How to Choose The Best Small Business Phone System
Desk phones? Mobile phones? Both? When picking a phone system for your small business, which option will allow you to stay connected with your customers AND give you that professional look and feel you’re going for?
Thanks to rise of cloud-based phone systems, you can run your small business from just about anywhere and sound like a Fortune 500 company.
Choosing a Business Phone
Luckily there are a lot of affordable phone systems for small businesses. To help narrow your search, start by identifying the features that matter most. Are you looking primarily for:
- an 800 or local business phone number?
- custom greeting?
- dial-by-name directory?
- music on hold?
- unlimited minutes?
- multiple extensions?
- operator switchboard?
- inbound fax?
- file sharing and team collaboration tools?
Focus on the functionality that's mission critical to your business versus and your ability to provide exceptional customer service. Then you can look at other features that are "nice to have" but not absolutely necessary. Most small business phone providers offer a number of different calling plans so you can upgrade as your business and your needs continue to grow.
Some of the links below are affiliate links to products that will earn me a commission. These are all things that I have experience with and I am recommending because they are helpful and are products that I trust – If I don’t like it, I will not share it!
Best Picks for Business Phone Systems
Grasshopper.com is a popular virtual phone system with entrepreneurs, startups, and small business owners that are always on the go. One of the first voice over internet protocal (VoIP) phone systems, Grasshopper continues to be a market leader, making it incredibly easy to run your business from your smartphone. Their affordable small business phone plans start at only $28 per month offer all of the bells and whistles you would expect from a big-time virtual phone solution but at a fraction of the cost. They include:
- Unlimited minutes
- Toll free 800 numbers and local phone numbers
- No new hardware
- Multiple extensions for everyone on your team
- Send & receive texts on your toll free or local number
- 30-day money back guarantee
Providers such as RingCentral and 8x8 offer many of the same great features as Grasshopper, but also include team collaboration tools including online meetings, messaging, and more. If you're looking for more of an all-inclusive phone system, they definitely are great places to start. Their small business phone packages are also affordably priced--starting as low as $19.99 per month. There are also dozens of other VoIP phone systems to choose from so be sure to look around before you make your decision.
Choosing the right small business phone system can add a professional touch to your business and allow you to capture more leads and sales. Thanks to options such as Grasshopper, RingCentral, and 8x8, moving your business phone system to the cloud can now be simple, straightforward, and incredibly inexpensive.
More:
- 3 Ridiculously Affordable Phone Systems for Small Business 2023
- The Best Small Business Phone Systems for 2023
- Grasshopper vs. RingCentral Business Phone Comparison
As a disclaimer, I use affiliate links for some of the products listed. They are all products I absolutely love and trust and would recommend regardless of whether they have an affiliate program.
[Image: Flickr user Melanie Tata]
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