Sales Director
Customers visit small businesses because they provide a level of service that larger companies can’t. They’re often embedded into local communities, having built up trust and loyalty via dedicated and accessible services.
But running a smaller operation can also be tricky, with many businesses struggling financially. Hosted VoIP services can help with this - offering a hassle-free digital phone system that cuts costs and boosts efficiency.
In our latest guide, we look at the many benefits of hosted VoIP solutions for your small business. If you’d like to learn more about VoIP, what it is and how it works, our article ‘What is VoIP?’ has everything you need.
For smaller businesses, making the time to focus on what you offer is important. However, it’s easy to get caught up in other areas, including setting up new equipment and making sure your data is protected.
Hosted VoIP removes these complexities, with the provider managing all hardware and software in a cloud-based environment, while also taking responsibility for the security and setup of your VoIP system. This is in contrast to non-hosted systems, where your VoIP solution is built into your on-premises network, with maintenance and installation often being carried out by your IT team.
Hosted VoIP allows you to focus on your business, without the added worry of keeping your communication systems up and running. But how does it do this, and what are the plus points for smaller organisations?
You know the feeling. You buy a new piece of tech, you get it home, and you spend the next 3 hours figuring out how to assemble and use it. Hosted VoIP removes this hassle, giving users more time to focus on their business. This includes quick setup time, often being as straightforward as connecting your equipment and adding users via a simple web interface.
For businesses who can’t afford to hire an IT team, hosted VoIP eliminates the time-consuming task of managing your VoIP system. Instead, your VoIP provider handles everything, supporting you through any technical issues.
This means the security of your system too. With on-premises VoIP, you’d likely rely on your IT department to install new security features; but with hosted VoIP, your provider handles it all. This includes firewall and encryption features that prevent unauthorized access to your data, alongside essential updates to protect your system against the latest threats.
Many small businesses have employees who work outside of their main office location, while others may operate without an office at all. In these cases, having a flexible way of communicating without a central base, or while on the move is essential.
Hosted VoIP makes this simple, allowing employees to make calls and access customer data from anywhere with a broadband connection. They can also do this via any number of devices, including mobile phones, computers or mobile apps.
For small businesses that have the potential to expand, hosted VoIP is a great choice. It allows you to add or remove new team members as and when you need to - with many providers allowing you to do this via an easy-to-use online portal. This eliminates the need for any complex installations or long phone calls to get new additions approved.
Of course, with any business growth, you’ll inevitably need more system capacity to accommodate increases in staffing or customers. If you’re experiencing more call traffic than anticipated, many hosted solutions let you add extra network bandwidth or phone connections easily, without the fuss of figuring out tricky on-premises hardware settings.
With the flexibility that hosted VoIP offers your business, it also allows you to be more efficient and productive as a result.
Earlier, we mentioned how hosted VoIP reduces the need for heavy IT intervention. For businesses that can’t afford IT resources, this saves them time and money. However, for businesses who already have a dedicated IT team - because hosted VoIP handles the maintenance of your system - you’ll be able to use your IT resources to focus on more pressing internal IT matters.
Power cuts or natural disasters may result in system downtime, stopping your business in its tracks and blocking communication between you and your customers. Combined, these problems can have both reputational and financial impacts on your business.
To reduce potential impact, many hosted VoIP providers operate a redundancy system. This means that should one of their servers go down, they’ll have another ready to take over, allowing you to resume your operations with minimal impact or damage.
While not exclusive to hosted solutions, VoIP systems come with a range of features designed to make your phone-based business more efficient.
For small businesses, one of these features is voicemail to email - a time-saving option which transcribes voicemails and sends the transcription to your email account. This saves repeat listens when attempting to note down the content of a voicemail, while also giving remote workers centralised access to customer communications.
Call routing is another useful feature, allowing you to route calls to employees regardless of where they are. Many providers let you automate your call routing based on factors like time of day and skillset, allowing you to tailor your customer service around availability, while still providing customers with support whenever they need it.
Hosted VoIP offers plenty of cost-cutting options for small businesses. Let’s take a closer look at how these solutions can save you money.
VoIP providers like T2K, with their Gamma Horizon model, offer monthly subscription packages. This means you’re only paying for the features and capacity that you need. For businesses whose staffing volume and custom may fluctuate, this is ideal, giving them an option to switch pricing models based on their current needs.
While traditional landlines and on-premises VoIP solutions serve a purpose, they don’t make quite as much sense for businesses with smaller budgets.
If this is you, then things like investing in an engineer to install a new system or dealing with system maintenance yourself, are likely low on your priority list. The good news is that hosted VoIP cuts these costs, with essentials like installation and maintenance being included in your monthly fee.
VoIP allows you to make changes and customise your system quickly and easily. This means less time spent on the phone making system additions, and less money spent on costly new features and technology.
Many hosted VoIP solutions also allow you to integrate platforms you already use, including email clients, CRM and productivity tools. This means you won’t need to invest in new technology; instead, you can pair your existing tools and platforms with your VoIP system to create a powerful yet cost-efficient phone system.
To learn more about integrating existing systems with your VoIP set-up, read our article ‘VoIP Integration: Using Your Favourite Tools and Platforms Alongside Your VoIP System’.
Some small businesses deal in specialist services, with some trading nationally and internationally. These types of services can require dedicated customer service, often resulting in long-distance calls. Because VoIP uses the internet to make calls, you’ll avoid traditional telephony charges, making often higher-priced calls (even international calls) significantly more affordable.
If you’re considering a hosted VoIP phone system for your small business, it’s important to consider what your needs are and how they may change in the future.
For smaller to mid-sized companies who plan to stay that way, hosted VoIP gives you almost everything non-hosted systems do without any of the hassle. It removes the financial burden of maintenance and security issues, while also giving you the increased flexibility and mobility that many smaller operations require. You’ll then be free to focus on delivering excellent customer service, while enjoying high-quality communication no matter where you are.
If you’re interested in how hosted VoIP can elevate your small business, contact T2K today.
Having worked for T2k for nearly 25 years, it's fair to say that Lee is an expert when it comes to all things telephony and business communications. Overseeing the commercial side of the business, he has helped the company evolve and grow through the decades. In recent years, and with the advent of VoIP and hosted telephony, Lee has made sure that T2k is at the forefront of technological developments. With a firm interest in helping businesses navigate the world of telecoms, Lee is responsible for the majority of the content on this website.
