Your Guide to Business Phone Systems
What exactly is VoIP and why is it essential for modern businesses? Find out here… What
Your Guide to Business Phone Systems
What exactly is VoIP and why is it essential for modern businesses? Find out here...
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Your Guide to Business Phone Systems
What exactly is VoIP and why is it essential for modern businesses? Find out here...
Landlines are quickly becoming relics of the past, joining telegrams and carrier pigeons on the scrap heap. The future? VoIP phones!
But what exactly is VoIP? Why is it essential for modern businesses? Why should switching to these cloud-based phones be at the top of your to-do list?
Well, you’re about to find the answers to these questions and more! So strap yourselves in as you learn everything you need about VoIP systems!
What is a VoIP System?
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a type of technology that enables users to communicate with voice or, in some cases, video via an internet connection. It works by converting analogue voice signals into digital data packets.
Or, in layman’s terms, it’s a phone that uses the internet to work instead of traditional landlines.
These can come in physical, traditional-style phones, perfect for desk-bound office workers. These are known as “VoIP phones” or “IP hard phones.”
Or they can simply be software or apps that you install onto your computer, tablet, or mobile device, the latter of which allows for complete portability.
Even if this is your first time hearing the term, chances are you’ve already used VoIP software. WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom are popular examples that are available for personal and professional use.
They completely bypass the need for a traditional telephone company, which usually relies on copper wires to keep you connected. This is pretty significant, considering all of the old copper-dependent systems are due to start being shut down in 2025, with a full shut-off expected by 2027.
The Impending PSTN Switch-Off in the UK
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is just a fancy way of saying traditional phone lines. BT, which operates them, will begin to switch them off this year for business customers. By January 2027, UK businesses will no longer be able to rely on this technology and will be fully digital.
This means that if you still use traditional phone systems to make and receive business calls, the clock is ticking, and it’s time to switch to a VoIP phone system!
Benefits of VoIP for UK Businesses
Other than the obvious benefit of still being able to use phones in operations past the 2027 switchover, VoIP systems can help your business in numerous ways. Below are just a few of them.
Reduce Your Costs
If you’re already paying for a business broadband connection, why pay for a phone line as well? Switch over your business telephony to an internet-based connection, and hey presto, that’s an instant saving!
VoIP systems also save your business significantly when it comes to doing what you rely on them to do: making calls. Often, you’ll find that you can save on long-distance and even international calls. For example, calling the US on BT mobile will cost you up to £1.55 a minute. But if you were to switch that to a bOnline VoIP system, you’d pay a flat monthly fee of just £5.
This way, whether you’re calling Rome, Rio de Janeiro, or Runcorn, VoIP can help you save!
Flexibility and Mobility
Did you know that as of 2024, 41% of UK workers are engaged in remote or hybrid work? With an expectation of hybrid working at the very least being offered as part of any job role, businesses must adapt. And with VoIP, you can make and receive calls from any internet-enabled device.
A hard phone or desktop in the office. A laptop, tablet or mobile phone at home or on the move. And even a smart fridge—although we’re not sure why you’d want to.
VoIP also supports advanced features not found on traditional landlines. Multi-party conferencing and intelligent call routing guarantee that your calls always reach the right person, no matter where you or your team are based. This level of flexibility helps you stay connected with customers and team members without being chained to a desk.
Scalability
No matter where you are in your business journey, there is a VoIP system for you. One of their benefits is that as you grow, your systems and, by extension, your communication infrastructure grow with you.
So, if you’re just starting out, some providers will offer free deals. Now, you’re not going to get all of the bells and whistles that come with more advanced packages, but for smaller operations, it may do the job.
Adding more staff to your team? Easy. There’s no need for additional phone lines or expensive hardware upgrades; just contact your provider and let them know you need more users.
Most VoIP packages can be customised to match your team size and needs. If you don’t need to call abroad, don’t pay for international minutes. Want to video call? Add video capabilities to the deal.
Advanced Features
With all this fancy tech, there are going to be a load of cool features you can benefit from. Although we’ll discuss them in more detail in the next section, VoIP systems come with a range of features that enhance internal and external communication.
From call forwarding and recording to video conferencing and auto-attendants, these features streamline your operations and reduce missed calls. If you use a customer relationship management (CRM) system, some VoIP software can be integrated easily. This can boost your team’s productivity by giving them instant access to caller details, history, and records for a more personalised service.
