How to pick the best VoIP service for your business

When you’re trying to make your business successful, communication is everything. In the not-so-distant past, business owners relied on phones as their primary form of communication. Today, many are now using low-cost communication technologies such as VoIP. VoIP proves especially useful when you need to make long-distance calls and communicate with people in different locations, even abroad. If you’re thinking about choosing a VoIP service for your business, here are some tips for finding the best one.

Create a budget

Like with any business purchase, you need to create a budget before you begin shopping around. Identifying your budget now will prevent you from overspending on features that you don’t need later. The costs of hardware tend to vary between businesses. However, you can expect service costs to vary between $25 to $40 per month, per user.

Find the right phone

Different VoIP packages support different types of phones. In the interest of making sure your business transactions run smoothly, decide on the type of phone you need now and choose your VoIP service later.

For example, if you’re working in a sales environment, your staff may need expansion modules so they can rapidly access their phone book. Once you know what type of features you need, you can narrow down VoIP service providers according to whether they work with your phone of choice.

VoIP service features

Always make sure you choose your service features wisely. The more features you have, the higher your costs will be. If your business can manage with the basics, stick to using the basics only. In general, a basic VoIP service will provide a phone number, call waiting and call forwarding functions, and caller ID. Many basic service providers also offer unlimited calls.

But don’t try to restrict yourself only to basic features if your business is likely to struggle. Remember, VoIP is meant to streamline your activities and make communication easier. If you need features such as transfers, hold messages, video conferencing, and phone numbers that reflect different locations, then make sure you select them. Paying for those features now can save a lot of stress later.

Mobile app usability

It’s estimated that around 3 billion people will be using mobile VoIP by the end of 2020. If you’re incorporating VoIP into your business, you need to make sure your provider offers mobile apps too.

Using a mobile app makes it easier for you to talk with people around the world. Additionally, it supports money-saving tactics such as BYOD policies. If the VoIP service you’re looking at does work with mobile apps, make sure those apps function well on all operating systems. Finally, make sure they’re user-friendly and not overly complicated.

Support teams

When you introduce VoIP to your business, you need to decide whether you’ll need support in doing so. If you feel comfortable with integrating VoIP without an external support team, you may save some money. This may only apply to basic systems, though.

In contrast, if your VoIP service comes with more features or if you need to integrate it with apps, you might want to choose a package that comes with support. Some services offer installation support and education, while others will provide ongoing support too. Whichever one you choose, make sure it promotes your business’ aims.

By adding VoIP to your business, you can save money without reducing communication. When you do a little research before making your final decision, you’ll find the right service for your organization.