The landline is dead. Cell phones quickly replaced most traditional telephones in homes worldwide, and VoIP technology overtook the office landline. But what is VoIP?
Here we’ll run through all the advantages of VoIP technology for your business, pros and cons, costs, and usability. Then, we’ll go through some of the best VoIP providers in the country today.
Table of Contents
What is VoIP?
VoIP stands for “voice over internet protocol.” It’s a technology that facilitates phone calls over a broadband Internet connection instead of a phone line.
With a landline, traditional telephones function through circuit switching. Calls are routed through several switches, connecting two lines. Once connected, the circuit opens. Early telephones had dedicated wires connecting each phone call, with switches connecting copper wire between worldwide calls.
Today’s modern landline telephone is less tedious, but they still need cables and wires to function. These take physical space and limit the location of each telephone.
How does it work?
The internet has a switching capacity to connect phone calls digitally. VoIP telephony translates voice sound waves into a digital form and sends them through cyberspace to the receiver. Since the internet’s networks only transmit noisy bytes, there’s no need to keep an open connection of circuit switching.
Moreover, the internet allows VoIP to travel on cheaper digital phone lines.
Pros and cons of VoIP
When compared to landlines, there aren’t many cons to VoIP technology. But with any communication tool, you should consider the drawbacks and benefits before taking the plunge. Here are some of the pros and cons of VoIP systems.
Pros of VoIP Service
- Cost Savings
The average landline costs businesses $50 per month. Often, that’s just for local calls or, at most, national calls. Add in long-distance and overseas communication, and the cost is even higher. That’s a pretty penny, especially when compared to VoIP systems that cost $20 per month.
Let’s break down what goes into that $50 landline bill. First, you have PBX costs, or private-branch exchange costs, for the physical hardware that connects the office phone lines. This often costs hundreds or thousands of dollars in installation, operation, maintenance, and repair costs.
If you want to add-on call transfer, call queueing, 3-way calling, and group ringing, traditional landlines allow you to. But, at an extra cost for add-ons!
Those are the direct costs. An example of indirect costs with traditional telephones would be the decreased employee productivity when they’re not permitted flexible work arrangements.
VoIP saves you money through its internet-powered functions, with online capabilities erasing the need to pay hardware installation, maintenance, and repair costs. International calls, call queues, call transfer, and group ringing are often included in a VoIP service, saving money you would otherwise spend on add-ons with landlines.
With remote work or hybrid work models, employees can make calls from anywhere with VoIP. This flexibility is valuable for businesses. With VoIP, businesses can also save on office rent and utility costs. Remote work engages employees so much that companies can save up to $11,000 per year in employee retention and productivity.
- Enhanced Security
People don’t usually think about security when they look at their landline phones. However, hackers evolve every day to find innovative ways to steal information. Landlines are a target as fraudulent people seek personal, identifiable information from easy access points.
VoIP systems often have encryption and identity-authentication features to protect businesses from fraud. For example, Fastcall undergoes security audits and encrypts its VoIP systems to protect its clients. Of course, it’s the company’s responsibility to update their VoIP software regularly to ensure maximum protection. Moreover, you must be selective with the VoIP provider you choose.
- Omnichannel Capabilities
Today’s customer uses multiple communication channels, and they expect your business to do so as well. Live-chat, video conferencing, social media, email, text message are all modern forms of communication that a landline cannot offer.
Many VoIP providers, including Fastcall, offer omnichannel services, which means that they support multiple communication channels and provide greater flexibility to your employees and customers.
The best part? These extra communication channels are often well integrated.
- Decreased Labor Costs with Sophisticated Call Routing
Employees aren’t around 24/7 to address every customer’s needs. It is costly for a receptionist to take a message, record it, and share it with an employee before calling the customer back.
VoIP often has a built-in voicemail that can transcribe voicemail messages for employees to view immediately.
Cons of VoIP Service
- Internet Reliability
VoIP relies on broadband internet access to connect calls. If your internet is anything less than superb, you could risk frequent disconnections and downtime.
