Many small businesses are still running a phone system that was installed a decade or more ago. It works, mostly, so nobody touches it. But older systems tend to cost more each month, are harder to change, and do not fit the way teams work now.
VoIP (voice over internet protocol) phone systems run over your internet connection and are managed in the cloud. Here are the signs it may be time to make the switch.
Your phone bill keeps creeping up
Traditional phone lines carry monthly fees per line, plus maintenance on the hardware in your phone closet. Cloud phone systems are usually priced per user, and there is no on-site system to repair or replace.
Your team is not always at their desks
With VoIP, the same business number can ring a desk phone, a laptop app and a smartphone. Staff working from home or on the road can make and take calls without giving out a personal cell number.
Simple changes require a technician
Changing a greeting, adding a new employee or adjusting after-hours routing should not need a service call. Cloud systems let you make these changes from a web portal, or have your IT provider do it in minutes.
You are missing calls
Features that used to be expensive are standard with VoIP: auto attendants, ring groups that try several people at once, voicemail delivered to email and rules that send calls to a cell phone when the office is closed.
What to check before switching
- Your internet connection. Most business connections handle voice easily, but it is worth testing first.
- Your network. Voice traffic should be prioritized so calls stay clear when someone is downloading large files.
- Your numbers. Existing phone numbers can almost always be moved to the new system.
- Your phones. Some existing phones can be reused. Many people prefer the computer or mobile app anyway.
The bottom line
If your system is aging, your bill is high or your team works from more than one place, VoIP is usually a better fit. Most call-quality problems come from the network, not the phone service, so it helps to have the same team handle both. Learn more about our VoIP and business phone systems, or book a free IT checkup and we will review your phones, internet and network together.
