VOIP phone systems have emerged as the preferred choice for small business communications, delivering an unmatched combination of increased productivity and lower costs. At this stage in the game, the question is no longer whether to switch, but how to transition to small business VOIP phone systems. 

Today’s business VOIP service providers sell unified communication ”solutions,”  and not phone systems. According to industry experts, finding a VOIP provider experienced in both voice and data communications is critical to realizing VOIP’s full potential. More than the phone equipment, a communications solution applies technology as a service to meet each client’s specific business needs. A VOIP migration is therefore more a matter of establishing a strong relationship with a VOIP service provider than purchasing a VOIP phone system.

Small business VOIP providers offer a number of options for migrating from a traditional public switched telephone network (PSTN) system to VOIP. Take a look at some of the decisions small businesses face when selecting a VOIP provider.

1. On-Premise vs. Managed vs. Hosted VOIP. Today’s small businesses have a choice of three options:  on-premise, managed and hosted voip systems. On-premise VOIP systemsincluding phone euipment, servers and routers are all deployed and maintained by a company’s internal IT staff. The ideal customer for on-premise voip system is a business that can easily customize and configure it based on their business needs to achieve optimal performace.  With managed VOIP, an independent or third-party service provider offers the phone equipment, software, operations and expertise so that a business can get the benefits of VOIP without the costs, risks and headaches of an on-premise VOIP system. Managed VOIP is for businesses with limited IT resources and no desire to take on the maintenance headaches of On-Premise VOIP systems.  Hosted VOIP services rely on a service provider’s PBX equipment, server and routers to route a company’s voice calls and data. Hosted VOIP is ideal for small businesses with limited IT resources that are interested in taking advantage of the benefits of VOIP without the hefty price tag.
2. Customization. Flexibility is one of the hallmarks of VOIP. VOIP can work with existing networking gear, PSTN lines, and business software, helping businesses realize the full value of their current infrastructure. The best VOIP providers are willing to take advantage of this flexibility to develop a custom VOIP solution that mets your exact business needs.
3. Support. Relationship with a small business VOIP provider does not end with the purchase of  Business VOIP system. Evaluate service level agreements and ongoing support before selecting a VOIP provider. Many VOIP providers feature remote system maintenance capability, enabling immediate response to service issues.
4. Service Reliability. Business VOIP has matured since the days of voice echoing and dropped calls; today, most providers offer call fidelity on par with traditional PSTN service. Industry standards for service reliability are high–as one analyst comments, “people are used to ‘five nines’–99.999 percent uptime.” The best VOIP service providers adopt failover measures and Quality of Service (QoS) monitoring to ensure performance. In addition to appropriate bandwidth allocation, a reliable VOIP provider may offer hardware upgrades such as echo-cancelling VOIP PBX software and enhanced security features.
5. Features. Review advanced VOIP features as a point of comparison between VoIP providers. Many service plans come standard with advanced features such as auto attendant and “find me-follow me” call routing. Hosted VOIP providers may offer these features on a pay for usage basis, allowing clients to pay for only the features they use or need.
6. VOIP Costs. Last but not least, evaluate the VOIP costs between different providers. On-Premise VOIP systems often have a higer price tag, s they offer in-house control of the infrastructure and cost savings down the road. Managed VOIP and Hosted VOIP removes this barrier of entry, offering small and medium size businesses with pay-as-you-go subscription plans so they can take advantage of the benefits of VOIP.

 The VOIP service providers are skilled at developing VOIP solutions designed to accommodate small businesses of all sizes, structures, and stages of VOIP adoption so that every business can realize the value of VOIP services.

Tags: VOIP

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