VoIP is the way forward.
But did you know that not all VoIP is the same?
Sigh. We know.
It can get real tiring real quick when you think you'll just learn one necessary thing for business, and then you realize you need to learn another thing to understand the first thing...
But wait, by the time you processed the first two things, another one popped up….
Before you know it, it just spirals. Forever.
Welcome to modern business. Apps, tools, hacks, it can all get way too complicated. More than it actually needs to be.
So let's get right to what you came for: hosted VoIP phone systems.
What are they? What aren't they?
Why should you be using them?
Keep reading for all the value and not a single additional techy acronym on top.
A hosted VoIP is VoIP.
You don't say? And what even is VoIP?
Wait. Before you close this tab, just hear us out.
We have some ground to cover when it comes to VoIP vs landlines before we even get to the hosted part.
And to avoid using all the possible combinations of capital letters and assume you'll naturally know what PDSDFP stands for, we need to give you the context.
Right. So landlines are your traditional telephony route.
They work through copper wires, are attached to an electrical outlet, and look kinda dated.
That's because they are.
VoIP on the other hand is a 21st-century alternative that works through an internet connection.
It's newer than landlines, sure, but this concept has been around for a while too and has definitely caught on, especially in the worlds of sales and support.
That's because VoIP systems aren't just your regular phones. They come with special features to make your life easier. Here are some examples:
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VoIP Features |
Details |
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Over one-third of businesses have switched over to VoIP, and two-thirds of them have canceled their traditional phones according to a 2018 study.
So clearly something is going right here.
Hosted VoIP phone systems are the ones that are based on the cloud.
And if on-premise VoIP is a step up from your basic landlines, you could say a hosted VoIP phone system is another step away.
Okay, the server isn't in the sky.
But it's definitely remote and the costs of setting it up are cheaper than analog phones.
Once you get that done, you have internet calling with all the added benefits FOREVA.
Sound good?
So that's the what and why of hosted VoIP phone systems. Now let's move on to the how and when part of this discussion.
Hosted VOIP is a great solution for businesses of all sizes whose daily agenda includes communicating with people, be it strangers, prospects, or in-house teams.
These days, if you aren't using cloud VoIP with automation, you're quite literally leaving money on the table.
Think we're exaggerating?
B2B salespeople make around 45 calls each day.
A few seconds up or down on their average call time (and the time surrounding the call) adds up by the end of the week, let alone a quarter.
So the sun has long set on lame landline options.
If you're serious about what you do and planning for growth, anyway.
But here's a basic overview to illustrate why we're saying hosted is the way to go and not just any kind of VoIP:
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On-Premise VoIP Phone System |
Hosted VoIP Phone System |
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Hosted on your server |
Hosted remotely on the cloud |
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Takes longer to set up, requires hardware and IT support |
Quick and easy to set up, very little support needed |
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Expansions could be expensive and difficult to implement |
The provider is in charge of expansions - you could get more than you would have been able to afford alone |
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You have total control and flexibility but also the responsibility of maintaining your system |
Less control and flexibility since the provider handles everything for you |
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Updates are on you |
Automatic updates |
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Can be complicated to scale |
Easy to scale |
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Optimal for businesses that have an amazing in-house IT department to handle the work, and/or need highly customizable solutions |
Optimal for businesses of all sizes that want an accessible, affordable phone system and don't necessarily have an IT department |
And that's why hosted VoIP phone systems are used by:
So we've talked about the difference between VoIP vs landlines.
We've also scratched the surface of cloud vs on-premise.
Still, there's one other thing we need to break down before we get to the benefits part, but don't worry. It'll be quick and only a little bit technical.
What do you mean by internet calling?
Here's a helpful explanation written by a fellow human and definitely not a Terminator trying to blend in:
Okay. Now scratch all that.
Or light it on fire, whatever seems more appropriate.
Yes, we said we'll get a little bit technical, but it's not like you actually need to understand any of this to start using WiFi VoIP.
The beauty of hosted VoIP solutions is that the boring stuff is handled on the backend anyway.
So, as promised, let's only go over what you need to know.
When we say you just need an internet connection for VoIP, we mean cellular data like 3G+ or regular WiFi.
If a VoIP uses cellular internet, it's connected to your phone signal and goes as far as that allows it to.
WiFi, on the other hand, doesn't care about cell towers. You don't even need a SIM card to access it - just some regular old WiFi and you're good to go.
