Whether you need phones for opening a new office, supporting employees working from home, or it’s time to update your business phone system, we have done all of the research and tested over 25 small business phone systems to prepare the list of our best Top 5 most recommended business telephone systems. The manufacturer must be reliable, with a proven history and warranty support. Be the most affordable for a small business to purchase and maintain. Be future proof — compatible with standard analog landline telephone service or VoIP cloud phone service. Provides feature to transfer calls to a cell phone, a smartphone app, and supports mobile and home office employees. Must have the essentials: automated attendant call tree menus, voicemail to email, intercom, call forward, transfer, and music on hold.
The most important thing you’ll need is a stable Internet connection from your ISP with a bandwidth of at least 100kpbs/second. Note that the VoIP provider is not responsible for the cost/management of your Internet.
.
Home About Us FAQ News Plans & Pricing Refer-a-Friend Affiliates Resources Contact Us
Google voice services come with voicemail, call screening, and the ability to block callers. Some advanced features are not available with Google Voice but the service is great for business owners who only need basic functions. Users of Google Voice benefit also by the following features:
Also known as analog lines, POTS is the traditional method to support making and receiving phone calls over the Public Switched Telephone network. With the many benefits of data network services, there aren't many cases where POTS lines are the best way to go. Usually they are only need when a device needs a loop start. Gradually, the ILECs are phasing out POTS service and in many areas of the country, you can't even order it, anymore. For instance, Hurricane Sandy wiped out most of the copper infrastructure in New York/New Jersey and Verizon did not repair. They replaced it with fiber and wireless infrastructure.
Don’t forget TollFreeFreedom.com. We have a great toll free virtual PBX with many custom options including, geo-routing (route a call based on the callers area/zip code), voicemail transcription, and coming soon: unbundled custom solutions including toll free number only, voicemail only, Google Analytics call tracking and much more.
These are just a few ideas to get the gears turning. These are simple examples, but don’t be afraid to show a little personality.
If your business is off for a holiday, it's a common courtesy to update your voicemail to acknowledge the closure. Mention the closure in the beginning of the message, convey when your business is reopening, and don't forget to wish the callers a happy holiday if the occasion calls for it. If you're away from your office, check your voicemail remotely to keep up with incoming messages if necessary. Or get voicemail to email capabilities set up on your phone system. Thank you for calling Merlow Plumbing. We are closed for Christmas from December 24th, 2015, until January 2nd, 2016. Our normal business hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 am - 6 pm. Please leave your message after the tone. Have a happy holiday, and we look forward to seeing you in the New Year. 5. Emergency Situation Voicemail Greeting
20. “Hey there! Thanks for calling [company]. We are unable to answer the phone right now but will get back to you right after the holidays. We hope it’s not an emergency, but if so, we’ve got you covered. Contact us at [company email/other support lines] and we’ll get back to you ASAP. Please be sure to leave your name, phone number, and a brief message to let us know the reason for your call. Thank you and have a great day.” Available even during holiday emergencies? Let your callers know via your voicemail greeting.
Visual voicemail on a Skype for Business desktop phone, Skype for Business app, or the Lync client for Mac.
A lot of small businesses set up a 13, 1300 or 1800 number to appear more professional, but that’s only the first step. Using a business phone service gives you a range of advantages over your standard landline, including the ability to: Set your business hours and record different voice greetings to align with a particular time of day or year. Set up an automated response, add department extensions to route the calls, and more. Have multiple users on the phone number via call overflow regardless of their location. For ideas on what to include in your voicemail greeting, see our blog on examples of professional voicemail greetings.
By using a VoIP small business phone service, you equip employees with the right tools. It makes it easier to deliver “daily details” during every interaction. As a result, you will see success.
Voicemail and voice messages are among the top ways every professional business can use to enhance their customer services. Though this idea may sound strange to many in the internet age, this kind of mail is a proven source of solutions for business communications and customer service.
Nextiva customers reported being satisfied with customer service offered by the company, the ease of use of Nextiva products, and the reliability of the services offered. However, other customers have complained about the awkwardness of the company's website.
While communication over the phone remains essential for business, to stay productive, I recommend scheduling important calls.
After helping tens of thousands of companies set up voicemail systems, we’ve learned that there is no set of rules defining what makes a great business voicemail, but there are definitely some key points that you should aim to hit. Before you hit the record button for your voicemail message, take some of these tips into account:
VirtualPBX has recently presented its brand-new Flex plan, which further cements this company’s place on our best business phone service provider list. Flex is packed with features that make it ideal for remote teams – an invaluable option during this pandemic. When you pick this plan, you can choose one VoIP phone from its offer and add more devices for a small cost. Features include two local or toll-free numbers, unlimited local minutes and text messaging, video/audio conferencing, Zapier integration, call-log reports, and much more.