To mitigate these risks, run bandwidth tests before you go live with your VoIP system.
- Dependent on Electric Power
This fact poses two issues. First, a power outage can shut down your phone operations with no notice. Second, your computers and software must always be running for VoIP to work.
- Limited Emergency Capabilities
911 is the universal emergency line for every phone except for a VoIP system. Unfortunately, VoIP systems don’t reveal a caller’s location, making connecting to a 911 dispatcher near impossible.
Is VoIP easy to use?
Some VoIP systems are easy to use, while others have high learning curves. It depends on the VoIP provider. Later in this article, we’ll list some pros and cons for different VoIP companies. Do your research to see if any of them have negative reviews. You should also ensure the system has all the features you want.
Outside of the individual VoIP provider, most VoIP systems are easy to use. As long as you have a headset device and internet connection, you’re good to go. Since VoIP doesn’t usually require any hardware, you don’t need to worry about heavy installations or excessively technical setups.
Many VoIP services offer mobile device compatibility that allows users to make calls over the internet through their tablet, iPhone, or Android.
How much does VoIP cost?
VoIP costs vary across different system providers. The price can also increase or decrease depending on the nature and size of your business.
On average, VoIP costs companies $35 per user per month. Installation fees are nonexistent or minimal since there aren’t typically any hardware costs. Traditional telephones can be much more expensive. You have to pay initial setup costs, maintenance costs, device costs, and costs for add-ons like call transfer and international calls.
Best VoIP phone system features
Auto-attendant
Also known as a live or automatic receptionist, an auto-attendant comes with many VoIP systems. Auto attendants are software greeters that manage some tasks a secretary might handle. They route calls based on their menu selections, and some of them transcribe voicemail messages for efficient communication.
Mobile device and desktop apps
VoIP works wherever you have an internet connection. That means you can use it at home or in the office on a desktop app. Or, you can use it on your mobile while you’re on the road. Many VoIP providers offer seamless transitions so that you can access the same information on your desktop as you can on your mobile.
HD call quality
Not many landlines can boast HD call or audio quality. Most VoIP providers offer superior call quality as the main feature.
Unified Communications
Also known as omnichannel support, unified communications combines telephone network service with SMS and video.
Call encryption and VoIP security
VoIP systems provide greater security than traditional landlines. They use encryption and more robust identity-authentication systems to catch any suspicious callers.
Call recording
How many conversations do you think a business has collectively in a day through a VoIP system? Even if it’s more than 10, it’s not always easy to keep track of all communication. Call recording allows businesses to securely record customer calls to improve strategy, manage employee performance, and conduct data analysis.
Do I need a VoIP phone?
You might consider a dedicated VoIP phone for your VoIP technology, but it’s not necessary. Voice-over IP systems are either phone-based or computer-based. With phone-based systems, you can make calls on your mobile phone through the web or an app. With computer-based systems, you don’t need a cellphone. Instead, you can make phone calls through a desktop app.
What to look for in a VoIP provider?
VoIP is the future, but not without a reliable, expert provider. When shopping for providers, look for the following:
- Positive customer reviews
- Locations for calls and how that fits with your needs
- Integrations that you would value, like Salesforce, for example
- Strong customer support team
- Responsiveness in answering initial questions
6 Best VoIP Providers
Fastcall
Explicitly designed for Salesforce integration, Fastcall is a stellar VoIP service. They support businesses with their productivity and customer service goals daily. They’re beneficial for companies that want uninterrupted, flexible communication tools that integrate seamlessly with Salesforce.
Best for: Every type of business using Salesforce!
Key features
- Call routing, call recording and call transfer
- Inbound and outbound calls
- SMS instant messaging
- Video conferencing
- Easy integration with Salesforce
Pros
- National and worldwide calling make it great for distributed teams
- Easy Salesforce integration
- Call recording and concurrent calling
- Custom features
- Exceptional customer support
Cons
None!
