Keeping in constant communication with everyone is essential for the success of a remote office. As such, you want a good telephony system in place for your operations. Here are five of the best systems that you can take advantage of.
Telephony system no. 1: RingCentral
RingCentral is a cloud-based Voice over IP (VoIP) service that lets you set up a unified communication system with relative ease. You get plenty of nifty features including:
- Cloud PBX
- Local numbers
- Extensions
- Call forwarding
- Voicemail to email
- Video and audio conferencing
The provider says it ensures all these features are up and running with the help of 17 data centers around the world. It also says that implementation specialists are assigned to help clients ensure their systems are running smoothly.
Why go for RingCentral
One great thing about RingCentral is that setup is very easy. You don’t need to install additional hardware or configure your system extensively. The system is even able to support complex company call rules you set up.
Ring Central\’s audio quality is also very good, which is great even in slower Internet connections. In case of technical issues, you can easily get in touch with their technical support team for assistance. Software support is also available for different devices.
Things to consider
The service doesn’t have direct Linux support. If you are running on that operating system, you will have to rely on the web dashboard most of the time. Additionally, you can’t customize the conference call greeting message, though this is a minor issue.
You might also find the call reports a bit wanting. These can sometimes slightly be inaccurate and might take a whole day to come out. You can still create real-time reports but these will have incomplete data.
Telephony system no. 2: Ooma
For small businesses that have only a few members, Ooma is a complete telephony system that doesn’t cost a lot. It does this by using a combination of on-site hardware and cloud-based services. Some of the features you get are:
- Virtual receptionist
- Enhanced call blocking
- Call return
- Online account management
- Multi ring for different devices
All these features are available in Ooma’s basic plan, which is for free. But if you need more tools, there is the Premier plan, which costs only $10 a month. Both are great options for even home-based businesses.
Why go for Ooma
Taking off from its small business-oriented branding, Ooma is a relatively simple system to set up. You only need 15 minutes to hook up the Ooma terminal to your home network. It will also automatically connect with your ISP.
The quality of the service is quite good, with the audio being clear even at slower connection speeds. In case you want to use an old number for the network, you can also have it ported in just a few days. You do need to reboot the Ooma device to complete the porting.
Things to consider
One thing you might notice is that the phone will disconnect from time to time. This is not a common problem for all users but it can be a bit annoying. In case you experience it, contact Ooma’s support team immediately.
Another concern is that there is no email delivery for your voicemail in the free version. While the Premier plan is decently priced, we feel that this one should have been considered as a basic feature.
Telephony system no. 3: 8×8
For teams or businesses that expect to make a lot of international calls, 8×8 is one of the best options to use. It has inexpensive international rates that even smaller businesses can afford. Aside from that, you also get:
- Ring groups
- Directory assistance
- 3-way calling
- Conference bridge
These and other features are available in several different plans. You can also opt to go either with a regular clout phone service or one that is geared towards business.
Why go with 8×8
The first thing many businesses will like about this telephony system is the affordable pricing. Since it works on a per-user pricing model, you can build a plan that matches the number of members you have. It is also flexible since you only need to add a slot for new members in your current plan instead of having to enroll in a new one.
8×8 also boasts one of the best uptimes we have seen, with only a few minutes of downtime. This is coupled with a good level of quality. Additionally, you can easily switch your outgoing call number when needed.
Things to consider
One con of the service is that it has limited call queueing options. You are only able to line up a small number of calls at a time. This can be slightly problematic for teams that expect a huge number of calls coming in but they can still work around the issue.
The web interface is also harder to use compared to other systems. This can also be encountered in the mobile app. Additionally, there might be some compatibility issues when using 8×8 with other business systems.
Telephony system no. 4: Grasshopper
Grasshopper is a VoIP system that is specifically designed for mobile users. The service lets teams connect their business phone lines to members’ mobile phones or home phones. It also offers the following features
- Business texting
- VoIP+Wifi calling
- Voicemail transcription
- Unified messaging
- Different phone number types
All of these features can be easily accessible through Grasshopper’s mobile app. This gives your team greater flexibility on how to handle business calls.
Why go with Grasshopper
Being geared towards small businesses, Grasshopper is very easy to set up, with prep time being just a few minutes. The online administrator platform is also easy to use, even for those new to running such systems.
Another great thing about the system is that you get both an audio recording and a transcript of calls. This makes reviewing calls and callers a lot easier. You can even forward the two to other recipients in one go.
Things to consider
One issue we did encounter is that of “missed” calls. Your phone might not ring when receiving a call and the system will go directly to your voicemail. This can be annoying if you are already expecting a specific call.
Some companies might also find the feature set a little too bare bones. While Grasshopper covers most of the basic functions, it doesn’t have to more advanced call handling functions of other systems. As such, you need to weigh on your needs before signing up for this one.
Telephony system no. 5: Vonage
Vonage is a PBX system advertised as one of the best for businesses currently expanding their services. It presents itself as an easily scalable telephony system that they can use from the start-up stage to when they are larger enterprises. Some of the features you will get:
- Vonage Extensions
- Enhanced call forwarding
- Toll-free numbers
- Dedicated fax lines
- Local geographic number
With these features, you will be able to better tailor your phone system to each stage of your business’ development. You also get to choose from three different pricing plans to fit your specific needs.
Why go for Vonage
A great thing about Vonage is that it provides detailed reports of the calls that come through the system. You will be able to track the number of answered calls and missed calls in an easy to follow graph. Furthermore, you can monitor all of the operators that you assign.
Another great thing about the service is the ease of setup. You only need to link your Internet connection to your Vonage service to get started. The service has a 24/7 customer service that will assist you throughout the installation process.
Things to consider
One issue we had is that some of the features only available after upgrading are already standard ones in other services. These include call recording and CRM integrations. We wish these were available in the basic plan.
Vonage also has a lower audio quality amongst the services tested. The drop isn’t that noticeable with local calls but can be an issue with national and international calls. As such, you might want to invest in a suitable network connection.
Keep your business connected with these telephony systems
All the telephony systems featured here will provide teams or businesses of any size with improved VoIP capabilities. By choosing the ones that suit your organization’s specific needs, you can maintain a more reliable connection with your team and customers. Get one of these systems to boost your team’s success.
Sources:
https://www.business.org/services/phone/best-business-voip-providers/
https://www.capterra.com/telephony-software/
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6780-best-business-phone-systems.html
https://www.techradar.com/best/best-business-phone-system
https://www.threethriftyguys.com/2018/03/ooma-phone-review-2013-one-year-later/