Did you know that 60% of customers prefer to connect with a small business on the phone. This makes small business phone service one of the most significant aspects of your business.
It’s understandable that as a small business, you may be looking at a phone service provider as an added expense. However, it’s essential if you want to enjoy seamless communication between co-workers, employees, and customers. Cloud-based business phone services will allow you to do so much more than just make phone calls because you’ll be using the internet.
These systems use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and you’ll get extra features such as caller ID, call waiting, voicemail, and call forwarding.
You can also alternate mobile phones, desk phones, and computers to make and receive calls. The biggest hurdle is perhaps finding the best phone service provider. Here are some tips that will help you make an informed decision.
Consider How the Phones Will Be Used
One of the most significant considerations you have to make is the kind of phone usage your small business needs. Look for small business phone service providers that are willing to accommodate multiple types of phone plans based on necessity. Subdivide your workforce by the type of responsibilities they have and the calling habits of every role.
For instance, a customer service representative will need more access to speakerphones, multiple phone lines, hold and transfer capabilities, as well as hands-free options. On the other hand, an intern could make very few calls, and hence a phone number forwarded to their mobile device would be sufficient. Consider any off-site workers you may have that could benefit from “follow me” services.
Reliability
As a small business, your limited budget does not allow you to invest in services that will disappoint you in the long run. For this reason, it’s essential that you look for reliability when searching for small business phone services.
Search third-party reviews on the internet from trusted tech publications. Check what current and past customers of the phone service provider have to say about their services.
Check what Industries the company serves more, and which companies utilize their services. Learning about their current customers will give you insight into how reliable their services are. Check how many customers rely on them for more insight.
Price
One of the most significant concerns you’re most likely to have is pricing. It’s a significant factor when it comes to recurrent services such as business phone services. The prices, of course, vary based on the company you choose and the features you want incorporated for your business.
Before you search for the best phone service providers for small businesses, you need to understand how many phones (if any) and phone numbers you’ll need. Think about how many employees telecommute, and your business plans in terms of expanding.
The most important thing is for you to keep in mind that this is a business investment. You need to align your budget with your business needs.
How Customers Connect With You
When choosing the best small business phone service, think about the customer experience. When thinking about incoming calls, consider whether you want your customers to hear a dial by department directory.
Do you want to give certain customers priority over others? Would you like the ability to reroute incoming calls to mobile devices or online voicemail?
You can test out the system by calling your company and experiencing the process that your customers go through when they call you. Consider the kind of attributes of automated systems and prompts you’ve heard when making calls to other companies.
What do you like and don’t like about them? This will help you generate a list of the features that you know your customers would appreciate and what you would like to avoid.
Network and Equipment
Current phone systems and networks have evolved with technology and offer so many features. To grow your business, it’s important that you look for a small business phone service provider that’s not just a leader but an innovator. A company that’ll provide you with reliable services and enhanced features that will help you be more productive.
Look for the best small business phone service provider that will provide services specifically for your size and type of business. As a small business, there’s a high chance that you don’t need sophisticated phone systems.
Look for a company that will give you the right kind of setup that will be of use. A sophisticated system may cost you a lot of money for features that you won’t even use.
Customer Services
When choosing the best small business phone service, or an internet phone service for small business, it’s imperative for you to consider the customer services the company provides. What would happen if there was a service outage? What kind of impact would it have on your business and your company’s reputation?
What will happen to your bottom line if your customers cannot get to you when they need you? It’s vital to make sure that the service provider will be available to rectify any issues that come up, so you can prevent losing customers. Check whether the customer services are available 24/7, especially if your business runs on nights and weekends.
Choosing the Best Small Business Phone Service
Are you currently in the market for the best small business phone service? Make sure you consider all these tips above to find the right one. Consider the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities the service provides to find the most ideal company.
Even better, get in touch with us and we’ll be more than glad to offer you professional small business phone services.