Posts Tagged ‘Small’

Hi,
I’m an intern with a small company who’s contract with a VOIP provider has ended. We’re looking into setting up our own VOIP systems because our VOIP provider has been giving us less than proper service.
As an intern, I’m given the task of finding out how to achieve this, but I have absolutely no idea where and how to start. The net doesn’t really offer anything except adverts on VOIP business plans on VONAGE, which is completely irrelevant…
What do you need to set up your own VOIP system to offer for commerical use to the public? Some kind of server? What about softwares?
Any help, will be greatly appreciated.

please include the cost of devices(IPphones,ethernet cables,or any services needed to use VOIP on a small or large companies network)

I am starting a small business with three employees. I would like to know whether it would be best to have a VOIP system or actually put in phone lines with a phone system. I will be working in the office and at my home at times while the others will be in the office mostly.

Small businesses, home-based businesses, and self-employed individuals have been turning to internet telephone service (also called broadband phone or VOIP) in droves.  What is the attraction?  As a self-employed, telecommuting, small-business-owning freelance writer, I can provide some insight.

I switched my business to internet phones early in 2005.  Despite a few hiccups, I’m not going back to landlines.  Internet phone service has too many advantages, which I’ll describe for you.  I also have some tips for avoiding possible rough patches.

VOIP Internet Phone Small Business and SOHO Advantages

VOIP Advantage No. 1: Look bigger.

If your small business has to seem large, a virtual PBX with a dial-by-name directory might help.  These systems cost thousands to install. But many VOIP companies let you rent this service for less than a hundred dollars a month.

Give each member of your team their own outside line.  With most VOIP companies, each line costs around $10.

Get one or more 1-800 numbers at around $10/month.

VOIP Advantage No 2.  Freedom of movement.

Freedom to travel.  When I went to Sacramento to visit a friend, I ended up extending my stay to a whole month.  I couldn’t have done that without regular phone access.  With VOIP, my Massachusetts number follows me wherever I go.  

Tropical adventures.  I regularly work with a virtual assistant company that takes phone calls on their Quebec phone number everyday.  That wouldn’t be so strange except they’re in the Philippines.  They’re using the same small business VOIP phone service sold right here in North America.  True, VOIP companies don’t generally guarantee their services will work outside the country of purchase.  But the internet is the internet, whether in Fargo or the South Pacific.  With the growth of broadband to virtually every non-pariah nation on earth, your second office really could be in a tropical paradise–or year-round ski resort.  Isn’t that the freedom you hoped being your own boss would bring?

Telecommuting.  Feel a cold coming?  Work from home!  With VOIP, even the receptionist may be able to telecommute!

Voicemail by email.  You don’t have to be by the phone to get voicemail.  This is the perfect service for busy people and email addicts.  Bonus: the message (in a file similar those used on MP3 players) can be stored indefinitely.

Internet Phone Advantage 3. Cost

Make lots of calls?  Many VOIP providers’ unlimited-calling plans cost just $20 to $80 a month.

Features such as call waiting, caller ID, hold, call forwarding, and multiple ring-to numbers are usually costly extras with landline service.  With most VOIP services, those are built-in features.

SOHO VOIP: Tips for Making it Work for Your Business

SOHO VOIP Tip 1.  Test internet phoning out before committing.

Yes, some VOIP connections are so scratchy and patchy they sound like cell phones.  That’s usually because of a problem in the internet connection.  Such problems may not be apparent in ordinary web browsing and file downloading.  Go with a service that has a 30-day money-back guarantee.  Try VOIP out where you live and work.  Make sure to try inbound and outbound calls.

Small Business Internet Phone Tip 2.  Phoning from a laptop.

With VOIP telephones, you don’t need a computer.  But you can use your computer as a phone.  A piece of software called a “softphone” uses your computer’s speakers and microphone.  If your laptop is running too many programs at once, calls will deteriorate.  Higher-end laptops shouldn’t have this problem.

SOHO Internet Phones Tip 3. Go with an established VOIP company.

You don’t want to lose your telephone service and possibly your number.  Yet only a few VOIP companies have roots before 2000.  Choose a service with deep enough roots to survive a VOIP industry shake-out.

Small Biz Internet Phoning Tip 4. Choose a provider carefully before putting the number on your business cards.

Switching VOIP companies is at least as much of a pain as switching landline phone companies.  In fact, there is typically no outward number-portability.  You can bring a number in, but good luck taking it with you.  Researching in early 2005, I found no nationwide VOIP services officially offering outward number portability.

Choose a VOIP provider with a 30-day money-back guarantee.  Test the service out thoroughly.  One thing is likely: you may want to switch VOIP providers, but you won’t want to go back to landline.

Once you’ve decided to use VoIP for your Small Office Home Office, it’s time to get set up. You’re probably keen to get going, find a VoIP provider, and start saving money on phone calls. It’s a good idea, though, to take a little time to consider some of the points on this check list. That way, you can be sure you’ve chosen the VoIP provider that’s best for you, and best for your business.

Who are the best established VoIP providers?

VoIP isn’t new technology, as such, and though broadband telephony is likely to become the way we all make telephone calls, you want to be sure that your provider is reliable and experienced.

What’s your existing broadband infrastructure?

