In the modern age, technology has revolutionized every aspect of our lives, including business. Businesses are being integrated with technology to conserve time and resources and simultaneously boost efficiency and productivity. So, Business phone systems are the technologies enabling businesses to improve their communication channels which include communication with customers and intra-office communications.

These types of technologies are usually considered expensive and highly sophisticated, but with the development underwent in these technologies, they are becoming more and more accessible at the grass-root level. Small businesses which are at their developmental stage can use business phones to scale their businesses by penetrating the local market via strong communication channels. Consequently, Phone systems for small businesses are aimed to provide advanced communication features at minimum costs and ease of use.

Types of Phones Systems

• Landlines: They are the primitive telephone systems in which phones are interconnected with each other via copper wires. However, they were reliable but expensive. They are still used in regions of the world where the internet is not yet readily available.
• Private Branch Exchange (PBX): As digitalization encroached on phone lines, businesses set up their own phone network. These systems were expensive; however, due to digitalization, they offered advanced features like call recording, call queues, voicemails, IVR, and more. Still, these systems cannot meet the needs of modern businesses.
• Hosted VoIP: This phone system is operated on the internet instead of copper wires. It is a combination of VoIP and PBX. This set up more sophisticated features like auto-attendant conference calling and many more. This system has the capability to integrate with other tools hence, improving productivity and smoothing workflow. Although due to on-premises additional hardware, it becomes a bit costly.
• Virtual VoIP Phone System: This is the top-tier phone system for small businesses as it offers much more features at a minimal cost. This setup can be operated virtually with the help of VoIP; therefore, there is no extra expense of hardware and its maintenance. The user simply needs to download an application that turns a mobile or PC into a softphone that has the ability to place a call on the internet. In addition, it can be operated remotely; therefore, there is no need to stick to a desk telephone.

It offers numerous advanced features that you can use to scale up your business, and most importantly, it is cheap, easy to set up, and user-friendly. Simply it is a must-have system for small businesses.

Most Popular Small Business Phone Systems

We have prepared a list of the most popular business software so that you can choose the best one according to your needs.

OpenPhoneIt is considered best for solopreneurs. It includes a handful of most advanced features, including a phone menu and auto texting. Also, it can be integrated with another business tool for your convenience. As your business grows, you can also add other users; with each user having a US, Canada, or any toll-free number, resultantly, you can expand your business across borders. A team member can add notes to contacts and internal threads for external commutations and assign tasks. OpenPhone offers Standard (10$/user), Premium (20$/user), Enterprise (custom pricing).

Salient Features

• Shared phone numbers
• Auto-attendant
• Text automation
• Voicemail transcriptions
• Free unlimited calling and texting in US and Canada

Google Voice

Google voice is quite famous among small businesses which are already using Google products, for instance, Gmail and Google documents. It offers features like voicemails, transcriptions, and unlimited calling, primarily in the US. In spite of its benefits, google voice makes your business a bit difficult to scale business and train your team at a large scale. However, You need to pay an extra subscription to access Google voice for Google workplace. Google offers Starter ($10/user), Standard ($20/user), and Premium ($30/user) pricing plans.

Salient Features

• Voicemail Transcriptions
• Google calendar and Google meet integration
• Free Unlimited SMS and calls in the US
• Mobile and Web applications
• Auto Attendants (upgrade required)

Dialpad

This is an AI-powered setup that offers numerous advanced features like shared phone and business app integration. Being an AI-powered phone system can even tell you that a person is speaking too fast or too slow. It allows to port more than numbers into the system.

However, you may feel it is a bit expensive initially as it requires an upgrade for users to access more than one number per user. Furthermore, it offers functions like Slack and Zapier integration and international messaging. Dialpad offers Standard (20$/user), Premium (30$/user), and Enterprise (custom plan) pricing plans.

Salient Features

• Shared Phone Numbers
• Speed Coaching
• Business apps integration
• Desktop, mobile apps, and chrome extension
• Voicemail Transcriptions

Ooma

This software is specially developed for small businesses. Although. It offers no customization that may hinder your growth. Therefore, it is very important to identify your needs. It offers features like overhead paging, which is a handy function for small businesses. It can only be upgraded through the computer rather than mobile. Ooma offers Ooma office (19.95$/user) and Ooma office pro (24.95$/user) price plans.

Salient Features

• Free calling in the US, Canada, and Mexico
• Texting only in US and Canada
• Ring Groups
• Call recording (upgrade required)
• Auto Attendant

Grasshopper

It is a specialized small business phone system. It stands out the heard due to its pricing plans. Every user can access all of Grasshopper’s features, and top tier plans simply allow excess to an extra phone number and extensions, but its plan can only accommodate five users at a time, so you may have to switch to another provider as your team grows. However, it does not encompass features like integration or shared numbers; you can consider it a drawback. Grasshoppers’ price plans consist of Solo (29$/month), Partner (49$/month), and Small Business (89$/month).

Salient Features

• Virtual Fax
• Custom Greetings
• Desktop and Mobile app
• Free unlimited calls and texts in US and Canada (except Alaska and Hawaii)

Ending Thoughts

Phone systems for small businesses enable developing businesses to expand. These technologies are inevitable for your business to remain competitive in local or global markets; therefore, it is the time to upgrade and stand out!