Finding the right VoIP phone system for your business isn’t easy, especially with so many different providers and systems to choose from. This hassle-free telecom solution is a must for most modern businesses, but which one is right for you? We explore the top ten VoIP phone systems below.
What are VoIP phone systems?
VoIP stands for voice over Internet protocol. Whilst this may sound technical, it’s a very straightforward and effective system. Essentially, a VoIP phone systems allow you to take calls via the Internet using an app or software, rather than a physical phone. A VoIP call is an internet call or other type of communication like text, email, or chat that’s transmitted via the internet. You can expect all the same functions a phone has such as voicemail, call forwarding, conference calling and more.
What are the benefits of small businesses having a VoIP phone system?
As a small business, making admin and communications easier holds plenty of benefits. Here are some of the key advantages of having a VoIP phone system in place:
- Lower costs – instead of paying for an entire physical phone system, you’ll just have to pay a subscription fee for the VoIP
- Flexibility – you can keep the same phone number whether you’re calling from a laptop, phone or even another country
- Handy features – often, extra features come as standard including video conferencing and call forwarding
- Scalability – a VoIP phone system can scale with your business, making it simple to add and remove users
- Reliable – it’s easy to reroute your VoIP phone system should an outage occur, meaning downtime is always limited
Top 10 VoIP phone systems for small businesses
With so many different VoIP phone systems on the market, it can be difficult knowing where to start. We explore the top ten below:
RingCentral
RingCentral is one of the largest providers of VoIP phone systems globally, with a huge presence in the UK, US and Europe. It allows organisations to level up their communications with the ability to call, fax and chat all within one app. Being a cloud-based platform, RingCentral can be integrated with over 250 business apps, including Google Suite, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and many more. With a 14-day free trial being available, you can test out the system before you commit.
Lily Comms
Lily Comms is a VoIP reseller and so doesn’t provide its own technology. However, they add value to other systems as each business gets its own dedicated account manager, meaning that the support you receive is unparalleled. Being a small business itself, Lily Comms can provide you with a great deal of support when needed. They also provide plenty of different systems and can advise on what’s best for your business.
4com
For those small businesses that are looking for a straightforward VoIP service that offers video conferencing, call recording, mobile apps, and call reporting, then 4com can be a great choice. The installation and set-up are simple with the opportunity to receive training, making it easy for small businesses to switch to their service.
3CX
3CX is incredibly remote-work friendly, allowing you to set up the system on your premises, in a remote cloud location or in a private data centre. This means it can be used from any location using the app. The phone system itself comes with many advanced features as standard including integration with CRM apps and browser-based video conferencing. This gives you complete control over the VoIP phone system, making it work best for your business needs.
bOnline
bOnline has a large focus on smaller businesses that are perhaps looking for their first VoIP phone system. The bespoke small business packages are designed to grow with your business. bOnline comes packed with plenty of features including call recording, after-hours smart routing, virtual receptionist, and a mobile app. If you’re a small business, bOnline can be a great option to test out a VoIP system.
BT Business
Being one of the oldest telecom companies in the world, it’s no surprise that BT offers a VoIP phone system. BT Business offers a comprehensive range of features including call recording, CRM integration, instant messaging, video conferencing, voicemail and call forwarding. The VoIP system can also be integrated with mobile devices, allowing you to work from anywhere. Being a larger company, the customer support might not be as responsive but with such a straightforward and accessible system, many are happy with the service.
Vonage
Vonage is an incredibly popular choice for VoIP phone systems, with huge businesses using their service but also offering plans tailored to smaller businesses. One of the key advantages of Vonage is the opportunity to make it your sole communications platform thanks to the variety of features. From a virtual receptionist to paperless fax and voicemail transcription to call monitoring – you can control all of your communications from a single location.
Gradwell
Gradwell has established itself as a popular telecoms provider with a large team and extensive client base. This level of experience allows you to have them as your VoIP provider, no matter the size or scale of your business. The fast setup and simple system make it popular with remote teams, keeping businesses across the world connected. Gradwell also offers HD audio quality and no limit on capacity, meaning it can scale with your business.
Microsoft Teams
Many businesses know of and use Microsoft Teams to communicate with other team members throughout the day with the instant messaging service. However, Teams also can provide a VoIP phone system, with voice and video calling, meeting recording and webinar hosting. As many people are already familiar with the platform, it’s easy to set up and use whilst it also seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft apps.
Nimvelo
Nimvelo is impressive to many businesses thanks to its ease of use and feature-rich package. You can integrate your CRM, track the performance of your team using the web portal and access from any device or location. Not to mention plenty of other features including voicemail, call forwarding and more. The UK-based customer support and simple setup make it a popular choice amongst small businesses.
How to choose the right VoIP phone system for your small business
So much choice can often be paralysing. If it’s your first VoIP phone system, you may be wondering what to look out for, here are some key things to consider to find the right phone system for your small business:
- Cost – some VoIP systems cost more than others. Some may have an upfront cost, others will have a monthly subscription. Take a look at your budget and pick one that works for you.
- Consider dialling options – you know how and where your team works. So, think about which dialling options work best – using headsets? Using their mobile phones? Or maybe via an app?
- Call management – this describes everything the system can do during a phone call. Think about which features are important to you, perhaps you get a lot of calls at once and need a queueing system. Or, you may need extension management when forwarding calls on a regular basis.
- Research integration – one of the great things about VoIP systems is the ability to integrate with other business apps such as Google Drive, Dropbox and more. Find out whether the VoIP system connects with apps your team uses regularly.
- Don’t settle for poor customer service – have a read of customer reviews to see how responsive the company is and consider whether they have live chat. You don’t want to be caught off guard if your system were to fail.
Making the jump from traditional phone systems to VoIP can not only make your life easier but connect your communications and save you money in the long run. With the rise in remote working, having the ability to manage phone calls from multiple devices and locations is key to boosting productivity. At Cheeky Munkey, we offer IT network services to keep your business on track, no matter what VoIP system you use.
