Don’t let prohibitive prices stop you from onboarding a VoIP call center solution for your small business. Scale as you go, grow past your local borders and empower your employees to provide top-of-the-line customer experiences with these SMB-friendly, cost-effective Virtual Phone Systems.
A Virtual Phone System is a modern communication solution that allows businesses to make and receive calls from anywhere, anytime.
It is a cost-effective way to stay connected with customers, partners, and colleagues and offers features such as call forwarding, voicemail, and IVR (Interactive Voice Response).
With a Virtual Phone System, businesses can easily manage their calls, improve customer service, and streamline their operations.
Choosing the right virtual phone system for your small business can be a daunting task, but it’s essential to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your investment. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting a virtual phone system:
By considering these factors when selecting a virtual phone system for your small business, you can find a solution that meets all your communication needs while staying within budget.
CloudTalk is a cloud-based call center and business phone system built to let you maximize your customer support efforts across all channels. All you need to do is choose a number for one of the 160+ supported countries, and you can instantly start optimizing your workflows with advanced features, including IVR, click-to-call, power dialers, and more! CloudTalk also supports 35+ other powerful integrations for helpdesk, e-commerce, and CRM systems, including HubSpot and Zendesk.
4.4/5 – 260 reviews
4.4/5 – 840 reviews
4.4/5 – 310 reviews
4.5/5 – 260 reviews
According to some users, CloudTalk Analytics needed a refresh, something that would afford our users deeper insights into the data that drives their business forward.
We answered the call and recently launched Analytics 2.0, a powerful new data-visualization framework that gives users in-depth reports on the day-to-day operations of their call center. Identify problem areas and apply data-driven solutions faster than you ever thought possible.
CloudTalk is the perfect phone system for mid-sized companies looking to grow. Typically, it’s used in sales for outbound calls and in customer service for inbound calls.
Unless you’re new to the VoIP telephony market, you’ll surely have heard of Dialpad. It’s a reliable, unified telephony solution with simple built-in AI, and advanced analytics. A live chat, phone hotline, and knowledge base make it a great deal for customer support teams.
Dialpad’s main advantages are voice intelligence and uptime between 99% and 100%. You’ll get conference video calls, sentiment analysis, voicemail transcriptions, call tracking metrics, Speech-to-Text for an automatic call recording, and much more.
With Dialpad, you can call to the US and Canada for free and from anywhere in the world. Inbound and outbound calling within your country is also free of charge. The provider has a modern, well-organized UI, plenty of training videos and a well-built mobile application.
While Dialpad does offer a Power dialer, it lacks a Smart dialer and a Predictive dialer. The Power dialer feature is limited, as it only works in conjunction with Salesforce. Unlike the CloudTalk app, the Dialpad app only allows users to only dial phone numbers manually.
The Preferred agent feature only works through API.
Dialpad also lacks a visual flow editor for its Call flow designer. Furthermore, you can’t send SMS messages outside of the US and Canada, although this feature will soon become available to those in the UK.
The provider offers a pretty limited integration stack, and Voicemail drop comes only with Dialpad Sell.
Any size of sales organization looking to drive agent efficiency and speed up ramp times.
Nextiva is a big player in the VoIP market, providing services to more than 15,000 customers. Nextiva is widely regarded as user-friendly — users can start calling within minutes thanks to a simple and intuitive setup process. Furthermore, the system is hosted by Nextiva, which makes maintenance of the software Nextiva’s responsibility.
Nextiva offers various advanced features, including conference calling, voicemail transcription, multi-level attendant, and much more. The provider also integrates with solutions like Zendesk, ConnectWise or MS Teams.
Nextiva’s HIPAA-compliant virtual faxing makes it a great solution for healthcare workers. Medical employees can share information without having to worry about data breach.
Furthermore, 24/7 support means agents are always on hand to assist you.
Although Nextiva is a well-known VoIP solution, there are some issues you should know about when considering this provider:
Businesses that need a robust, secure and reliable enterprise phone system that works across every device and comes with advanced features like video conferencing, mobile app, call recording, and more.
