I was recently asked what it took to be considered among the best business VoIP providers. Although this list is certainly subject to debate, I chose to answer based upon what sipVine customers indicate what is important to them. So, in no particular order, here are five qualities of great service providers:
Thinks National; Acts Local – Certainly great digital phone service providers need to be able
to offer a geographic service footprint to accommodate customers with employees and branches across the country. The ability to provide local service and consolidate billings across the country is an advantage VoIP service providers has above traditional phone providers. However, with such a footprint comes a challenge to have every customer feel as if the provider is local to them. Great providers have built specific approaches to customer service and technical support that will deliver a feeling of localness to all of their customers.
Delivers Affordability – There’s no denying it! Alternative providers exist because margins with traditional phone companies were high enough to allow new entrants in the marketplace to achieve a price advantage. Over time, the opportunity for substantial savings will decline as traditional providers react and alternative providers replace existing alternative providers. Thus, delivering affordable solutions and opportunities to drive operational efficiency is the key. The best business VoIP providers “get” this, and strive to deliver solutions that are both affordable and can improve efficiency for their prospective customers.
Develops and Maintains Rich Features – Business VoIP providers have an opportunity to drive state-of-the-art technology into a customer base who may have previously settled for a low cost telephone system. Hosted phone service providers are able to deliver enterprise level features at an affordable price to the customer. Customers only need to purchase the handsets and some other minor equipment, as the actual phone system is “hosted” by the provider. The best business VoIP providers continue to develop their feature set to meet the expanding needs of their customer base.
Approaches Relationship in a Consultative Manner – There are many business VoIP providers out there, so your choice may hinge on several intangibles. One key differentiator of the best providers is that they tend to get to know the business’ needs and applications, and can customize their solution to match the needs and improve the communication flow. Shipping phones and assigning users is easy, and many ask their customers to use an on-line tool to provision the phones. However, getting the most out of the system’s capabilities is best explored with a provider who will consult with the business and do all the programming for them.
Provides Dependable and High Quality Voice – This is where the rubber meets the road for most VoIP providers. Check references to make sure that their service is dependable and voice quality is something they seek to manage by means other than recommending more internet bandwidth. Ask about their platform and is it built with redundant hardware and internet feeds. Ask if they deploy at the customer premise a device or mechanism to prioritize voice packets over data.
About the author: Mark Greim is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at sipVine, a provider of a variety of digital phone solutions and services. Mark has extensive experience working for start-up or entrepreneurial organizations and a passion for affordable, reliable, and purposeful technology solutions in those environments.
