Home 6 Best Business Phone Services for Small Business in 2019

6 Best Business Phone Services for Small Business in 2019

The business phone service chosen for your small business defines your communication abilities. How you and your employees connect, impacts the way, your company operates. The customer experience loses value when your business does not have unified communications. The customer relationship and business reputation will diminish.

It is no secret; a business cannot run on an unreliable and inflexible phone system. To build confidence in VoIP systems, here are the six best phone services for small business in 2019.

6 Best Business Phone Services

Every employee and customer desires to be heard and understood.

Anything that interferes with those two goals is an interruption or breakdown. If this happens, it can lead to poor customer service due to miscommunication.

Your small business needs to meet the communication expectations of employees and customers. For your business phone service needs to be of high quality, you need to achieve those two goals.

Business owners need to also think about improving customer support and employee productivity. Using the right small business phone solutions can enhance the customer experience.

When going beyond phone calls by incorporating unified communications, your business will excel. Unified communications that include; text messages, video conferencing, visual voicemail, and more.

After all, it is 2019, and the traditional phone system does not cut it for customers anymore. Customers want to reach employees through different forms of communication. The right virtual phone system will serve your customers in the right way.

These six best small business phone services will narrow down your search.

After all, it is 2019, and the traditional phone system does not cut it for customers anymore. Customers want to reach employees through different forms of communication. The right virtual phone system will serve your customers in the right way.

These six best small business phone services will narrow down your search.

Nextiva Logo

1. Nextiva

Starting at $20/month per user

Nextiva is a complete, cloud-based, Voice over internet protocol business VoIP service. Your small business should not have to compromise on scale, quality, or flexibility.

Nextiva offers a multitude of features designed to better your small business communications.

With features like,

  • Auto-Attendant
  • Text Messaging
  • Nextiva Mobile App
  • Voicemail to Email
  • HD Video Calls
  • Call Queuing
  • Call Routing
  • Instant Messages and Chat Rooms
  • Real-Time Analytics
  • Unlimited Calling
  • Local Number – Reducing Ignored Calls By Customers
  • Conference Calling
  • Video Conferencing
  • Phone Calls to and from Landline and Mobile Phones
  • Highly Reliable Network – Means 99.999% Uptime for Your Business
  • Plus More Advanced Features

Since Nextiva provides VoIP phone service, as long as there is an internet connection, your small business can do a lot. Employees can make outgoing and incoming calls, text messages, and more from anywhere.

It offers you the option of remote employees too, and for your employees to continue working while on the go.

Nextiva aims to create a unified and seamless customer experience for your business communications. Their complete platform is easy to use so you can get started right away.

Get ready to transform the way your small business communicates. Nextiva offers an organized, productive, connected, high in quality flexible VoIP phone system. Nextiva is the VoIP business phone service of choice.

8x8 Logo

2. 8×8

Starting at $28/month per user

8×8 is a VoIP cloud-based phone service. It helps small businesses improve employee and customer experiences.

An all-in-one system, 8×8 offers businesses voice calling, video, collaboration, and contact center.

With features like,

  • Unlimited Calling within 14 Countries
  • Phone Number and Extension Dialing feat. High-definition Voice Quality
  • Voicemail
  • Auto Attendant
  • SMS Messaging (Only available in U.S. and Canada)
  • Call Recording
  • Hold Music
  • 1GB Media Storage
  • Call Queues
  • Mobile and Desktop Apps
  • Plus Much More

8×8 is an excellent cloud phone solution for businesses. When you are looking for a VoIP phone system, messaging, or a meeting service, you may want to consider 8×8.

With its use of VoIP, 8×8 will enhance your small business communication on many levels. It will improve team collaborations, employee productivity, and customer experiences.

Jive Logo

3. Jive

Starting at $19.95/month per user

Jive is a hosted VoIP business phone service. It simplifies conferencing and phone management.

As a cloud-based system, Jive will help improve employee-to-customer interactions through voice options.

With features like,

  • Missed Call Indicator
  • Call Hold
  • Caller ID
  • 3-Way Conferencing
  • Last Number Redial
  • Call Analytics
  • Dial by Name
  • Speed Dial
  • Custom Hold Music
  • Plus Much More

Jive improves customer experiences with small businesses. By providing a phone system that handles many employees and high call volumes.

Ooma Logo

4. Ooma

Starting at $24.95/month

Ooma Office offers your small business the ability to stay connected while at home or in the office. It supports select IP phones, analog phones, softphones, and mobile phones.

As your VoIP service, Ooma will have your small business looking more professional in no time.

