Small businesses are the lifeblood of America and the driving force behind the proliferation of Hosted VoIP phone service. According to a 2016 report by Babson College, small businesses make up 99% of the employers in the United States and existing businesses account for 60% of the private sector's net new job growth. This statistic emphasizes the importance of a flexible, scalable phone system for small business and is one of the many reasons small business chooses a Hosted VoIP platform.
Below are five reasons small businesses are discovering the benefits and moving to Hosted VoIP phone service.
Enterprise-Level Features and Benefits - Whether the business is large or small, businesses compete. They compete for the attention of their target audience. They compete to keep their customers' loyalty and satisfaction. Therefore, they look for a competitive edge over their competition. Small businesses deserve the same competitive advantage as their large counterparts, but rarely can afford the solution. This is not the case with Hosted VoIP phone service. Hosted VoIP platforms include the same features and benefits of an enterprise-level phone system all in an affordable package, perfect for businesses of all sizes.
Affordability - According to the Babson report, business owners value technology and are hindered by costs. The affordability of Hosted VoIP technology and the value business owners place upon technology is one of the reasons why this technology has been so widely adopted in the business marketplace. Many times, businesses with Hosted VoIP see their monthly outlay for phone service and phone system maintenance decrease when compared with their old traditional analog phone system. Additionally, the value most inherent to a Hosted VoIP phone system is the fact that businesses are not purchasing a physical phone system! They only need to purchase the VoIP phones and those phones are connected to the cloud-based phone system maintained and managed by the Hosted VoIP provider! Thus, these businesses achieve a lower monthly outlay for a low cost of investment.
Flexibility - Small businesses are nimble. They expand and contract as the market opportunity dictates. They need a phone system that can grow with them and match their level of nimbleness. With Hosted VoIP, businesses can add phones when and where they need them. Business do not have to overbuild a phone system to accommodate growth, but only add phones as they grow. Also, because they are connected to a cloud based system and not a system housed in their office, they are able to deploy phones wherever they need. If their growth necessitates phones in another location or if they need to deploy a work at home team, Hosted VoIP phone service can accommodate their needs. To the caller, they would have no idea where the phone calls are being answered!
Additionally, growing businesses can move locations with no downtime with Hosted VoIP. They do not have to worry about the physical move of a system and contacting the phone company to move their lines. They simply move their phones to their new internal office network and they're in business. During the move, they can forward their calls, or even move a phone or two to the new location while keeping calls coming into the old location until all are ready to move.
Future Proof - Given the pace of technological advancements, small businesses worry that their investments in infrastructure and technology will be rendered obsolete in a short amount of time. This is reinforced with their past investments in phone systems, as parts or replacement phones become more expensive or difficult to find and service calls become costly. With Hosted VoIP, the responsibility to maintain the phone system is shifted entirely to the Hosted VoIP provider. They are charged with keeping the phone system and features on the cutting edge and certifying the newest VoIP phones on their platform. As time goes on, businesses are introduced to new features and capabilities. As their phones age or are damaged, they can be replaced with newer models that will work with any old phones they continue to utilize. A safe technology investment is music to their ears!
Competitive Advantage - So, small businesses choosing Hosted VoIP receive enterprise-level features, monthly cost savings, a low cost of purchase, flexibility in deployment, and avoid obsolescence! They can program the features to improve their communications, internally and externally. All of this delivers a competitive advantage to their business, helping them flourish and succeed in today's market climate.
If you're responsible for a small business, take time to research Hosted VoIP providers and gain this advantage over your competition!
About the author: Mark Greim is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at sipVine, a provider of a variety of VoIP phone solutions and services. Mark has extensive experience working for start-up or entrepreneurial organizations and has a passion for affordable, reliable, and purposeful technology solutions in those environments.
