There are numerous benefits to opting for a business VoIP phone system for your company. However, there are a lot of different VoIP UK systems to choose from and not all of them are a perfect fit. Sure the principle is the same, but there are things you need to take into consideration before you make a decision.
In the following article we will examine the possible solutions for VoIP phone systems, and hopefully, help you determine which one will be the best for your line of work. Furthermore, we will go over some questions that you need to ask yourself, in order to make the best decision when choosing a VoIP phone system for your business needs.
Before You Start Choosing Answer These Questions
Let’s get right to it, these are the questions you need to answer before you decide on the hosted telephone package you want to use.
- Does your company have the workforce required to manage a business VoIP?
Basically, how many people who are skilled in the IT department do you have at your disposal? Moreover, those people have their own workloads and responsibilities, so will additional assignments that are VoIP related overburden them? If you don’t have a large IT department that manages VoIP, using an in-house solution will be highly unlikely, and it would be better to opt for a VoIP phone vendor to tackle this task. - Do you handle sensitive data?
If you are operating with copious and sensitive data, then you should consider maintaining complete control of the communication network in your company. You can opt for a hybrid solution of business VoIP that is basically a combination of cloud computing and one central location designated for VoIP. In other words, your company has VoIP at one office, which serves as its headquarters, and sends data to another location or other office using cloud-based technology. - What is your budget?
If you can afford personnel to monitor the VoIP phone system, then this would be an ideal solution. However, for small businesses that are still growing this may not be possible, which is why a cloud solution seems like a more plausible option.
Possible Solutions
Now we will go over some possible solutions for VoIP UK and similar phone solutions, and maybe help you ascertain which will be the right business VoIP for you.
- Virtual Phone Systems
It connects business phone lines to remote workers on their home phones or their mobile phones. These are basically extensive call forwarding mechanism, where calls are transferred to a designated phone. In addition, to call forwarding, you will also be entitled to the features such as automated receptionist, call screening, voice mail, and online faxing. The downside of this approach is that calls are processed on your mobile or home phone network, so you are charged for calls. This is not exactly VoIP, but it is still a good solution for those who have remote groups of workers. - VoIP Phone System
With VoIP, you use the same internet connection that your company is using, and it provides you with features that were previously available only to the large companies that used expensive PBX hardware. You can have automated attendants, call queues, etc. You will also have the ability to give remote workers access to your business VoIP, which is why this is a far superior option than a virtual phone system or land line phone system.The downside of VoIP is the Internet connection. You can’t use VoIP without it, but then again, if you can’t access the Internet, VoIP is the least of your troubles nowadays, since most businesses heavily rely on a good internet connection, so it is silly to label it as a weakness. - On-Premise VoIP Phone System
As mentioned, you have the entire PBX hardware situated in your office and you’ll need to have a team of people who will keep this system running, as well as for updates and maintenance. It is more expensive and less convenient for you, but at the same time, it is the most secure approach and you will be able to increase availability to your customers tremendously, which results in better loyalty. Solutions like this one are perfect for large companies with a lot of sensitive data. - Cloud-Based VoIP System
This is a more budget-friendly solution aimed at small- and medium-sized businesses. You get hosted PBX and even hosted telephone solutions so, another team is responsible for maintenance and upgrades of that VoIP solution. Basically, you are leasing VoIP services and pay on a monthly basis because buying equipment and hiring a whole team to be in charge of it is not something small businesses should do.Also, you get as many lines as you pay for and they can easily be added, considering how this is a cloud-based solution. All it takes is to install a software solution like 3CX to unify your communications system, so you don’t have to dedicate a whole room or office as a VoIP central.
Now that you know your options, you can choose the best VoIP solution or any other means of communication. We hope this article has helped you reach the best decision.