Businesses that want to take advantage of lower monthly costs and advanced features should consider switching to VoIP. The best VoIP providers offer quality customer service, favorable reviews, and flexibility to serve their customers’ business needs.
Install a PBX Server
There are many things to learn and navigate about VoIP phone systems. To the end-user, a VoIP phone system looks no different than a traditional telephone service. However, it requires some extra hardware and software to function properly. To start, a business must install a PBX server that translates analog signals into digital ones. This server can be an individual networked computer or a standalone hardware appliance. Next, employees need to connect their phones to the PBX server. This is done through a special adapter that converts analog signals into VoIP. You may also need to enable NAT and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP). These networking protocols let devices find one another on the same network.
Connect Your Phones
VoIP uses the internet to convert analog signals into digital data packets, which connect over the IP network and can be routed as needed. Compared to traditional telephony, your business doesn’t need dedicated landlines to scale. Most VoIP providers provide VoIP adapters that allow you to keep your existing office phones. Some models function as a bridge between the phones and your network, digitizing the analog signals, while others work over your existing Wi-Fi connection. Many VoIP solutions support mobile phone usage, allowing teammates to take smartphone calls. This option requires an app and a mobile data plan with 4G or higher speeds.
Set Up Call Routing
With VoIP, you can keep your existing business numbers. You can even use your current phones with a VoIP adapter to digitize analog signals. You can also opt for VoIP-compatible desk phones or mobile softphones.
Call routing is easy with VoIP systems. It determines where the call goes based on rules that you set up in the admin portal. You can also set up direct lines and extensions within the admin portal.
For example, you can make it easier for customers to reach agents by setting up location-based call routing. This will ensure that calls are routed to the closest agent for a better customer experience.
Set Up Call Waiting
In addition to a PBX server (which can be a networked computer), your VoIP system will need hardware phones. Many VoIP desk phone options are available, including the top brands in the market.
Some VoIP providers offer software-only solutions that use computer or mobile phone softphone programs rather than new hardware. This approach is more convenient and affordable.
Evaluate your existing communication needs. You may want to keep the same landline, or your business might require a fully integrated unified communications platform with video and chat contact centers.
Set Up Call Forwarding
VoIP offers features you cannot get with standard phones, including call forwarding. It is a great way to ensure you get all important business calls. You can also set your incoming calls to ring simultaneously on several devices or contacts. This feature helps you avoid missing calls even when your office phone is busy. You can purchase dedicated VoIP hardware like a desk phone or use software called a softphone on your desktop or mobile device. The latter approach allows you to take advantage of advanced VoIP features with minimal cost and hassle, as long as your internet speed and bandwidth are sufficient.
Set Up Voicemail
With work-from-home arrangements and global expansion becoming more common, business communication must be flexible. A VoIP system like Dialpad can help you scale up or down without costly hardware changes. Adding users and managing features from a single online dashboard is also easy. Before making the switch, the only hardware-related steps you’ll need to take care choosing VoIP-compatible desk phones and plugging them into your PBX server with an ethernet cable. You’ll then need to install the software and make any other tweaks to your router, which should be a breeze with clear instructions from your provider.
