a unified communications solution that includes a wide range of functionality, from instant messaging to video conferencing.
This comprehensive approach to communications makes your employees more efficient and flexible. If you would like to learn more about how Taylored Systems can deliver a customized communication solution that improves your business, contact us today.