How is VoIP for Small Businesses Tweaked?

Small businesses often face significant obstacles when competing with larger corporations. A small company may not always have the same resources as a larger one. They may not have the expertise or equipment either. On top of these issues, small organizations face different kinds of problems they need to solve. 

Consider the following scenario. A business has to handle thousands of calls from customers to provide product support. So they upgrade their phones and buy new equipment. It’s a fairly common scenario for multinational corporations. But a small business is unlikely to face the situation anytime soon.

On the other hand, a small business may worry about maintaining a professional image with clients. How do you handle customer calls when you have only two sales agents? Can you assure customers that you are a stable business if your employees use mobile phones for calls? What happens when the phones stop working? These are generally not things a big corporation has to handle.

VoIP for Small Businesses

Fortunately, the VoIP industry has always offered solutions for small businesses. In this area at least, smaller companies don’t have to play second fiddle to their bigger counterparts. The exciting thing about hosted VoIP services is that they are flexible. Users can customize features and settings to suit their needs. Thus, the same service may suffice for a small business and a large multi-office corporation.

So why do some providers have services exclusively targeting small businesses? These services are not aimed at big companies at all. Their offerings are suited to small organizations and their particular needs. In recent years, big service providers have also recognized this need for customized offerings. Quite a few vendors have launched separate services that target this market specifically.

How Vendors Tweak VoIP for Small Businesses

As we have said already, smaller companies have different needs and requirements. They want different outcomes from their phones. They are solving different types of problems and so, need appropriate resources. So how do vendors change their offerings to make it more suitable for small and medium businesses?

Web-Based Service and Access

Unlike large companies, very few small businesses have extensive IT infrastructure. They use cloud services for the most part. Many companies use web-based services for everything from payroll to CRM tools. Any VoIP service should also use the same method of delivery.

This works well for businesses that cannot afford in-house expertise or hire consultants. They also don’t have the time to buy and maintain their own equipment. A service that is delivered online solves all these issues in one swoop.

DIY Approach

A small business doesn’t have the resources to manage complex projects. The same applies to phone system upgrades as well. An hour of lost business is a drop in the bucket for a company. A similar situation can bring a small business to its knees. That means users don’t have the time to wait hours for changes.

That’s why most hosted VoIP services offer self-service functions. Users can make changes at any time. They have access to an online dashboard to add features or turn on specific settings. Additionally, managers and administrators have access to more functionality.

Cost Effective and Convenient

Quite a few large companies opt for SIP trunking over hosted services. That’s because the former offers a better return on investment. A large corporation can afford to wait five years to get a return on their initial $10,000. But a small company cannot afford that amount at all.

VoIP service vendors design their offerings to be cost-effective and convenient. They may offer lower-priced packages with fewer features. This doesn’t mean the service is underpowered. Quite often, they will remove premium features that increase the package price. This way, small businesses get the features they need without paying for things that they don’t.

An additional feature is the ability to customize feature plans. This accounts for future growth as well. A small business can get started with just two lines as needed. They can add phone numbers and additional lines later on. What if the business shrinks instead? You can easily remove resources and stop paying for them.

Simple, Quick, and Easy

In short, small and medium enterprises don’t want complex or expensive offerings. They are looking for a simple solution that is easy to use. A system that is ready to roll out in a few hours. A phone system that doesn’t need additional IT resources to install and operate. 

Small business VoIP services are simple and easy to use. But you also get access to the latest features and communication tools. As your business grows, so will your communication needs. Fortunately, VoIP can fulfill those requirements as well!