On your end, that looks the same:
Now, you would normally need a special device to support WiFi calling or VoWiFi.
That, or a hosted VoIP phone system.
Cloud-based VoIP uses both internet options which yields massive combined benefits like:
The disadvantages of cellular and WiFi are compensated by each other, so you can trust that hosted VoIP phone systems really got your back.
Phew. That wasn't too bad, right?
In any case, now that you've gone through WiFi VoIP, this final push before the good part should be no problem.
Standard phone systems connect two parties in a single call.
That means only one person gets to use the phone at any given moment. Just like commercial phones, right?
You get a phone number and the entire family uses that line. If your mom is talking to Aunt Barb for two hours and you need the phone - tough. You'll have to wait your turn.
Fine, everyone has a smartphone now so that doesn't really happen anymore.
But you get how that's impractical, especially in a business setting.
If you aren't a solopreneur or otherwise a one-man band, it will hardly work.
Multi-line systems bypass this issue.
Multi line VoIP phone systems do this too, but they also add extra advantages that your business could use, especially within a CRM.
We're not making the case that VoIP is as good as your landline.
We're saying it's way better.
“Everyone” is a strong word, but for anyone who wants all the perks and then some at a lower cost, specifically cloud-based VoIP is the way to go.
And not just because we're offering it.
It really is the truth. VoIP isn't like a lame old phone in the nineties, but newer, trendier, and internet-ier.
It does a lot more than let you reach your prospects.
VoIP helps you:
Frankly, we could talk about it for hours.
But, to be considerate of your time, we've narrowed the list of reasons to adopt a hosted VoIP phone system to the 11 most compelling points.
We just ask that you think about them.
So let's start with hypothetical day 1 of your new life with VoIP.
We have two possible scenarios.
In the first one, you fill out a bunch of checks (or electronic invoices, fine) to an uncomfortable sum of money that covers:
And maybe the scariest of all, you know setting up might take a while before you start getting any returns.
Now on to the second scenario.
You've elected a hosted VoIP phone system.
You arrive at work, you pay the much lower annual or even monthly fee, and you've got your internet phone ready to go by lunchtime.
Everything's already set up on the server.
All it takes for you to start using a hosted VoIP system is to finish training, set up your info, onboard your teams, and…. yeah that's about it.
No copper, no waiting.
And on-site can take a while to figure out.
If we're talking about saving precious seconds and minutes on calls… how does a staggered setup reflect on your budget?
Next question.
How does your previous answer compare to this potential alternative:
Implementation took barely any time and the VoIP is already starting to pay you back?
We rest our case.
Setting up on-site VoIP can feel a lot like the Ikea experience of building your own dresser.
But more technical and confusing. Especially when you don't have expert help.
(Source)
We see you.
Thankfully, hosted VoIP phone systems don't require loads of clunky hardware, which is amazing for time, space, and sanity-keeping purposes.
And did we mention money?
With hosted VoIP, hardware is practically a non-issue.
By a show of hands, who here has excess time at work they don't know what to do with?
That's what we thought.
Everyone's trying to be more productive. When you make one process more efficient, you're more likely to use the extra time on another task than leave it empty, right?
Well, congrats
You just received 32 additional minutes to work with.
That's how much a VoIP saves you on average per day.
Just think of what you could do with an extra 32 minutes per day. For starters, you could spend some of that time reading some of our other articles if you're interested in learning more about VoIP.
Cool if you have an amazing IT team.
But a lot of businesses don't, and let's be real: it's not really cheap to outsource the work either.
And what if we told you that you don't have to?
Okay, if you're not surprised, it's probably because we've already mentioned it earlier and you happen not to be a blog skimmer? (Woah, what is your secret?)
But anyway, you don't need special forces to help you get started with a hosted VoIP phone system, or to keep it going later.
You don't even have to know the first thing about coding.
Providers are in charge of that part.
So as far as you're concerned with hosted VoIP, your phone immediately starts taking care of itself while you worry about more important things.
Like closing deals.
The hassle OR the fees.
Since it isn't hosted on your server, it's on the provider to take care of these things.
Are you sensing a pattern here?
The provider really does do it all when it comes to hosted VoIP phone systems.
Just imagine.
Updates? Somebody else's job.
Expansion costs? Not on your list of problems.
