Business VoIP

Small Business VoIP Start-Up Guide

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:00:14 -0500

More businesses are leaving conventional landlines behind and getting onto Voice over IP phone systems, and considering the level of attraction for various reasons, this isn't all that surprising. Fortunately, business VoIP providers and IP telephony as a whole are improving daily, moving closer towards implementation that addresses all issues and covers all bases. The following guide is in an effort to go over some of the pros and cons of VoIP, helping small businesses commit to something they would benefit from, or perhaps shy away from a technology that is neither feasible nor applicable.

Making VoIP Work
There are two ways of powering your VoIP service, and that's cloud hosted service or self-hosted service. If you're dealing with a major provider such as Fonality or Nextiva, odds are all calls are being directed to you and software clients are being handled with utmost devotion. If it's BYOD, then even better if it's plug-and-play certified and supported by your provider. Requiring no additional hardware and simply paying a flat-rate for service is the best and easiest way to go.

The second kind of support in self-hosted service, will require an on-site VoIP system. With this, you'll need an IP-based PBX to route calls to the appropriate phones on your network, in addition to a PSTN gateway. This hardware is the most intelligent choice for large offices making the switch to business VoIP services that have an infrastructure in place that makes it expensive or impractical to switch entirely over to VoIP right away.

With either method, basic settings may be changed from your phone while more advanced options are usually able to be manipulated from using your provider's online account interface.

Pros of VoIP
There are many benefits to using VoIP, but rather than drag them all out in laborious fashion, here are some quick bullets to get a sense of how it can help:

Business VoIP service costs significantly less than traditional phone service
Hosted services might require no new hardware investment
Subscription fees are low, and often contract-free
In-network calls over data never hit public phone lines, so the term 'long distance' (not international) is negligible when it comes to VoIP. Go a step further by setting up your office phone for simultaneous ring with your cell, and answer calls to the business in real-time, even if you're not at your desk.
Many hosted VoIP providers also offer mobile apps that use your data connection, so you're never truly "out of office", staying connected and preserving minutes on your cell's minutes plan.
Adding an extension requires no new hardware (unless desired), and is simple as getting a software key from your provider.
Customization - Greetings, virtual receptionist, voicemail, the amount of rings before going to voicemail, call hunting...only a few among the laundry list of basic to complex features you can implement to boost your business and give it that professional and personal flair. Sometimes these extras are extra, but not an amount that's going to break the bank.
Price Flexibility and Options - If you only want a single line and cheap calling to operate your small business, then by all means, opt for a residential VoIP plan. When your customers call, they won't know the difference...but you will when the monthly bill arrives. Some plans are as little as $5 per month for unlimited nationwide calling, though it's best to read through the terms of use carefully as some consumer-focused plans forbid using residential lines for commercial activities. Use some discretion, read carefully, save money.

Cons of VoIP

VoIP, like any technology, has it's downsides. The good part, is that the negatives are few and especially infrequent in some cases:

Power Outage = VoIP Outage [The best way to remedy this, is have calls routed directly to your cell. Unfortunately, VoIP will be disabled until power is restored]
911 service is not always offered, and if it is, it will most typically cost extra or result in high base-subscription fees.
Connecting to mobile phones might incur extra charges, in addition to calling less major foreign countries. Among providers, per minute rates are competitive for this reason.
A poor network will indubitably mean likewise calling quality. Quality of service exists to mitigate the effect of this, but is supplemental rather than a saving grace. It will be useless in slow, erratic, overly busy networks.

Selecting a VoIP Provider
First and foremost, determine how many lines you might need and the responsibilities those particular lines should have based on the demand of your office infrastructure. The great part about VoIP, is that you may always add or remove features, making integration of the perfect system a trial and error process that won't require getting locked into a long-term contract that is a financial burden. Adding a $5 feature that you find wasn't working out so well, can be seamlessly eliminated in favor of something better, effective immediately once the term you already paid for is over. VoIP is a mix & match kind of service, fully customizable and affordable - if a business is sure of it's needs, then it will surely save money. Also, focus on what the provider is offering and what comes standard.

Shop around, make comparisons - educate yourself and make decisions that will have a lasting and positive impact on your business. Check out business VoIP comparison charts and read VoIP Reviews to see how one company might be a better offering than the other at close glance. Again, it's all about needs and company procedure, so base the ultimate decision on what will be most beneficial to your business in the long-term and run with it.

]]> Tags: Business, business voip, Fonality, Internet Protocol, Nextiva, Services, Telecommunication, Voice over Internet Protocol, VoIP Related tags: hosted service, business, service, provider, phone, calls

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Is a Virtual Number the Same Thing as a Virtual Extension? - Sep 23, 2012

How Business VoIP Services Increase Productivity - Sep 07, 2012

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Is a Virtual Number the Same Thing as a Virtual Extension?

