Business VoIP Helps SMBs Compete with Large Competitors

Small to medium-sized businesses (SMB) spend much of their time wrestling business away from their larger competitors. The benefits of a smaller company – more responsiveness, flexibility and customization – are apparent to many client organizations who may weigh the pros and cons of going with an SMB. (Larger companies, of course, have the advantage of brand recognition, integration and interoperability and a global infrastructure.)

For many companies, the disadvantages of choosing an SMB may lie in a lack of professionalism when it comes to communications. Small companies have traditionally never been able to afford the kind of communications resources that larger organizations pay for with ease. Business communications, however, have come a long way thanks to voice over IP (VoIP). There are a number of business VoIP solutions on the market that enable SMBs to offer the same professional telephony as their larger competitors, according to a recent blog post by Nextiva’s Staci Matt.

“When people call in to your phone number, toll-free or otherwise, it is easy to tell if you are using a professional phone system,” she wrote. If your callers are met by a crackly or unclear message, your callers’ view of your business will automatically be degraded from the start.  A professionally recorded attendant will send a completely different message! It may seem unnecessary if you only have one line, but consider getting an auto-attendant with different menu options, even if the sales, marketing, and finance departments all lead to you.”

The impression you give customers will be that you have a larger staff than you actually do. Another professional element that business VoIP systems can provide today for low cost include the ability to offer customers, whether b-to-b or b-to-c, important toll-free capabilities…sometimes at no extra charge.

“Toll-free numbers provide a sense of credibility and enhance your image,” wrote Matt. “They are usually easier to remember than standard phone numbers, and since individuals do not typically have toll-free numbers, they give off an air of professionalism.  Plus, because they are free for potential customers to contact, they may be more likely to call in.”

Analytics are another important element of today’s business VoIP systems that can benefit SMBs immensely. Marketing and sales may be arts, to a certain degree, but their effectiveness need to be measured. But they’re also a science, since companies expect it to be a formula: put money into marketing, execute a campaign, and rack up hard sales figures. Many of today’s business VoIP systems include analytics capabilities that allow even the smallest of companies to track and analyze their organization’s telephone-based marketing efforts.

Your customers will know, within moments of calling in, whether your organization is ready to compete with the bigger names or is a fly-by-night organization that is cobbling together infrastructure from outdated bits and pieces. Since your telephone presence is often your customers’ first introduction to your business, make sure it stands out as professional, functional and up-to-date. Thanks to business VoIP systems, it can also be affordable, customizable and flexible.