What Should You Look For in a Great VoIP Phone System?

With over 5 billion people using the internet, internet-based VoIP phone systems are roaring in the telecommunication world. Backed by the internet, they pack lots of advanced calling features that are particularly inviting for businesses. On top of that, most businesses have the internet set up already, making VoIP systems the most effective solution available.

But with a wide variety of VoIP phone systems available, finding the right one for yourself can be tough. And that’s especially true when you’re unsure about what to look for in a great VoIP phone system. But don’t you worry: this guide will walk you through the most important things to consider when deciding.

With that out of the way, let’s dive in.

VoIP Phone System: Quick Overview

VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. It’s a telecommunication protocol that uses internet technology to enable communications. As VoIP phone systems use the modern-day technology standard, the internet, they’re a successor to the older phone systems that used copper lines.

While copper landlines are still operational in some places, they have been shut down by FCC Order 19-72 which permitted large providers to cease their copper landlines. It’s because internet-based VoIP landlines are more cost-effective, reliable, convenient, and versatile. With that at hand, VoIP phones have become an effective communication solution for households as well as businesses.

Things to Consider When Choosing a VoIP Phone System

Here we’ll explore the most important factors to look into when deciding on a great VoIP phone system:

Voice Quality

If you wish to deal with your customers professionally, it’s important to have crystal clear voice quality from your end. And that’s only possible if you pick a quality-packed VoIP phone provider that offers incredibly good voice quality.

Around 30% of callers have experienced poor audio quality on call. Around two thirds of them hang up, so you never get the benefit of their custom!

Whichever VoIP provider you consider, be sure to first use its free trial and see if the voice quality is high definition and up to the mark. Though your internet speed and its consistency will impact the voice quality of your calls, it’s good to make sure your VoIP provider doesn’t leave any stones unturned.

This is one of the most fundamental ways that you can increase the performance of your contact center, and your business overall.

Overall Cost

Another very important thing to consider when choosing a VoIP phone provider is the collective costs. Remember, the price of a package alone doesn’t refer to the net price you’ll be paying. Instead, the overall price might include the setup costs, taxes, and add-on feature costs.

So, be sure to get on a call with the representative of your VoIP provider and ask for a detailed breakdown of the various costs involved. This way, you’ll be able to avoid surprises afterward and ensure you invest in a sustainable VoIP phone system service.

Packages and Included Features

As a rule of thumb, the VoIP phone provider you consider should fully fit your business needs so you can make the most out of it. So, carefully look into the different packages offered by the VoIP provider you’re considering and see if you can find a suitable plan. Ideally, this plan should support the number of phone connections you’ll be using, the internet bandwidth you need, and your budget.

It’s always worth thinking about the future growth of your business too; not just “what do we need now” but “what will we need when we double in size?”

Telephony is an investment, and it must scale with your business.

Integration With Other Apps

Another important thing to consider when choosing a VoIP phone system is whether it supports your everyday business applications or not. For instance, it should integrate with your CRM app for seamless business operations. If you use any other business tools like ERP too, it’s best to choose a VoIP provider that supports them as well.

Integration is also a key enabler of automation. For example, dialer automation is the number 1 priority for sales development teams. Around 45% are making big investments in this area – but it’s only possible with well- integrated systems!

Reliability

More often than not, VoIP phone providers offer 99.99% or better uptime guarantees, which is a great thing. But before getting away with any provider that offers such a guarantee, look into how they manage emergencies – take a disaster for example.

As your call center operations will likely affect your whole business, you’ll want to ensure your VoIP provider is prompt in terms of fixing any issues you encounter. Moreover, you should make sure the VoIP service you consider uses top-tier data center technology for maximum dependability.

There’s a simple test to make the abstract uptime number feel real. Ask yourself: “how will it feel for agents and managers if our services were unavailable for 2 minutes tomorrow? What about ten minutes? What about an hour?”

Now you have a sense of what that (seemingly) tiny bit of downtime can do to your business’s financial outlook.

Customer Support

Last but not the least, your VoIP provider should come with a round-the-clock support service to help you through any issues. While it may seem unimportant, an effective customer support service can be a game-changer during an emergency or service downtime.

Apart from 24/7 availability, be sure your provider has knowledgeable representatives so they’re easy to deal with. Moreover, it’s helpful if the support is available through multiple channels like calls, live chat, and email.

Final Words

With the use of the internet expanding widely, VoIP phone systems are a great communication solution for anyone, be it a household or a business. But be sure to do thorough research regarding different available VoIP phone providers before choosing one. Also, ensure the provider you pick suits your needs well and provides fast and reliable landlines.

The great powerful platform for contact center service is babelforce.com. Their No-Code toolkit puts customer experience into the hands of people who live and breathe it every day; make service easy for customers, easy for agents, and easy for you