The Benefits Business VoIP Brings to the SMB Starts at the Bottom Line

After so many years in a down economy, businesses have trimmed away all the fat, and before long they are cutting into muscle to make ends meet. If these businesses haven’t discovered business VoIP yet, they’re missing a key asset that can minimize the cutting. Not only will this approach to communications save money, it adds benefits.

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) seem to be the most affected when they leverage business VoIP, according to this Nextiva blog post. The savings add up quickly and the perks involved in a business VoIP solution pile on advantages.

Many business VoIP solutions will include teleconferencing. This technology alone can save a large amount of money, especially if the business sends their employees on frequent business trips. Teleconferencing and video conferencing through business VoIP solutions, offer the next best thing to a face-to-face meeting and employees don’t have to take expensive flights and pay for lodging.

Other ways the SMBs can save money is by banding together on group advertising. Partner advertising between non-competing organizations allows them to take advantage of group advertising to save money and promote their brands.

Acquiring infrastructure can really bog down a budget. And once it’s acquired, it’s likely out of data before it’s completely paid off. Many small businesses are leasing equipment, using it while it’s the hottest item on the market and then ditching it once the next best thing comes out. 

Another option is going with hosted services; particularly phone systems such as a PBX. Instead of paying for expensive repairs, upgrades and licenses, the hosted service takes care of all of that, as well as IT maintenance.

Along the same lines of taking on hosted services, it’s also recommended that small and medium-sized businesses use independent contractors when relevant. For a flat fee, businesses get all the perks of an in-house workforce, but without the payroll and expenses related to benefits.

In many situations, vendors will offer bundled services. This approach not only benefits to end user, it is also a cost saver. For instance, many cable companies will wrap their phone, Internet, fax and Web hosting services into one monthly fee that is often cheaper than going to different companies for every service. Plus, there are fewer accounting and paperwork hassles come bill time.

Finally, anyone who has started a business has likely had to negotiate somewhere along the line. Negotiate price as often as possible and avoid paying retail prices for anything. Whether it’s shipping costs or getting a lower price on bulk items, look for negotiation opportunities with every purchase.

The successful SMB is likely the practical SMB, with leaders who pay attention to the bottom line and make smart decisions when it comes to must-have technologies. With business VoIP, many of the must-have technologies are available at a fraction of the cost. The SMB can then take on the larger competitors without compromising resources – putting them on the road to longevity in the market.


Edited by Jamie Epstein