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 19:08:58 -0500

Do “virtual number” and “virtual extension” mean the same thing? The simple answer is yes. The main difference between the two is the context in which they are used.

“Virtual,” in the context of VoIP Service, means that the call is forwarded to another telephone. You dial one number, and another phone rings. From a purely technical standpoint, every VoIP number is a virtual number. The phone number forwards to an IP address, which is that of your phone. But, in layman’s terms, you associate, a phone with a phone number. For purposes of this article, we can call this a “dedicated” phone, or one that is “tied to” a particular device.

A virtual phone number refers to a phone number in a different area code, or even a different country, that causes your phone to ring, even though you associate it with a local number. In VoIP, all toll free numbers are virtual numbers; calling the 800 number forwards automatically to your main office line, and you are charged by your provider the agreed-upon rate for each minute. You can set your outgoing caller ID to display an 800 number, but no 800 number can actually make outbound calls. In either a residential or business setting, a virtual number is not associated with a phone.

The same can be said for a virtual extension. Virtual extensions also forward to another number, or to a voice mailbox, or to a recorded message. In any of these cases, the number is not dedicated to one phone. When a call comes in to a virtual number, the call may be automatically forwarded to your cell phone; when a caller calls your office and presses your extension, the call can also be sent to your cell phone. For the inbound caller, though, he experiences just calling one office phone number.

To sum up, virtual extensions and virtual numbers do the same thing: forward a call to a phone that already has a phone number associated with it. In business, a virtual extension can forward anywhere, including multiple phones at call centers, or “dead end” extensions, such as voicemail boxes and messages, because there does not have to be a dedicated phone in the first place. In a residential setting, a virtual phone number can save friends and family members money by having them only pay local charges to reach phones far away. The only difference between a virtual number and a virtual extension is the context in which they are being marketed or used.

]]> Tags: Caller ID, Mobile phone, Telephone number, Toll-free telephone number, Virtual number, Virtual telephone number, Voice over Internet Protocol, Voicemail Related tags: phone number, virtual number, virtual extension, dedicated phone, number associated, number

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Questions to Ask Yourself When Choosing a VoIP Provider for Your SMB - Sep 11, 2012

How Business VoIP Services Increase Productivity - Sep 07, 2012

Small Business VoIP Start-Up Guide - Oct 18, 2012

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Questions to Ask Yourself When Choosing a VoIP Provider for Your SMB

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:30:34 -0500

Which VoIP provider is best for your business? No exact list of questions can cover everything you need to ask before selecting a phone provider. Consider this list as a companion to our head to head comparisons of different VoIP providers for your small or medium sized business.

Who Do You Call, and Who Calls You?
Take a look at your phone bill for the last few months to get an idea of how many minutes your use in a month. It will give you a good idea of whether you’re better off with a metered or unlimited plan. But that’s only half of it. Are most of those calls intra-office, incoming, outgoing, or toll-free?

How Many Phone Numbers Will I Need?
One of the advantages of VoIP is that you don’t need to buy extra phone numbers to make outgoing calls. VoIP providers theoretically have no limit on how many calls you can have at once, but they may limit it by extension or by plan. A virtual extension forwards calls to other phones, and a virtual number forwards international or long distance calls to your office.

For incoming calls, you can have a direct number, but you don’t have to. Each company charges different amounts for incoming phone numbers.

How Will I Use Offered Features?
From features as simple as a Click-To-Dial widget to powerful desktop software like the Vocalocity Desktop and the Fonality HUD, VoIP has a number of tools that will change the way you use your phone. But, they aren’t any good if you don’t use them properly, or don’t even know they exist. Learn about the advanced features of VoIP, and also if you feel comfortable using them. There’s no need to force it. But, we suggest you look through our reviews and video tutorials to learn about what features will save you time and help you keep track of your clients’ needs.

Am I Willing to Change My Behavior Outside my Business Phone?
There’s a story of a small business owner who signed up to a major business VoIP provider, expecting big savings on his phone bill. To his surprise, his bill was larger than before. He angrily called up customer support, but, in looking at his history, he had to sheepishly admit that he made a few major sales that brought in a lot more business, and that was a direct result of using the powerful tools of VoIP. That large bill can be a shock, but it was a direct result of him using the phone more to make more sales.

You may find that once you make the switch to VoIP, you’ll want to take a second look at what else changes when you switch to VoIP. If your phone forwards to your home or cell phone, should you change your cell phone plan (up or down?) to reflect the change in usage? Do you want to print up new business cards with just one number? How about buying an IP phone to use at home so you can do business at home without tying up the line? Can you get used to calling a SIP address rather than dialing a phone number? Will you get so used to the great features of VoIP that you decide to also get residential VoIP for your home?

