A reliable and efficient communication system is essential to the success of any business, regardless of its size. In today’s digital world, virtual phone systems are becoming an increasingly popular choice for small teams and businesses.
Virtual phone systems allow businesses to make and receive calls online instead of traditional phone lines. Businesses can deploy a professional phone system without expensive hardware and maintenance costs. However, with so many options on the market, choosing the best virtual phone system for your business needs can be a challenge. Get an overview of the leading virtual phone systems available for small teams and businesses.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Virtual Phone System
When choosing a virtual business phone system for your small team or business, it’s important to consider the key features of your communication needs. Here are some features to look for:
call management
A virtual business phone system should provide call management features such as call transfer, call routing, and call screening. These features help you manage your incoming calls efficiently. That way, you never miss an important call.
feature
Another important factor to consider is the functionality provided by the virtual phone system. Find features that help your business, such as voicemail transcription, call recording, conference calls, and more.
Some providers also offer integrations with popular business tools, such as CRMs, to streamline communications and improve team productivity.
Pricing
One of the main factors is pricing. Look for a virtual phone system that offers pricing plans that fit your budget. Some providers offer minute-by-minute pricing plans, while others have a fixed monthly fee. Consider call volume and frequency to determine the most cost-effective rate plan for your business.
call quality
Call quality is also an important factor to consider when choosing a virtual phone system. Make sure your provider offers reliable, high-quality service, as poor call quality can negatively impact your business reputation.
customer support
Finally, consider the level of customer support offered by your virtual phone system provider. Look for a provider that offers comprehensive customer support, including phone and email support, online documentation, and tutorials. This ensures immediate support in the event of system problems.
Top 5 virtual business phone systems
After exhaustively researching reviews from companies and previous and current customers, here are the best. Virtual business phone system For small teams or businesses:
1. Ring Central
RingCentral is a popular virtual phone system with a wide range of features. Our cloud-based system makes it easy for small teams to manage calls and messages from any device.
There are three main pricing plans, Core, Advanced, and Ultra, with different features and costs. RingCentral offers several pricing plans ranging from $30 to $45 per user per month.
RingCentral features include:
- Advanced call management: RingCentral makes it easy to manage incoming and outgoing calls, including call forwarding, call screening, and call recording.
- Collaboration tools: RingCentral offers a variety of collaboration tools that improve productivity and teamwork, including team messaging, video conferencing, and file sharing.
- Integration: RingCentral integrates with third-party applications like Salesforce, G Suite, and Microsoft Office 365 to streamline workflows and improve efficiency.
Strong Points
- It offers robust integration with third-party applications and is useful for businesses that rely on multiple tools and software programs.
- RingCentral’s mobile app is highly rated and known for its ease of use
- RingCentral offers a 15-day free trial
Cons
- relatively high price range
- Occasional technical glitches
2. Grasshopper
Grasshopper is a virtual phone system designed specifically for small businesses and entrepreneurs. We offer a variety of features and customization options to help your business project a professional image.
Grasshopper offers three pricing plans: Solo, Partner, and Small Business. Pricing plans range from $31 to $89 per month.
Grasshopper features include:
- Customizable greeting: Grasshopper allows you to create customized greetings and voicemail messages to help your company project a professional image.
- Mobile App: Grasshopper’s mobile app allows users to manage calls and messages from anywhere, which is useful for remote teams and businesses with mobile workers.
- Business text message: Grasshopper allows users to send and receive text messages from their company phone number, making it convenient for communicating with customers and clients.
Strong Points
- Grasshopper’s pricing plans are simple, making it easy for businesses to choose the plan that’s best for them.
- Mobile apps are known to be user-friendly and easy to navigate
- Grasshopper offers a 7-day free trial
Cons
- Limited functionality compared to other virtual phone systems, such as video conferencing and integration with other business apps
3. Vonage Business Cloud
Vonage Business Cloud is a virtual phone system that offers a variety of features such as call management, video conferencing, messaging, and more.
Vonage offers three main pricing plans including Mobile, Premium and Advanced. Its pricing plans range from $19.99 to $39.99 per user per month.
Key features of Vonage Business Cloud include:
- Advanced call management: Vonage Business Cloud offers a variety of call management tools such as call screening, call forwarding, and voicemail transcription to help businesses manage their calls more efficiently.
- Unified messaging: Vonage Business Cloud’s unified messaging system allows users to manage all their messages in one place, including voicemail, email, and text messages, improving productivity and efficiency.
- Analysis and reporting: Vonage Business Cloud offers a variety of analytics and reporting tools to help businesses track performance and make data-driven decisions.
Strong Points
- Vonage Business Cloud offers extensive integration with third-party applications such as Salesforce, Microsoft Office 365 and G Suite.
- Vonage Business Cloud customer service and support is known for being responsive.
- Vonage Business Cloud offers a 14-day free trial
Cons
- Technical glitches reported by some users
- Limited customization options
4. Nextiva
Nextiva is a cloud-based virtual phone system that improves communication and collaboration for small teams and businesses.
Nextiva offers three pricing plans, starting at $31 per user per month for the Basic plan and going up to $45.95 per user per month for the Advanced plan.
Here are some notable features of Nextiva.
- Customizable phone system: With Nextiva, businesses can choose from a variety of advanced call management features such as call routing, call recording, and voicemail transcription.
- Excellent customer support: Nextiva is known for its excellent customer support, with experts available 24/7 by phone, email, or live chat.
- Integration with other business tools: Nextiva integrates with a variety of other business tools including Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Teams, and more. This integration allows companies to streamline workflows and improve overall productivity.
Strong Points
- The company also offers a knowledge base and video tutorials to help customers set up and use their phone system.
- Nextiva enables businesses to customize their phone system to meet their specific needs
- Nextiva offers a proprietary software called NextOS that provides a centralized hub for all communication channels including voice, video, chat and email.
Cons
- technical confusion
- Higher price compared to other virtual phone systems
5. GoTo connection
GoTo Connect is a virtual phone system that offers a variety of features such as call management, video conferencing, and messaging. Pricing plans range from $19.95 to $29.95 per user per month.
Here are some notable features of GoTo.
- Mobile App: GoTo Connect provides a mobile app that allows users to make and receive phone calls, access voicemail, and send and receive messages from their smartphones and tablets. This feature allows employees to stay connected while on the go.
- Advanced call analytics: The company offers advanced call analytics that allow businesses to track and analyze call data. Features such as call logs, call routing reports, and call quality monitoring enable businesses to gain insight into call performance and make data-driven decisions.
- Customizable IVR: GoTo offers a customizable IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system that allows businesses to create custom menus and call routing rules. With this feature, businesses can create personalized caller experiences and improve customer satisfaction.
Strong Points
- GoTo Connect offers flexible pricing plans to suit businesses of all sizes, making it easy for small businesses to get started using the platform without paying for features they don’t need.
- It provides detailed call analytics, enabling businesses to track key metrics such as call volume, call duration, and call quality.
- Auto attendants are fully customizable, allowing businesses to create a professional greeting and menu system for their callers.
Cons
- Complex setup process
- Limited integration with other business apps
final thoughts
Choosing the right virtual phone system is critical to the success of your small team or business. RingCentral, Grasshopper, Vonage Business Cloud, Nextiva, and GoTo Connect are all great options to consider, each with their own features, pricing plans, pros and cons.
When choosing a virtual phone system, businesses should priority Factors such as price, features, call quality, usability, customer support, and integrations. Careful evaluation of these factors can help small teams and companies make informed decisions. Improve your phone system to better serve your customers and drive growth.
