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You can find a lot of advice out there about how to grow your business, but what you may find less advice about is how to make sure you keep up with your business growth when it happens. We've all heard about some business that got too big, too fast, and ended up stretched way too thin to support themselves and their customers. "Too much success" may seem like an oxymoron, but it can happen if your infrastructure doesn't grow along with your business.

Hosted VoIP supports your business growth by making it easy to grow your telecom service alongside your business, so that it can expand to fit whatever size you need. Unlike with a traditional phone system, which requires expensive private branch exchanges and other equipment, with Hosted VoIP phone systems you never have to worry about system replacement. Adding new people to the system is as easy as ordering another VoIP Phone. Because a VoIP phone system is completely customizable, you can adjust your settings to fit the needs of your business and each individual employee.

It's just as easy to add locations to the phone service, whether in or out of town. Because your VoIP phone service is hosted in the cloud, the new locations will seem like they are on the same system, no matter where they are located. This provides your business with several advantages:

• Centralization of Functions - Hosted VoIP also allows for a variety of centralizing functions that can help you to manage your growing business. You can add locations but not duplicate functions by centralizing them. For example, you can centralize your customer service function at one location. Calls can be routed to this team via an auto attendant option or a transfer to the group speed dial.
• Decentralization of Functions – An alternative approach would be to create a decentralized team that handles the function for all locations no matter where they are located, providing your business with the flexibility of employing the right resource. The ring group or call queue for the function can route calls to wherever the team members are located.
• Number Assignments – You can assign new local numbers for other parts of the country where you're looking to grow your business, whether you have locations there or not. And those numbers can ring any phone you want, even in your home office. Employee direct dial numbers can be based upon where they are located or where your home office is located depending upon your brand strategy.

Business growth comes down to providing exceptional service. If you satisfy your customers consistently and admirably, then you're likely to attract more customers. To provide exceptional customer service, your business must have an infrastructure that can support expansion and to make sure that you can deliver.

Hosted VoIP phone service supports your expanding business and offers a lot of opportunities for enhancing your customer service. VoIP gives you the ability to easily set and adjust auto attendant features for those times when there's nobody around to answer the phone. It also provides a host of options for advanced call routing and access to mobile employees, making sure that there is always somebody to answer the phone and that the call gets to the right person to address the customer’s need.

Whatever the current size of your business, odds are you'd like to see it grow. Hosted VoIP phone service from sipVine can help you grow and support your business. With the right system, no matter how big your business gets, you can always give the kind of exceptional customer service that you want to be providing.

Is it time to make the switch to a Hosted VoIP provider who can deliver the customer service your business deserves? Make every interaction with customers count with the help of sipVine's complete business communication solution! sipVine provides Hosted VoIP services to businesses across the United States. A better phone system for your small business with advanced features to match your unique business needs! Make your company's business communications better by engaging better customer experiences at every touchpoint. Want to learn more? Our small business phone service representatives are here to answer any questions you have!

One of the most important factors in the health and success of any business is making sure that your customers know how to get ahold of you. After all, it's a highly competitive world out there for any business, and your customers are busy people. They're not going to spend a lot of time trying to track your company down, they'll just take their business elsewhere. 

That's one of the reasons it can be stressful to contemplate changing your business phone service. Even in this digital age, customers still need to be able to call in, and you may've had the same phone number for years. Nobody wants to change their number and risk their customers not being able to reach them. If a customer calls and finds that your number is no longer in service, chances are they'll assume that you've gone out of business, and that's not good for anyone. 

Fortunately, transitioning your business to hosted VoIP phone service has never been quicker, easier, or smoother, and regulations allow you to keep your existing phone number, even when you switch service providers. So there's never been a better time to make the switch to VoIP phone service than right now! Hosted VoIP can provide you with all the services and amenities that you've come to expect, plus improved reliability, call quality, and customer service. But even though switching to hosted VoIP is straightforward and hassle-free, there are still a few things to keep in mind to help make sure that the transition is as smooth as possible, and ensure that your customers can stay in touch with you. 

When you decide to make the switch to a new provider, ask your current provider for a copy of your Customer Service Record (CSR). That will provide you with all of the necessary demographic information that your new provider will need to set up your account so that you avoid delays or rejections. 

Allow at least two weeks for the processing of the port. During this time, your service will still be active on your old phone system.  The Hosted VoIP phones will be configured and installed prior to the changeover.  When the port occurs, the service will be live on the new phones within minutes.

If you have a DSL circuit attached to the number that you're porting over, you'll need to get it re-provisioned during the transition or your DSL will go away when the number ports. It's a simple enough process, but one that can cause big problems if it's not taken care of, so ask your service provider about it when you contact them. 

Once the port is complete contact your old carrier and make sure that any numbers that you no longer need are cancelled, so you don't end up with bills down the road for services that you weren't using. 

At sipVine, we know the importance of good communications to business, and that's why, when you call us, you'll always get the very best in personalized service. If your business is ready to transition to hosted VoIP phone service, give us a call today, and we'll help you get the ball rolling!

About the author: Mark Greim is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at sipVine, a provider of hosted VoIP phone systems 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.