Small Business VoIP Tips

Many small business phone systems are taking advantage of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to further productivity, lower costs and institute reliable telecommunication systems company-wide.

There are several valuable tips for small businesses switching to VoIP. Jive works with customers to ensure an easy transition, as they have highly trained technical experts that specialize in working with corporations, enterprises, government, medium-sized business and small businesses.

Jive offers the following advice to small businesses:

• Network – Companies should confirm their business network is in good shape and is not plagued by problems. Small businesses should have only one DHCP server/router, switches should be in excellent condition and all computers should be running. This helps ensure that VoIP calls are of the highest quality.
• Bandwidth Connection – A small business needs a reliable bandwidth and a steady Internet connection. This helps ensure the VoIP telephone system is not plagued by dropped calls and poor voice quality. The required bandwidth should satisfactorily accommodate call volume and each individual computer’s needs and requirements. Just as important, is the quality of the Internet’s connection. If the connection itself is unreliable, the data will not be stable and both employees and customers will become easily frustrated.
• Connection – The connection from a business to their provider’s switch is also important. The less a line “hops,” is advantageous. Companies can easily trace these routes and ping their SIP server to determine how many routers their data passes through and the amount of time it takes to send and receive the data. It is important to note these times may vary throughout the day, so conducting tests at different intervals is advisable.
• How low can you go? – Just because a VoIP price point is attractive, does not mean that provider offers the best service. Companies like Jive offer attractive rates combined with advanced technical service knowledge, customer service representatives and the ability to work with companies based on portability and scalability options. In essence, Jive grows when a company grows, making it one less worry for productive companies.
• Features – A number of VoIP hosted providers offer advanced features. It is important for businesses to determine which features best suit their needs. For example, Jive offers features such as routing calls directly to voicemail, automated greetings, touchtone menus, conference calling, record calls, caller ID, music on hold, call logs, call reports, unified messaging, message on hold, desktop integration, online fax, ring groups, Visual Dial Plan Editor, intercom, find-me follow-me features, speed dial, custom schedules, remote access, LDAP integration, call transfers and online PBX controls.