If you’ve been looking for a solution to your business’s communication needs, you have probably heard about cloud phone systems. They’re extremely popular, and there are a lot of reasons for that. They’re less expensive, more flexible, and come with tons of features without sacrificing reliability.
However, there are a lot of service providers and hardware providers in the cloud phone systems space, and you might have trouble trying to figure out how to choose a cloud phone system for your business.
Today, we’re going to go over the core considerations you need to make to ensure you get the right phone system for your business.
Let’s get started.
1: Price
This is probably your first priority, but it’s more complicated than just picking the cheapest option.
Cloud phone systems are separated into two price categories. First, there’s the service itself. That can be as low as $15, or it can be as high as a couple of hundred depending on how many people need access, the features you get, and the quality of the service. In any case, the service fee is much cheaper than a traditional phone service.
However, you also have to consider hardware costs. It’s almost always better to buy handsets from a proper provider than it is to use your existing hardware such as employee phones, random desktops, and more. It’s possible to use your existing hardware, and it’s actually really easy, but then you have consistency issues with training, troubleshooting, etc.
That hardware investment isn’t free, and depending on how many units you need, the price can jump.
The key is to compare prices to see what you’re getting for what you’re paying.
2: Check Reviews
Reviews should be on your priority list before you make any major purchases. You want to know that any service you’re doing business with is going to give you a good product and stand by their work.
Reviews help you check that.
Few things give you a good idea of what to expect than the experiences of previous customers.
3: Know What Features You Need
Different providers offer different types of features at different prices. So, not only do you need to look at what a service provides, but you also need to sit down and consider the specific features your business can use.
Phone calls are a bare necessity. That’s the core of any cloud phone system. However, there are many other features available.
You can get phone meetings, split calls, call holding, call forwarding, extensions, video calls, texts, emails, and more, and each of those options typically comes with a variety of supplementary features.
You might need the most comprehensive communication system possible, or you might just need to have something that allows customers to reliably get ahold of a single staff member.
Figure out what you need, and then look at the features offered by any potential service provider you’re looking at. Also, consider any hardware requirements that are necessary for those features, and check to make sure your hardware provider’s products can support those features.
4: How Proactive is the Service?
Anything you do online is at risk. Hackers and other nefarious people are constantly targeting almost everything connected to the internet. That includes cloud phone systems.
You need to ensure that your service provider is constantly staying ahead of the curve to protect you and other customers.
However, this can also be very useful for other reasons.
Like most other things on the internet, there is a constant need for updates that improve features, enhance stability, and add new functionality to cloud phone systems. Even if a system is incredibly reliable and useful, knowing that the company is always making strides to stay ahead and provide better service is a major bonus.
5: Reliability
There are three factors that affect how reliable a cloud phone system is.
First, there’s the internet connection you’re on. This is entirely under your control since you choose your internet provider and the service package you get from them. A good connection is required to ensure you get reliable cloud phone system service.
Second, the hardware is heavily tied to performance. If the hardware has problems, your calls will suffer. That can be extremely detrimental to a business. That’s why we recommend getting your hardware from a service provider rather than using random phones and computers you already have.
Finally, the third factor isn’t in your control. The providers themselves factor into how reliable a service is.
If the provider doesn’t update regularly, maintain their servers, and ensure that their product is working according to plan, it doesn’t matter how great your internet connection or hardware systems are.
Make sure the service itself is renowned for having reliable service.
6: Can You Scale with the Company Cost Effectively?
One of the biggest advantages of cloud phone systems is that you can scale your service to your business very easily. With a traditional phone company, you have contracts, complicated hardware requirements, and more to worry about. With VoIP, you just upgrade your service plan and order more handsets if you need them.
However, that doesn’t help if you can’t scale your plan with your business.
You might only need 10 lines now, but what if you grow and need 50 in the future? Can the company accommodate that without the price scaling inappropriately? What if you need to downsize? Will they let you?
Keep that in mind, because every business experiences changes over time.
7: Customer Service
Finally, even if every other factor is covered extensively, you need to know that the people providing your cloud phone system put their customers first.
Any time you’re working with tech, there will eventually be issues. You should be able to trust that if you call your provider, they can help you appropriately and in a timely fashion.
Try Cloud Phone Systems with Lanstar Voice and Data
If you’re ready to try the best cloud phone systems available that meet the requirements we’ve listed here, try Lanstar Voice & Data. We put you first and focus on quality.
Contact us today to learn more.
