As small and medium-sized businesses, of all segments, expand their need for flexibility, reliability, scalability and cost-effective solutions, many are now sunsetting their traditional telephone systems in favor of a Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) solution. In years past, when VoIP was a nascent technology, firms were reluctant to move to an Internet-dependent phone system, especially if the lifeblood of the company rested on phone calls. A lot has changed in recent years that now makes this solution more attractive and practical for small businesses. In today’s post we look at the benefits and challenges of VoIP and what to consider when evaluating a VoIP service provider.
First, there is a vast array of VoIP providers, which grew in tandem with the explosion of collaboration tools highlighted by the pandemic. Companies like Ring Central, Nextiva and DialPad now have fierce competition from companies like Zoom, Google Voice and Microsoft. These cloud-based solutions help cut costs, improve remote collaboration, and increase efficiency by integrating with other software. Today, hundreds of VoIP providers exist, each with its own features and pricing. Matching needed features with the right service can prove a challenge.
Does the setup use a hosted or on-premises setup for VoIP?
Is live customer service offered?
Is a long-term contract required and are customers locked in for a certain term?
Which features come with the service and what must customers pay extra for?
Is installation and training offered with the service?
Depending on the service provider there could be extra costs for certain features. And that’s if the feature is offered at all. Many of the VoIP service providers require certain physical phones that work with their system.
To break this down, it’s essential to understand the advantages and challenges of VoIP for small businesses. VoIP technology allows employees to make voice calls over the internet instead of traditional phone lines, which means making and receiving calls can take place on a variety of devices, including computers, smartphones, and specialized VoIP phones. Additionally, the technology offers several advantages over traditional phone systems as well as many features that are not available with traditional phone systems
VoIP also has challenges that every small and medium-sized business should pay attention to. These include:
Roark Tech Services has moved many small and medium-sized businesses to VoIP solutions. We believe it is the right solution for any small business, despite the limited disadvantages, which are easily overcome with the right technology setup. We have relationships with many vendors and know the questions to ask and what features are important.
If your business is questioning the right time to move to a VoIP solution or questioning if you made the right choice when you did move, call us to take advantage of our experience, relationships and ability in the VoIP space. We offer white-glove, personalized technology services and support. Roark Tech Services is an expert in fit-for-purpose technology solutions exclusively for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses. Always consult with us first. If you don’t have an IT Partner that you can trust to give you the right support and advice, we’d love to help. Contact us.