With features like,

  • Virtual Receptionist
  • Extension Dialing
  • Conferencing
  • Music on Hold
  • Local and Toll-Free Numbers
  • Call Forwarding
  • Virtual Faxing Extension
  • Port Existing Number
  • Voicemail
  • Plus Much More

Ooma offers an internet telephone service that is reliable. Your employees can use their smartphones and remain in touch. Thus, providing your small business with the convenience of mobility.

Phone.com Logo

5. Phone.com

Starting at $12.99/month per user for pay per minute plans and starting from $24.99/month per user for unlimited plans.

Phone.com is a communications and collaboration solutions for small businesses. It offers several methods to keep in touch with your customers and colleagues.

With the use of almost any device, employees can stay connected at all times.

With features like,

  • 300 Monthly Minutes
  • Unlimited User Extensions
  • 1 Local or Toll-Free Number
  • 5,000 SMS Messages4
  • Phone Number Porting
  • Call Queuing
  • Voicemail to Email
  • Address Book
  • Account Management
  • Plus Much More

A VoIP phone system, Phone.com offers your small business many ways to speak with customers via the Cloud.

Mitel Logo

6. Mitel

Starting at $21.74/month per user for the essentials package and $24.74/month per user for the Premier package.

Mitel is all-in-one communication, collaborations, and contact center. Thus, you can focus more on your business and not your phone system.

Ensure that your phone system satisfies your business needs with Mitel.

With features like,

  • PBX Features
  • Voice and Video Collaboration
  • Conference Calling
  • Instant Messaging
  • Voicemail and Email
  • OfficeLink App
  • Voicemail to Email
  • Video and Web Conferencing
  • Contact Center
  • Plus Much More

Mitel is a VoIP system that offers phone lines for your small business using the Cloud.

Phone Service Weakness List

Here are some questions to review:

  • How often do customer calls drop?
  • What is the percentage of calls transferred to the incorrect department?
  • What is the average number of minutes customers are on hold?
  • Are your business department heads able to track and analyze call quality?
  • Does any part of the phone service cause difficulty in delivering customer service?
  • Is your current phone system able to handle the volume of calls received?
  • How flexible are your phone features? i.e., Does it offer you the ability to have remote workers?
  • Does it cause any part of the buyer’s journey to slow down?
  • Are your employees more or less productive when using the system?
  • Does it encourage collaboration?
  • Does it have mobility features? i.e., Are your employees only able to receive and make business calls from inside the office?

Once your “Phone Service Weakness” list is complete, make another list. This time, create one called, the “Phone Service Improvement” list.

What to Look for to Choose a Quality-Driven Phone Service

When searching for VoIP providers, choose the one that improves the call quality. A phone company aimed at bettering your employees and business operations.

It would be best if you had a VoIP solution that handles high volumes of outgoing and incoming calls. Not to mention, a VoIP system that goes beyond simple phone calls.

Be aware of the other services your VoIP solution offers. Be sure to look into them when choosing the best office phone for your business.

Phone Service Improvement List

What to look for:

  • Easy to use interface. Most users can handle operations without the constant need of a technician.
  • Track call duration, hold times, wait times, and usage with ease.
  • Offers call forwarding, caller ID, call waiting, call routing, and more.
  • Provides the ability to share one business phone number among several users.
  • It offers flexibility and mobility. Employees can use their desk phone, mobile devices, tablet, or a computer to receive and make calls.
  • Affordability, for long-term usage.
  • Employees and customers can quickly and conveniently communicate with each other.
  • It offers automation to an efficient operation — increasing productivity.
  • Lessens the amount or eliminates the need for a variety of vendors and tools.
  • It enables employees to use your business’ local or toll-free number from any location.  Using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and high-speed internet makes this possible.

Small businesses are always in search of saving money where they can. By using the internet to make and receive calls, you will say goodbye to expensive phone bills. Your phone system will no longer focus on landlines. Instead, VoIP systems and cell phones will become your primary form of communication.

When selecting a virtual phone service, you want to consider your business needs. There are many reasons startups fail, but your phone system should not be one of them.

Do not be like most businesses. Most small businesses focus more on a communication strategy than on the delivery. They must go hand-in-hand for proper business communications.

“Communication and communication strategy is not just part of the game – it is the game.” – Oscar Munoz

For efficient and effective customer experiences put the quality of communication first.

The phone service your business uses can be a game-changer.

Prevent communication mishaps that spiral into further avoidable issues. Do not have your employees feel like that have to put out “small fires” when accepting or making a phone call.

Instead, create a smooth and quality-driven user experience. Not only for employees but customer communications as well.

Make 2019 the start of better communication at your small business. Choose the best VoIP phone system that provides reliable service for your customers.

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Brad Anderson
Editor

Brad is the former editor who oversaw contributed content at ReadWrite.com. He previously worked as an editor at PayPal and Crunchbase.

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