March 11, 2010

Calling All Business Owners: Tips on Your Phone Service that Will Save You Money

This is a guest post by Nicole Hayward, Marketing Director at Junction Networks.

If you are a start up or small business owner, odds are you’re going to need a business phone service. (You’re not going to tell prospective clients to call your cell phone much longer…) Here’s a tip that’s going to make your business look bigger, better, and smarter: Use a Hosted VoIP service.

What is Hosted VoIP?

Voice over IP (VoIP) is the growing technology that allows you to make phone calls over your internet connection. You may associate Skype with VoIP, which is an app that allows you to call another Skype user. However, there are phone services that integrate with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), allowing you to make and receive phone calls like you would on a traditional phone.

Because of its relatively new emergence to the market, a VoIP service may seen intimidating. But, I’m here to assure you it’s actually cost efficient, reliable, AND easy to set up!

OnSIP

Why is VoIP Great for Small Businesses?

First and foremost, VoIP is great for small businesses because of its cost efficiency and ease in setting up. Frankly, if you choose a hosted VoIP service, you won’t need to pay a phone company to wire a business phone at your office or home. Instead, you’ll sign up for the service, purchase an IP phone to plug into your internet connection, and you’re set. Also, the actual phone service is cheaper because long distance calls are essentially local calls; voice data travels over the internet until it reaches a local PSTN to transfer to the recipient.

Secondly, VoIP has great features and scalability. You will find, using a hosted VoIP service, that you can choose a package that fits your business needs and budget. “This technology allows for businesses to take advantage of services like auto attendants, conference bridges, voicemail servers, video conferencing, click-to-call website integration, business hours routing, and voicemail-to-email notifications…” says TechCrunch. In addition to these features, you will be able to:

  • Add users (extensions) in a matter of a few clicks as your business grows
  • Answer your phone from the road using a smart phone app or your laptop in your hotel room
  • Transfer calls to your remote employees with extension dialing (available with some services like OnSIP)
  • Take your phone system with you when you move to a new office.

How Do You Get Hosted VoIP?

Well, of course I am biased, since I work for a great Business VoIP Service, OnSIP. You can easily sign up and try our service. But, feel free to weigh your options by Googling “Business VoIP”. Remember if you choose Hosted VoIP, all you will need are IP phones (e.g. Cisco or Polycom) and a broadband connection. Or, you can always email me with questions. Good luck in growing your business and communications!

- – - – - – - – - -

Nicole Hayward is the Marketing Director at Junction Networks, the creators of OnSIP Business Phone Service. Joining the software development industry after a traditional engineering education, she became passionate about discovering new software tolls for business efficiency and success. Follow Nicole and the rest of her team on Twitter @OnSIP and on the OnSIP blog. Or, you can email her at Nicole [AT] JunctionNetworks [DOT] Com.

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About the Author: Holly Ord

In addition to being the Founder and Editor of Woman Tribune, Holly Ord is a freelance writer, web designer and developer, feminist activist and blogger, and hopeless video game addict. She lives in Northeastern Pennsylvania and has been blogging on liberal politics and gender equality on her personal website, Menstrual Poetry since 2007.

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5 Comments on Calling All Business Owners: Tips on Your Phone Service that Will Save You Money / Add Your Comment

  1. I thought this was another video like I had Google move in with me. That was really funny, I guess this is more serious. I just got my hopes up that all.

  2. James says:

    I need a phone at my business. I was wondering how to setup VoIP, thanks for the useful information. I would immediately install one.

  3. ellboorhani says:

    just use phone when you need. It also would create a more durable

  4. These are some good suggestions- I think using IP phones are a great way to maximise efficiency. Cisco unified communications products in particular are great for any kind of business or call centre infrastructure- and it’s a good cost-effective solution.

  5. I like your suggestions, and might add that if you have a very small home based business to consider if you might have any benefit to get Comcast internet phone service or Vonage.

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