Make sure you know how your existing broadband works. Is it cable (eg Virgin)? If so, you could cancel your cable telephone line entirely without affecting your broadband connection. If it is ADSL (eg BT), however, you can’t cancel your phone line because you’ll lose your broadband, too. You can, though use a VoIP phone line as your second phone line which you could use to make your business calls.

Do you need just one line, or two?

If you work from home, either all the time or part of the time, you may want to separate business from private telephone calls, so a second, cheap VoIP phone line might make more sense, especially if your business is growing or likely to grow.

What features will help?

Will your customers be able to get hold of you whenever they need to? Check that the VoIP provider offers inclusive features such as call-forwarding, three-way calling, ringback, do not disturb, call waiting or voicemail sent to your email address.

Call plans.

Think about what you need in terms of the business calls you make. Do you call mostly UK numbers? Or do you need to call other European countries, or mostly the US? Look at the call plans the VoIP offers. Is there a good choice? Is there one that suits you? Are calls to mobiles included?

What exactly does ‘unlimited’ mean?

Make sure you understand exactly what the VoIP provider is offering. If it says ‘unlimited’, does this mean that the calls really are unlimited to the countries listed in your call plan? Most VoIP providers will have a ‘fair usage’ policy. That is, they will give you have a generous allowance of free minutes, say 2000 (about 33 hours a month). What is the VoIP’s allowance? Is your SOHO likely to use more minutes than that? What will you pay if that happens?

What will you pay if you call countries outside your plan?

Check what you’ll be charged if you call countries outside the call plan you’ve signed up to. VoIP usually offer very competitive rates, but it’s a good idea to check. If you think you may make regular calls to a country outside one call plan, it may be a good idea to see if there’s another call plan that includes that country.

What do its customers say?

Try and find some of the customer feedback about the VoIP provider. Reviews from customers, either satisfied or disgruntled, will often tell you a lot about what you need to know about a company in terms of reliability, customer service, technical support, customer satisfaction etc.

What are the extra costs?

As well as the advertised monthly call plan, make sure you know exactly what else you might have to pay for. The VoIP provider may, for example, charge a set-up or administration fee, a line activation fee, a cancellation fee. There may be charges for equipment, too, though some of it may be free.

Is the VoIP’s website clear?

You don’t want to have to root through a website to discover hidden charges and the small print. A well written, professional, clear website, with all the charges clearly set out, is a sign that the VoIP provider is committed to professional transparency.

What’s the support like?

A phone line is one of the most crucial elements of any SOHO. So it’s a good idea to make sure that the VoIP provider offers technical support and customer service 24/7. Can you always get hold of someone if you need to? Do you have to pay for this?

What add-ons do they offer?

If or when your business starts to grow, can you adapt your VoIP phone system accordingly? Find out whether the VoIP provider offers add-ons such as a second phone line, a fax line, or the ability to make calls from your laptop.

Can you keep your number?

If you’re starting up in business, it may make sense to get a whole new business number. But if customers already use your landline number, you may want to keep that. Check that the VoIP provider offers the option of ‘porting’ your existing number to your new VoIP phone provider.

Can you choose a dialling code?

You may want a VoIP telephone number that’s local to you. Or you may want one that’s local to your customers. Either way, find out what the VoIP offers in terms of choosing dialling codes, and check that the code you want is available.

What about emergencies?

A final important consideration is to think about how your business would cope if your broadband connection went down. If that happens, and your VoIP telephone is temporarily out of action, you need to make sure you have a back-up plan (such as a mobile), particularly in case of critical business calls or even calls to the emergency services.

Once you’ve been through this check list, you should be ready to choose your VoIP provider. It shouldn’t take long to get your VoIP phone line set up, and then you’ll be ready to start saving money by using your broadband to make and receive business calls.

As good communicators are the masters of the world no one can deny the relevance of an effective communication system. Proper communication is always essential for better service and outcome. This is more relevant in business setups where there is a steady inflow of customer calls. PBX telephone system for small businesses makes both internal and external communications easy and effective without the business owner having to install any expensive hardware or software.

PBX Telephone System – Enhances Business Efficiency

Private Branch Exchange or PBX system is a business based telephone system. This telephone system incorporates several beneficial options for small business enterprises. The PBX system facilitates receiving multiple calls simultaneously and therefore your phone never becomes engaged. The system provides several other facilities such as delivery of e-mail messages, music on hold, voice to email service, fax, caller ID, call screening and more. Besides enhancing business efficiency, the PBX phone system projects a big business image even for your small home based business.

Benefit from Auto Attendant and Virtual Receptionist Services

The PBX system comprises an auto attendant facility that is of great help in handling all incoming calls. The callers are welcomed with recorded greetings. Therefore they come to know that your company is a reliable and solid one. Calls are effectively routed to the right extensions. The system provides a number of menu options including dial by directory and dial by name. If a call is left unattended, the callers will be provided with a voicemail option and they can leave messages in the voicemail box. Virtual receptionist provides the facility of answering calls from a place outside the office. With the auto attendant and virtual receptionist features, businesses need not set apart money for maintaining live receptionists in the office.

The major advantage of a PBX telephone system is that it makes small businesses systematic and smooth-functioning through high-quality communication facilities. With the advent of advanced technologies the PBX system is now affordable for small and medium sized businesses as well.