Should You Switch from Landline to VOIP? 7 Things to Consider

Guest Post by Susan Guillory

When you run a small business, you’re constantly looking for ways to save a little money...as long as it doesn’t compromise the quality of service you offer customers. One area that you could spend less on is your phone system. If you’re still using a landline for your business phone, there are a few reasons to consider switching to Voice Over IP (VOIP).

1. Cost savings could be substantial

It’s interesting how landlines for businesses cost so much more than landlines for homes; it’s the same basic service, but it seems like many phone companies charge a premium just because they can. VOIP, on the other hand, costs much less for your business.

Different VOIP providers have different pricing strategies: some let you pay per minute for your calls, while others give you a certain number of minutes for one price, with overages billed per-minute. Still others offer unlimited calls for a flat rate. No matter which you choose, you’ll still end up saving over what you spend on a landline.

2. VOIP offers other bells and whistles

Besides letting you make calls over the internet, most VOIP providers offer other features that can be appealing to your business, like auto attendant phone systems. Having a virtual receptionist direct your calls to the appropriate person can cut the cost of you hiring a human receptionist to do the same job.

Some features that can really enhance your business line include on-hold music, text transcription, and call recording.

3. Your VOIP number is portable

If you’re on the go in your business, VOIP is great because you can use it on any device that has internet access. So if you’re out of the office, you can just forward the number to your phone and take your calls on the go.

4. You can pick your area code

You might be based in Spain but have lots of customers in Texas. With VOIP, you can choose the area code for your virtual number. Using a Texas area code will make it more likely that people will pick up calls from your number.

5. VOIP makes conference calls easier

Rather than requiring conference call participants to download special software or an app to get on a call, VOIP lets you easily host calls with an unlimited number of participants. You can even set up video calls with multiple people.

6. You don’t need expensive equipment

Another high expense with landlines for your business is the phone system. A handset can cost several hundred dollars, and if you multiply that times as many employees as you have, that’s quite a chunk taken out of your budget. But VOIP can be used on any phone or mobile, so you spend less to get set up.

7. It’s easy to scale

With landlines, if you hire more people, you sometimes need a technician to come set up more physical phone lines in your office. But VOIP is highly scalable; there’s no limit to how many people you can add to your system.

VOIP is the next generation of office communications. It’s fast, affordable, and offers many functions that landlines simply can’t compete with.

Susan Guillory is the President of Egg Marketing, a content marketing firm based in San Diego. She’s written several business books, and frequently blogs about small business and marketing on sites including Forbes, AllBusiness, and Cision. Follow her on Twitter @eggmarketing.