My point in these last few questions is not to intimidate you. It’s to get you to rethink your entire mindset about your phone. With VoIP, a phone is no longer that thing that sits on your desk, it’s part of an integrated system that helps you stay productive all day long.

]]> Tags: Bill (payment), business voip, Fonality HUD, Mobile phone, Session Initiation Protocol, Small business, small business voip, Virtual number, Voice over Internet Protocol, VoIP phone, voip providers Related tags: phone numbers, office incoming, result using, direct result, phone, business
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Small Business VoIP Start-Up Guide - Oct 18, 2012

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How Business VoIP Services Increase Productivity

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 11:59:21 -0500

It is more important than ever to be connected to the office. In the past, this has meant an assortment of gadgets, and too often, an improper balance of home and office life. Business VoIP services allow you to get work done more efficiently by managing the most important resource you have: your own time and attention. The exciting new features of Voice over Internet Protocol for business allow you to digitize, customize, and optimize your telephony experience.

Business VoIP providers offer many services and features that allow you to work when you want to, where you want to. Call forwarding is not new, but with business VoIP services, it’s easy to set up a phone to reach you, not just call a number. One common feature is called “find me/follow me.” Instead of having separate numbers for your office, cell phone, and home office, you have one “virtual extension.” You can program the virtual number to ring all of your phones simultaneously, or in order, and how to handle a missed call. You can decide if you want a call to go to voice mail, or to someone else’s extension. The virtual extension also works on outgoing calls as well. When you make a call using your VoIP service, the receiving caller ID will show your number, regardless of which device you are calling from.

On the other hand, there are times when you wish to not be disturbed. With business VoIP services you can set your preferred level of availability, and change it throughout the day. You can easily set up your phone to automatically go to voice mail or go to someone else entirely. And unlike old phone systems, you can set special rules. Let’s imagine you are in your office, and you have very important work to do, and you don’t want to be disturbed by anyone…except your sweetie. You can set a rule that every call goes to voice mail except calls from home.

Once you’ve got all those voice mails piling up, it’s time to check your messages. Before business VoIP, you’d have to listen to each message, write down the number of the caller (or hope it’s saved on your caller ID), and you’d have to manually erase each saved message once you’re done. There are a number of features that business VoIP providers can give you to make something as simple as checking your voice mail even simpler. With Voice Mail Transcription, also called speech-to-text, you can read the message instead of listening to it. Let’s say a client calls you about a fax he needs, and leaves the fax number on the message. With a few clicks that fax number is in your MS Outlook address book; a few more click and you can send a PDF as virtual fax to that number.

Not only is it easy for people to reach you, business VoIP services make it easy for you to communicate with others, both within your own company, and to existing and potential clients. Nearly every business VoIP provider provides unlimited nationwide minutes and dozens of call features, but that’s just the beginning—the real value of VoIP is the services you simply can’t get with traditional telephony.

When you think of a webcam, you probably think of those little cameras on top of your laptop. Business VoIP web cams have high definition video. The software that controls these cameras can automatically zoom in and focus on the person who is speaking, just like a TV show. You can have a virtual meeting with a colleague in Tokyo as easily as you can have a meeting in Topeka, with the same low cost and the same high quality.

There are times when you don’t need a big meeting; you just want to call your colleague. It’s pretty common to have satellite offices, or have telecommuters. A “hosted PBX” is an internal network, not just for one office, but across the entire company. With a hosted PBX, every worker has a phone extension, and whether you want to reach Des Moines or Dubai, just dial up that extension and you’re connected. You even get an automated attendant to ask callers which extension they want.

Your smartphone gets a whole lot smarter with the addition of an app from your business VoIP provider. By using your provider’s app, you use your cellular data network, or a Wi-Fi connection, saving you money by not using up your cell phone minutes. But, as I said before, free minutes is just the beginning. When you use your VoIP app, your phone becomes a miniature office. Not only can you check your messages, when you make a call from your VoIP app, your outgoing caller ID reads as your extension, not your cell phone number.

Let’s imagine a situation that ties everything together. You have an important presentation coming up for an important client, which you will do over videoconferencing. You need time to make the final preparations, so you set a rule that most calls go to your counterpart on your satellite office in another state, except for a few numbers that go directly to your voice mail. Your presentation goes beautifully, and you walk to your local coffee shop before getting back to work. You check your mailbox from your smartphone, and you skim through the transcribed messages. You see one call that can’t wait, so you call your sweetie, and use the shop’s Wi-Fi instead of your cell phone minutes.

That’s only a handful of the thousands of VoIP advantages and features available when making the switch to Voice over Internet Protocol. Which business VoIP provider is right for you?