SMEs: What do you look for in a phone service?

The internet has transformed the way small businesses operate, and cloud computing has opened up many technologies that were once unaffordable to them. As more and more offices obtain broadband connections, or upgrade to fibre-optic speeds, internet telephony services have become increasingly popular.

When shopping around for a business phone provider, there are lots of things to take into account. We’ve gathered together some of our customers’ most common requirements.

Low cost

Startups usually have very tight cost margins, and cashflow is critical to longevity. It pays to keep the cost of telephone services down, which is why Nimvelo doesn’t lock people in to a lengthy contract. Additionally, you can try out the VoIP system for free, and if you change your requirements, you can change your package without being charged any cancellation fees.

Flexibility

Businesses need the freedom to grow, and for a small business, that means starting out with the basics and adding capacity later. Because internet phone services are set up using software, you can add extensions with a click. There are no engineer call-outs to plan for, and no costly lines to install. When the extension is set up, you can forward calls, divert them, answer them on your PC or use an app: it’s literally your call. You can shape our service however you like.

Portability

VoIP is all about taking your work with you, and we know many of our customers value this feature above all others. When you’re just starting up, you won’t want to be tied to your desk: you’ll need to be out and about, without missing calls from potential clients. Internet telephony gives you the freedom to take your number with you on your smartphone, and for many calls, a 4G connection is just as good as fixed broadband.

Uptime

Small businesses need to be contactable during working hours, and downtime can have a huge impact on profitability. Nimvelo goes the extra mile with a live status page that tells you immediately if there’s a problem with our telephony services. Just bookmark it and refer back at any time to reassure yourself everything’s working. It normally is!

Integration

Does your phone service integrate with the rest of your IT systems? Can you think of something you want VoIP to do that it doesn’t do – yet?

Using our API, your developers can code custom solutions that pull call data into other applications. That means you can change features, send SMS messages and receive notifications in new and exciting ways. The API follows the common REST principles used in many APIs, so developers find it easy to work with, and can code their own solutions quickly.

What else?

What are you looking for in a phone service? Why did you choose Nimvelo over everybody else? We’d love to hear your opinions on our VoIP features and benefits. Leave a note in the comments, or contact us on Twitter and share your experiences with others.