Never Miss Calls
Did you know that 85% of people won’t call you back if their call isn’t answered the first time? How much potential new business are you missing out on because of this?
And what about your current customers? Your Trustpilot rating will go through the floor if they can’t get in touch with you quickly and simply.
Well, that won’t happen again if you switch to a VoIP system. Call routing, automated menus, and find-me-follow-me features ensure that when customers call your business, they reach who they need to speak to quickly. This helps you secure new relationships while maintaining the ones you have.
You’ll also see a productivity boost from your staff. They’ll spend less time tracking down missed calls and more time focusing on improving their results.
Reliability
Modern VoIP systems have built-in redundancy and failover protocols, which allow you to maintain consistent uptime, even during outages. Some providers even pride themselves on their connectivity. Vonage, for example, guarantees a 99.99% uptime.
Calls can automatically reroute to mobile devices or alternative locations, allowing your team to stay connected without interruption. This can help you avoid unexpected downtime, which can be caused by weather, maintenance, or infrastructure issues, and keep your operations rolling, no matter what.
Environmental Sustainability
The green revolution is in full swing, and, weirdly, one thing you can do to help is switch to a VoIP system. By removing the need for extensive physical infrastructure, like copper lines and on-site hardware, and running everything through an existing internet connection, you can reduce your energy consumption and use fewer resources.
Some providers also offer return and refurbishment services. This means that once you’re done with any hardware, your supplier will take it off your hands and refurbish or upcycle it for future use. You eliminate clutter in the office and keep unnecessary waste out of the landfill; it’s a win-win.
As sustainability laws increase in the UK, it is becoming more pressing to guarantee that your business complies with environmental regulations. Why not hit these goals with a VoIP system?
Easy Integration With Existing Tools
VoIP systems are designed to integrate seamlessly with your existing digital tools, including CRM systems, emails, and instant messaging apps. Now, you can ensure that all customer interactions, no matter where they’ve come from, are aligned and in one centralised location. This reduces the need to switch between platforms and allows for smarter data use and more cohesive team workflows.
High-Quality Audio
You may have some reservations about the quality of the audio as you’re relying on an internet connection rather than copper wiring. But we’re going to put those fears to bed right now. Without getting too technical, VoIP systems use high-definition codecs that actually deliver audio at a higher quality than traditional phone lines.
With this improved audio, all communication, internally and externally, will be crystal clear, reducing the chance for mistakes. For customer-facing teams, this can make all the difference in productivity and improving customer satisfaction.
Key Features of VoIP Systems
Considering they’re advanced telephone systems, you’d expect them to come with a bunch of business-boosting features, right? And, of course, they do!
We’d be here all day if we listed them all, and we know you don’t have the time for that, so here are just some of our favourites.
Call Management Features
- Call Forwarding and Routing: This automatically directs inbound calls towards the appropriate person or department. With this in place, your customers benefit from reduced waiting times and prompt responses, improving their overall satisfaction.
- Call Queuing: You know when you call a business and get that voice saying, “Your call is 3rd in the queue.”? That’s call queuing. It places calls in a queue, allowing them to be handled in the order they rang, easing pressure on your team during peak hours.
- Call Recording: Recording your calls can benefit your business in numerous ways. You can use them as part of team training, maintaining regulatory compliance, and as evidence in the event of legal problems.
- Auto-attendant: This is another way of saying call menu. “Press 1 for sales,” for example. Auto-attendants help direct your customers to exactly who/what they’re looking for, improving their experience and your call-handling efficiency.
- Call Screening and Blocking: Spam and nuisance calls might be funny when Bart does them to Moe in The Simpsons, but not when you’re trying to work. Identify incoming callers and choose how to handle them, including the option to block unwanted calls.
- Call Transfer: Seamlessly transfer ongoing calls to another extension or external number without disconnecting the call. This allows for a smooth transition, keeping your customers happy.
- Do Not Disturb (DND): Need to shut out the noise and stop any calls coming in for some time? DND features allow you to block incoming calls temporarily during meetings or focused work sessions while allowing priority alerts.
- Hold Music: Did you know that 25% of callers are more likely to stay on the line if they hear music rather than silence? Just a quick tweak to your inbound calling process can have a massive impact on your performance.
