Virtual Office Resource

We all well know by now that voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) means big savings and new opportunity for a lot of businesses out there, and even some individuals who are taking advantage of lowered calling prices. Now, Ooma has brought a new opportunity forward with its new Ooma Office Partner Program, a recently-unveiled opportunity to allow value-added resellers (VARs) the chance to take advantage of new policies to improve operations.

Ooma Office is known in the field as an excellent small business phone system, offering a variety of tools for users to put to work, and do so on a cost-effective basis. There are both local and toll-free numbers on hand, as well as musical hold options, a virtual receptionist tool, and conferencing extensions that can allow 10 users at once to get in on the action. A complementary app, Ooma Office for iOS and Android (News - Alert), allows many of these features to go mobile. The system simultaneously handles inbound and outbound calls, rolling incoming calls automatically to voicemail, which dethrones the tyranny of the busy signal.

Meanwhile, with the Ooma Office Partner Program, VARs can get in on new commission and residual programs offering users Ooma Office. A new affiliate program was also put in place, by which those who provide sales leads that become new customers can also get a little something extra.

Ooma's vice president of sales, Tim Sullivan (News - Alert), commented “We’re excited to help Ooma partners increase their market opportunity by delivering affordable, enterprise-grade phone service to their small business and microbusiness clients. With top-line brand recognition, amazing voice technology and one of the most highly-rated phone systems available, Ooma is a company with a proven track record for success and Ooma Office is the perfect phone service for small businesses.”

Those interested in Ooma Office can get in for just $19.95 per user per month, though that price goes to $24.95 in Canada. Since Ooma Office can drop phone bills by as much as 75 percent, however, it's left to each individual firm to see how long the payback period would be on such a system.

Partner programs are generally valuable for one good reason: they work for both the partner and the organization looking for partners. Partners get access to a new product line to offer current customers, and the organization gets access to whole new markets without having to invest a lot of time and capital into pushing into a market that organization might not already be familiar with. This reduces waste, cuts down on errors, and for accepting a slightly lower profit, allows businesses to make it up on volume.

With businesses like Ooma proving the value of such programs, the partner program concept will likely be a go-to option for making new business for some time to come.