A telecommunication system that delivers on all of your business’s demands is a need, not a luxury for a business. A VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service helps you manage those requirements at a fraction of what you might spend on a traditional phone service. The best VoIP service provider is always a boon to any business.
And VoIP is here to stay. If it’s growth is any indication of market penetration, it will play a significant role in business communication in the coming years. Statistics indicate global VoIP market share is projected to be around $55 billion by 2025.
Nearly a full third of businesses currently use VoIP systems: 31%, to be specific.
Why More Businesses are Adapting VoIP
The growth is illustrated by two factors: Bigger savings and increasing remote work options in workplaces. As of 2018, nearly three-third of workers worked remotely, at least once a week. Aside from savings on expenses, remote workers save time while working through VoIP enabled-systems and, as a result, tend to be happier.
Yet selecting the right VoIP that’s a good fit for your business is a tricky process. What may be good for one business is not the right fit for another. Therefore a helping hand is needed if you want one that fits the bill. The best VoIP service providers always help in prioritizing savings while uncompromising on the workflow.
Here’s how you can break down the process.
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Know Your Requirements
There are some basic features that VoIP providers offer. These may include call management, call routing, auto call attendant, and call forwarding. Others might come bundled in the packages too. But you may also require advanced features such as tailored call analytics, conference bridging, or voicemail-to-text.
While some of these features may come free with the payment plan, others might be value-added features. So before you ink down your contract with a VoIP service, outline what matters to you. And prioritize. Getting trapped by a freebie because the “music on hold” feature is bundled with the package is a no-go.
Global VoIP market share may hit $55 billion by 2025
Once your requirements are locked down, it’s time to look for VoIP services that are within your budget. You can start by performing a comparison between your current package and your potential VoIP package. Even the best VoIP service providers are of no use if you haven’t gotten your priorities right.
There might be cons to leaving your current package. Keep in mind that you might be enjoying bundled services with your current telephony, such as an internet package or a streaming service.
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Solid VoIP Security
Data breaches are becoming increasingly regular, which poses a huge problem for businesses bound by regulatory boundaries such as HIPAA laws.
Robust security features are a must-have for business communications. The same holds when tracking down the VoIP that suits you the most. By its very nature, VoIP data passes through the internet and can be prone to be intercepted.
The natural response would be to look for a VoIP provider that facilitates foolproof end-to-end encryption, at the very least. Other features you should look out for are multi-factor authentication and secure access. The best VoIP service providers deliver robust security features in their solutions.
And that’s just the software side of it. On the hardware side, IP phones are vulnerable to a plethora of attacks such as:
- Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)
- Phishing
- Eavesdrop Attack
- Malware
- Audio Spamming
- Call Hijacking
To defend yourself from attacks, be sure to ask your potential VoIP provider about encryption protocols. In the modern-day and age, almost all VoIP systems deploy encryption in some form. Additional security features such as a firewall might also be worth checking.
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Stellar Customer Support
If VoIP is the primary method of choice to contact your prospective clients and team members, you will need timely customer support. Problems arise during initial setup and while setting up third-party integrations. A reliable customer support setup will help you take care of your issues in real-time. If any issues arise, your support will be there to take care of them.
And the problems don’t end there. Even after your initial setup is done, the infrastructure requires regular up-gradation, maintenance, and diagnostics during errors.
And while we’re on the subject of customer support, another allied topic is the system’s reliability. If you’ve chosen a VoIP solution, you’re pretty much at the mercy of your service provider’s uptime and reliability.
However, before settling for a company checking for customer reviews is pertinent. Any nagging issues that are brought up consistently are red flags. Google reviews, Facebook pages, and Twitter feed are a good indicator when checking for negative reports. The best VoIP service provider will always have stellar reviews.
One of the main factors to ponder upon is service redundancy. For example, if one server goes down, is there another to replace it? Uptime is the lifeline of your communications. Make sure you double-check this.
And lastly, check if the quality and coverage of customer support on offer match your requirements. Questions to ask yourself (and to the providers) are:
- Is support available 24/7? If not, what days and hours?
- Is customer service based in the US? If not, then in what time zone?
- How can you reach customer support? Is email or live chat an option?
There’s no right answer to these questions. It all depends on your expectations and requirements.
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Pricing & Plans
Alright, you’ve made it so far and have all your requirements and expectations down to a tee. Now you need to fit it into your budget. Once you’ve found the right VoIP provider, it’s time to zone in on their pricing and plans. Charges to keep in mind are:
- Installation charges
- Maintenance fee
- Support charges
You should also read the fine print and ask around about cancellation charges, return policies, and any usage limit (if any). A far less enquired question but a pertinent one is of termination costs. Yes, it is logical not to think about ending a contract before it even begins. But you don’t want to pay a pricy premium if you’re unsatisfied with the service and want to discontinue.
This is where looking at the termination costs may come in handy. After all, you shouldn’t have to be stuck with a service provider you don’t fancy. Planning for the worst-case scenario is what keeps businesses afloat.
Still unsure about what VoIP provider to turn to in your hour of need? Try Axvoice, the best VoIP service provider in the United States. Stellar client reviews, solid customer support, and a can-do attitude is the hallmark of Axvoice’s service. Here’s what the service has on offer:
Outbound Call Features:
You get more control over outgoing calls with Axvoice’s outbound call features. Design your business around your calls, not the other way around. Axvoice is the best VOIP service provider around for a reason:
- International Call Blocking
- Codec for Low Bandwidth
- 7, 10, and 11-digit dialing
- Three-Way Calling
- Alternate Caller ID
- Caller ID Blocking
- Music on Hold
- E911 Support
Incoming Call Features:
Axvoice provides you with amazing incoming call features, so you control your business calls better. Keep your business productive, away from marketers and contacts you deem unprofitable with Axvoice’s services:
- Anonymous Call Rejection
- Simultaneous Ring
- Call Waiting
- Call Filter
- Caller ID
- Blacklist
There’s so much more on offer with Axvoice. Don’t settle for less when you can have the best VoIP service provider. The service also offers customers a full refund if you aren’t satisfied.
VoIP – DepositPhotos