Smart Productivity Features
- Call Analytics & Reporting: With analytics and reporting, you can track volumes, durations, missed call rates, and user performance. These are essential for a deeper understanding of your calls, management, and effective scaling.
- Call Whispering: “Whispering” is when you can directly speak to their team members on live calls without your customer hearing. This is perfect for training, live coaching, or steering conversations in other directions without your customer being aware.
- Call Barge-In: So you’re silently listening in to a junior member speak to a customer, but things are starting to go off the rails. What can you do? Call barge-in, of course! This allows you to “barge in” on a call and rescue a difficult situation before it becomes untenable.
- Shared Call Appearance: Shared call appearance allows you to associate one number with multiple devices. For example, if you have a customer service team working remotely, you can assign one number to all of their phones so that someone is bound to pick up and provide the customer with what they want.
- Busy Lamp Field (BLF): BLF allows you to monitor the status of other users within the same system. So, if you need to transfer the call to another staff member, you can see whether they’re busy, available, or ringing. This information is often shown through different-coloured lights and can help reduce transfer errors and help teams collaborate more fluidly.
Mobility & Remote Work Features
- Softphone Applications: You’ve taken a call at your desk phone but need to leave the office. No worries; that’s what softphone applications are for. They allow you to seamlessly switch this call to your mobile phone, tablet, laptop or any other device you have the VoIP software installed on.
- Find Me / Follow Me: Find me/follow allows you to prioritise the order in which your devices should ring. Maybe your office phone should ring first, and if you’re not reachable there, then the call will automatically be directed to your second choice, in this case, a mobile. You can sequence multiple devices, so no matter where you or your staff are, you’ll never miss a call again!
- Hot Desking: If your staff doesn’t have fixed desks or work in a hybrid/remote environment, then hot desking is perfect for you. Log in to any VoIP-enabled phone in the office and access your extension and settings with minimal fuss.
Customer Experience & Workflow Features
- CRM Integration: Integrate your CRM to centralise all of your customer interaction history, including those from sources like phone calls, emails, SMS, and instant messengers. This gives your staff a 360-degree view of customer history in one location, allowing for a more personalised approach to customer service.
- Click-to-Call: Click-to-call buttons are buttons or links within emails, CRMs, or websites that allow you to dial the associated number with just one click. Integrating VoIP with these is excellent for your outbound sales teams, boosting their efficiency and helping turn prospects into leads and leads into customers.
- Voicemail-to-Email: Transcribing voicemail messages to email and sending them directly to the recipient’s email inbox will save you bags of time.
Security & Control Features
- Call Encryption: You have a duty of care to keep your customer’s data safe, and trust us, you do not want to be on the wrong end of a GDPR breach. Encrypting your calls protects customer information so you can avoid hefty fines and keep your reputation safe. This can be particularly useful in legal, finance, or healthcare industries where you already store sensitive customer data.
- Role-Based Access Controls: Speaking of sensitive information, with role-based access controls, you can keep specific reports or recordings of the hands (or ears) of those who don’t have permission. This is perfect for maintaining compliance and internal control.
- Call Parking: Picked up a call, but it isn’t for you, and who they want to speak to isn’t free just yet? Stick them in the “parking bay” until they’re free. This is a shared area where you can “park” a call and allow another member to pick it up on their device.
Other Features
- Number Porting: If you’ve already got an established customer base and online presence, changing your current number when switching to a VoIP system is the last thing you need. Luckily, this crisis is averted with number porting, which allows you to keep your current number(s) when changing over.
- Virtual Numbers (Local & International): If you’re a local business, having a regionally appropriate number is a great way to build trust and show you’re a member of the community. If you’re looking to expand into new territories, you can pick up an international number without actually having a physical presence there.
How to Choose the Right VoIP System For Your Business
You want to beat the 2027 shutdown. You’ve seen exactly what VoIP systems can do for you, and now it’s time to switch. But before you go signing your life away, there are a few things you’ll want to consider.
Assess Your Business Communication Needs
First, how many people need to have a phone? Once you’ve established that, dig a bit deeper and start looking at your current calls. Assessing things like average daily inbound calls and peak times can also help your decision.
Then, decide on what you actually want your system to do. If it’s just to make calls like a normal phone, it’s easy. If you want to take advantage of some of the advanced features we mentioned above, then you’ll have to do a bit more research.
If your team operates in a remote or hybrid setting, then make sure your provider can facilitate this. Look for things like mobile integration and reliable remote access.