Pricing
Essential: $24/user/month
Pro: $49/user/month
Custom: to fit varying business needs
RingCentral
RingCentral is a veteran in the VoIP industry and provides telephony services to over 100 countries. Their VoIP systems integrate well with multiple apps and programs, like Salesforce, Google, Microsoft, and Zendesk.
Best for: Largely distributed teams
Key features
- Unlimited national calls
- Call transfer
- Video conferencing
- Text messaging
- Voicemail and fax message transcription and consolidation
Pros
- Extremely reliable with 99.6% uptime
- Unlimited calling
Cons
- Some reviewers report expensive Top-tier plans
- Not dedicated to Salesforce
Pricing
Essentials: $19.99/month for 20 users
Ultimate: $49.99/month for unlimited calls, users, storage, support, and video conferencing.
Ooma Office
Ooma is a great VoIP phone service provider with a user-friendly interface, as cited by many reviewers. The system is straightforward to use. It features auto attendant, mobile device capabilities, and video conferencing.
Best for: Small teams
Key features
- Video conferencing
- Unlimited calls
- Cloud portal for easy information sharing
Pros
- User-friendly set-up
- Strong customer support team
Cons
- Some reviewers cite poor audio quality
- Not dedicated to Salesforce
Pricing
Starting at $19.95/user/month
Grasshopper
Grasshopper is a VoIP service provider that prides itself on its constant updates to great features, including an auto-attendant, voicemail transcription, call transfer, and extension capabilities.
Best for: Marketing and advertising companies
Key features
- Call transfer and call forwarding
- Desktop and mobile apps
- Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android compatibility
- Concurrent calling
- Capability to add many extensions to a business phone number
- Simultaneous call handling
Pros
- Unlimited calling for higher-tier plans
- Call screening
Cons
- The set-up process isn’t user-friendly
- No Salesforce package
Pricing
Solo: $26/user/month
Partner: $44/user/month
Small Business: $80/user/month
GoToConnect
You might remember a reputable VoIP provider called Jive. GoToConnect is Jive’s new and improved name and service. This VoIP system assures a 99.996% uptime, which is impressive and comforting for businesses that rely on their phones. GoToConnect also offers screen sharing, call routing, video conferencing, HD quality, and call recording.
Best for: Distributed and remote teams
Key features
- Call flows, monitoring, and routing
- Video conferencing
- Multiple greetings
- Easy team collaboration
- Screen share
Pros
- Extremely reliable
Cons
- Not very customizable
- No Salesforce package
Pricing
Basic: $24/user/month
Standard: $29/user/month
Premium: $39/user/month
Vonage
Vonage Unified Communications has won many awards for its excellence in call center technology and business communication solutions. Their VoIP system combines messaging, telephone service, and video communications into a cloud environment.
Best for: Dynamic companies that need customizable solutions
Key features
- Unified communications
- Unlimited call and SMS
- CRM integration
- Video conferencing
- Call recording for top-tier plan
Pros
- 99.999% uptime, making it super reliable
- Strong customer service
Cons
- Some reviewers cite a lack of call history capabilities
- Customer support unavailable by phone, only through online chat
Pricing
Mobile: $19.99/month/line
Premium: $29.99/month/line
Advanced: $39.99/month/line
Is Fastcall the right choice for you and your business?
When browsing internet telephony services, you need to evaluate each provider’s pros and cons and how they meet your business needs. Fastcall is an excellent choice for any business, whether more prominent corporations or entrepreneurial small businesses.
If your business uses Salesforce CRM like so many others, Fastcall is especially excellent as it’s made for Salesforce. Our VoIP call service technology integrates flawlessly with Salesforce.
Anything we log or analyze appears in Salesforce in real-time, giving you valuable data to input into your marketing strategies. Fastcall lets you record data from your communications and makes it easy for Salesforce to use that data for accurate and relevant reports.
Are you looking for the ultimate VoIP provider for your business? Contact Fastcall today to discuss your unique needs and how we can help.
- 8×8 Review & Alternatives - January 7, 2022
- Grasshopper Review & Alternatives - January 7, 2022
- Talkdesk Review & Alternatives - December 29, 2021
