To help you separate contenders from pretenders when looking for the right business phone service provider, here are five essential things to look for:
#1: LOCAL Customer Service
Nothing is going to impact your experience and ROI more than whether or not you will get outstanding LOCAL customer service. Any business phone service provider that does provide this should be completely avoided.
During your research and due diligence, go beyond what a business phone service provider says about themselves. Take a look at what their customers say about them. Also, make sure that all reviews and testimonials are verified and authentic.
And if you wish to speak directly with a customer to learn about their experience, the business phone service provider should be delighted to comply with your request. If you get any pushback, then see it as a red flag and walk — or better yet, run — away. You will save yourself a great deal of time, stress, and money.
#2: TRANSPARENT Pricing
Some business phone service providers like to play a game called “Let’s Build a Phone System!”. It goes like this: customers are lured in by what seems like a great price, but then find out later on that they are on the hook (no pun intended!) for all kinds of extra fees.
You will completely avoid this pitfall by choosing a business phone service provider that is completely transparent with its pricing. This means that the cost you are quoted is exactly the price you will pay — and not a penny more. To learn more about this, check out this article on 7 digital phone service fees that you should NEVER pay.
#3: World-Class RELIABILITY and SECURITY
It does not matter how “feature-rich” or “future-proofed” a business phone system might be. If it is not reliable and secure, then it is going to be a costly liability.
Choose a business phone service provider that commits to a 99.9% uptime standard, provides 24/7 security, and whose technology is HIPAA compliant (even if you are not in the healthcare field, the fact that your business phone service provider complies with this stringent standard is a good sign).
#4: Supports Your HYBRID and REMOTE Workforce
The pandemic pushed remote work from the sidelines into the mainstream, and many companies have decided to adopt remote and/or hybrid work as permanent. What’s more, even companies that have returned to a 100% in-office model understand that scenarios can arise — such as inclement weather or family-related issues — that can force certain employees to temporarily work from home.
Make sure that you choose a business phone service provider that offers a mobile app, which enables your off-site employees to make/receive calls from a mobile device, regardless of where they are located.
Plus, when an employee makes calls using the mobile app, then your business’s name/number must appear on Caller ID, and NOT the employee’s personal name/number — even if they are using their personally-owned smartphone. This is critically important for privacy and confidentiality, and it also presents a more professional image.
#5: INTEGRATES With Your Current and Future Systems
Your business is not static. It is constantly adjusting and evolving. The last thing you want is for your business phone system to hold you back vs. drive you forward.
As such, choose a business phone service provider that makes it easy for you to integrate with current and future systems in your environment (e.g., collaboration tools, CRM, web browsers, etc.).
Carolina Digital Phone: 5 Out of 5!
Carolina Digital Phone is proud to deliver ALL of these essential requirements:
- We offer the industry’s best LOCAL service, and all of our Engineers and Support Team members are dedicated, full-time employees. Our customers are always treated with consideration and respect, and NEVER just another “file” or “number” to us!
- Our pricing is very competitive and completely transparent. We do not charge extra fees of ANY kind.
- We have over-engineered our infrastructure so that it is extremely reliable, and we enforce the highest standards of security. We also provide 24/7 monitoring to proactively detect unusual or suspicious activity and utilize a comprehensive Telecommunications Fraud Management System that conforms to STIR/SHAKEN standards.
- We offer a free, feature-rich, and easy-to-use mobile app for iOS and Android, which is ideal for remote/hybrid workers.
- Our all-in-one phone system is designed to integrate with other solutions, and our highly-experienced Engineering Team can create custom integrations.
Next Steps In Choosing A Business Phone Service Provider
Contact us today and schedule your free consultation and demo of our all-in-one solution. We can visit you on-site, or connect with you over the web if you prefer. Call us now at (336) 544-4000. Discover why we are the business phone service provider that customers have trusted and recommended for more than 20 years!