Everything gets done on the back-end, and that often means it's done better too.
Okay, so it's not a totally tailored fit.
But cloud-based VoIP providers have the resources for all the final touch-ups that help your company run smoothly but might have otherwise given your budget a heart attack.
You just sit there and eat the fruits of somebody else's labor.
Growth should be a good thing.
And your phone should be able to keep up.
But when you're awaiting the unavoidable expenses and time-consuming changes with your traditional phone system, it's understandable you would dread it all a little bit.
However, you guessed it: cloud VoIP is different.
When you're scaling your hosted VoIP phone system, much like with installation, you just go online, add your new numbers or extensions and move on with your day.
No call-out. No drama. Also...
You can eliminate your telecom services so that's literally one less bill to pay.
If that's not enough, you also don't have to pay extra for each additional feature your company needs.
At least with good providers.
Essential functionality comes in the package. For example, with Ringy, all of these come at the price of $109/month:
Can your phone say that for itself, and at such a symbolic price?
It's already cliche even saying this. But if you haven't paid too much of a thought to remote work, the pandemic should have at least delivered the memo in front of you.
Remote isn't going anywhere.
(Especially to work.)
It's practical, it's more enjoyable, it's what a lot of people were actively requesting even before this two-year-long dumpster fire that still hasn't been extinguished.
How many exactly?
And with a hosted VoIP phone system, this can really be a painless, seamless transition for you and your employees.
Sales are hard enough, okay?
We're past the time when you needed to do it all by yourself, even though some people still carry that burden like a badge of honor.
Imagine if early humans invented tools and then went like: “Nah, Mother Nature gave us brittle little nails and teeth, if we can't make it work with that only, maybe we're not cut out for this.”
Come on.
Even they knew better.
The work isn't running out.
When you use tools to help you automatize and forget about mundane repetitive tasks, you get to spend that time doing more meaningful things more efficiently.
So, if you can, why wouldn't you use features like:
It's super simple to connect your hosted VoIP phone system to other tools you use.
Generally, VoIP often comes within a CRM and with sales integrations like Zapier - all things you should seriously consider using if you aren't already.
(Read the previous header for context.)
And welcome back.
Now, tools are very important and useful. But having a separate one for each task you want to complete kind of defeats the purpose.
I mean, it doesn't automatically make you more efficient.
It can actually slow you down.
Like trying too hard to fall asleep and in doing so preventing it from happening.
But rather than having a dozen limited apps and navigating them separately, you can have it all in one place.
The same hosted VoIP phone system allows you to communicate both externally with customers and internally with your teams.
That's a big extra step to skip every single day.
Alright. So that was all pretty illuminating, but your mind about VoIP is not quite made up yet.
Understandably so.
If you listened to everything you read online with no tangible evidence, even just today…
Let's just say you've dodged some bullets.
Luckily, this blog isn't about to end on promises. Below are two real-life examples of hosted VoIP phone systems making a difference in all the ways that count.
A classic tale of a bank upgrading from their outdated, limited system to a modern solution hoping to improve their customer experience.
ABB was prepped and ready for a hosted VoIP phone.
Naturally, being a bank, their highest priorities included things like data encryption and security.
They also considered functionality, customer support, accessibility, and ease of use when they decided to go with UniVoIP.
And here's what they got after the overhaul:
And just as importantly...
Not bad for a phone, right?
Let's do another one.
No need for introductions here. Zoom came through when we all needed it most during the pandemic and has become a trusted ally of corporations and classrooms since.
And this example really illustrates the dire need for hosted VoIP.
Yes, you can use a less good system and hope it all works out. But life happens. Things get in the way.
And during such a monumental time of commotion and fear, who did you turn to?
It wasn't landlines that got us through.
It was VoIP. So how is Zoom doing recently?
And that's on the relevance and value of VoIP.
Any questions?
In today's environment, VoIP is the superior option for business communication.
That's just how it is.
But hosted VoIP in particular has a special bundle of benefits you should jot down if you're serious about sales.
And we both know that you are.
Hosted VoIP is the lower cost and lower maintenance option, and it comes with all the essential features you need.
Yeah, on-premise has its benefits for the right crowd.
But if you'd like to give hosted VoIP a shot, want to be able to scale seamlessly, and unified sales solutions sound like your thing?
Do both of us a favor and request a demo with Ringy.