VoIP products and services have advanced a great deal since they were first introduced for commercial use in the 90s. And with these advancements have come a reduction in cost and flexibility, allowing small businesses to afford the same phone services previously only found at corporations or larger businesses. In fact, even as far back as 2013, nearly 70% of businesses using hosted VoIP phones in North America had fewer than 50 employees*. Here’s why.
VoIP phone lines can be used on office phones, mobile devices and computers all at the same time.
Time Saving VoIP Features
Right off the bat, many small business owners are sold on the fact that VoIP gives them access to the same phone features found in expensive on-site phone systems. This includes voicemail, call forwarding & routing, conference calls, call recording, and the ability to change on-hold music and messaging easily. And many VoIP platforms include office productivity features like instant messaging, file sharing, email to fax, and other user collaboration features.
Cost Savings Of VoIP
With costs being based on the number of users a business has on their VoIP platform instead of the minutes used, small business are able to spend one low, predictable rate for phone services. Hosted VoIP can run anywhere from $16-$28 per user, but the real savings are in the time and money NOT spent on purchasing and maintaining on-site equipment. Plus, if your employees use additional telecom services, like instant messaging, videoconferencing, or are communicating on a mobile device outside of the office, those costs are all included in the monthly user fee.
The flexibility involved with growing is also a key cost saving aspect of VoIP. Depending on your provider, additional phone lines and users can be added at the click of a button. And when you order a VoIP phone, no programming or extensive setup is required. Just plug your phone in and it will be ready to use.
Conclusion
With VoIP offering cheaper, feature rich phone services that are typically better sounding and more reliable than traditional systems, it’s no wonder VoIP hosting is predicted to continue growing within the small business community. And with additional advancements being made to VoIP platforms on a regular basis, those businesses will increasingly be able to spend more time growing their business and less time worrying about their phone system.
Note from Editor: Not all VoIP providers offer the same service options. Although the features mentioned in this article are common, not all providers may have them available on their platform.
*Frost & Sullivan Survey