Provider Reliability and Call Quality
Your system can have all the bells and whistles, but if the connection is constantly cutting out, then what’s the point? Scoping out online reviews on Trustpilot and Google Reviews is a great way to check how reliable their connections are. Take one or two bad reviews with a pinch of salt, but if you see the same thing being mentioned (both good and bad), then these need to be taken seriously.
Inquiring about any quality of service measures they have in place to ensure that you receive clear and consistent call quality. Things to ask about include:
Uptime guarantees (and compensation for breaking these)
- Bandwidth management
- Traffic prioritisation
- SLAs for downtime
Scalability and Flexibility
Where are you on your business journey? It is essential to find a provider who meets your current needs and your growth plans. How easy is it to add or remove users, depending on your demands?
Also, consider the contract length. Longer contracts offer less flexibility but allow you to “set it and forget it” to focus on other areas of your business. They may also come with cheaper monthly fees, which are less stressful on your budget.
Shorter contracts allow you to switch between providers more regularly, allowing you to shop around to potentially find a better deal. But it adds another task to your to-do list, and you may even pay more if the newer prices aren’t as competitive as whatever you already have.
Pricing Structures
Before you sign anything, make sure you know everything about their pricing structure. Below are a few things to note when making your decision:
Upfront Costs: Setup/installation, hardware costs, network upgrades.
Recurring Costs: Costs per user, line fees.
Add-Ons: Advanced features (some may come as part of the service, while others will be an additional amount), international calls, API access and custom integrations.
Overage Fees: Excess minutes/data beyond your agreed amount.
Support: Dedicated, priority, or 24/7 support may cost extra.
Hidden Fees: Early termination costs, software updates, and hardware upgrades.
Then, do a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether you’re getting the best bang for your buck. Also, this should go without saying, but make sure it fits within your budget.
Customer Support and Service
Things may look all rosy when they’re going well, but what happens when things go wrong? Opting for a provider that offers 24/7 support can be an absolute lifesaver, especially if you operate across different time zones.
Also, how can they be reached? Look for those that offer a range of ways to get in touch, including phone, email, and live chat.
Check Compliance and Security Measures
We’ve already mentioned how important GDPR compliance is. Clarify what security features they offer to ensure that your and your customers’ data is safe.
Test the Service
Ideally, your provider will offer you a trial period so you can get to grips with your new system. If they don’t, you may end up locking yourself into a long contract with a VoIP system that isn’t fit for purpose.
During this period, make sure you gather feedback from your staff. If they think it’s a load of old cobblers, let the provider know (but probably word it a bit more diplomatically than that) and look elsewhere.
How to Get a VoIP System for Your Business
Hopefully, that’s cleared up some questions that you may have about VoIP systems and how they can help your business. Now it’s time to answer one final question: “How can you get one for your business?”
Well, luckily, you’re in the right place. At Commercial Experts, we’ve made it our mission to help businesses like yours find the best VoIP system for their business.
All you have to do is tap the button below and answer a few simple questions about your business. Then, based on your answers, you’ll receive a range of tailored quotes from some of the UK’s leading providers.
The best part? This is a free service with no hidden costs. If you don’t like what you see, just walk away at no expense to you.
So just tap below and get comparing now!
FAQs
What does VoIP mean?
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It’s a technology that allows you to make voice (and sometimes video) calls using an internet connection instead of traditional landlines, converting voice signals into digital data for transmission.
What is the difference between a hardphone and a softphone?
A hardphone is a physical VoIP phone that looks like a traditional desk phone. A softphone is software installed on devices like computers, tablets, or smartphones, allowing you to make calls from anywhere using the internet.
Why is PSTN being switched off in the UK?
The UK is phasing out the old copper-based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) by 2027. This transition pushes businesses to adopt digital communication like VoIP, ensuring continuity, modern functionality, and cost-efficiency in their phone systems.
What are the key benefits of switching to VoIP?
VoIP offers cost savings, flexibility, scalability, and high-quality audio. It also includes advanced features like call routing, CRM integration, and remote access, making it ideal for modern workplaces, especially those with hybrid or remote teams.
How can I get a VoIP system for my business?
You can compare tailored VoIP quotes from leading UK providers by tapping the ‘start free quote’ below and answering a few quick questions about your business. The service is free, and there’s no obligation—if it’s not right for you, just walk away without any cost.