8×8 is an evergreen telephony solution with a strong focus on integrations and analytics. The provider is well-suited for enterprises, but lower-tier subscriptions also work for smaller organizations. There are a number of benefits 8×8 can offer its subscribers.
First of all, the provider has done a great job building an Analytics system that can effectively track large-scale business processes. 8×8’s reporting system centralizes all data in a single place, so managers can make their teams more organized and speed up their workflow. You’ll also get real-time reports.
Then, we have the solution’s comprehensive integrations with software like Salesforce, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and many more. Furthermore, 8×8 users get unlimited calling to 40+ countries. 8×8 telephony software comes with smart dialer, click-to-call, and call recording.
If you own a business that works globally, there are a few things about 8×8 you might want to consider:
A crucial restriction, mainly for big international companies, is that there are regional constraints on unlimited calling. Users with the basic Express plan can only use unlimited calling in the US and Canada.
Office is required: You need an office in the location where you want to call in order to get a number from there.
Geographical restrictions for SMS: You can only use the SMS feature within the US, and 8×8 does not cover costs for mobile numbers in Brazil.
Integrations: 8×8 doesn’t partner with telco companies, which means that users won’t have native integration with certain solutions — for example, Whatsapp. Non-native integrations must be set up by the tech team.
Features: 8×8 is missing some features like call tagging for more efficient calling processes, call masking for protecting your personal information and API for connecting with the tools you love. Automation tools like IVR, skill-based routing or automated callback come only with high-tier plans. You have to pay extra in order to get call recording.
Flexible for Any Business
When you think about VoIP telephony solutions, Ringcentral is probably among the first ones that comes to your mind. It’s no wonder, the company has been on the market for over 20 years and has built quite a reputation for itself.
RingCentral has a great variety of features, and offers HD quality voice and video. The provider is a good fit for enterprises, since it offers an omnichannel experience and lead qualification tools, as well as management, collaboration and performance features – all in a single software.
Despite all the positives, RingCentral does lack quite a few essential tools that modern businesses require.
Features like native sentiment analytics, Speech-to-Text transcription, smart dialers, or Skill-based routing are only included in Contact Centre Solution. The same goes for some agent management features, like monitoring.
The Call recording tool and Toll-free numbers are only available as add-ons for an additional cost.
Furthermore, RingCentral’s implementation can take as much as 90 days and involves an implementation fee.
RingCentral UI is also not always the friendliest to work with.
RingCentral MVP is a flexible cloud-based solution that is ideal for businesses of all sizes.
Ooma is an ideal solution for smaller companies with up to 500 employees or a home phone service. It is mostly used for call logging, alerts, and escalations.
Simple set-up: you can install the phone system without any technical expertise, and it comes pre-configured. Ooma’s feature-rich mobile app is compatible with both iPhones and Android devices. You can program a personalized welcome, direct callers to various extensions, or offer a menu of choices that can direct callers to the appropriate party.
Although the setup is very simple, and you can seek assistance from guides or customer support, there is no in-person training involved.
Ooma also doesn’t offer predictive dialers and telemarketing management these features speed up your workflow and make your sales efforts much smoother. Ooma lacks reporting and analytics capabilities.
Ooma is best for smaller businesses looking for a basic VoIP service.
(quote upon request)
When you hear Zoom, you probably connect it with meetings, webinars, and conference calling. No surprise there. Zoom is one of the biggest virtual meeting tools on the market. Yet, it’s not the cheapest one. Let’s look deeper at all advantages and disadvantages.
Zoom is a lightweight solution that can perfectly into the processes of any organization, regardless of size. Some of its biggest advantages stem from the large number of callers it can support with clear call quality, as well as the productivity tools available (i.e., digital whiteboard). It’s easy to use, and works well with scheduling solutions like Google Calendar.
Zoom is missing advanced dialing capabilities. While the platform offers many integrations, it lacks some of the most popular ones, like HubSpot CRM and Freshsales. Business phone features are included just in high-tier plans.
Also, some features, for example, audio conferencing or real-time analytics, are only available as add-ons.
What’s more, Zoom doesn’t offer any in person-training.
Zoom is best for businesses that place a premium on video-conferencing capabilities.
Vonage is among the best-known virtual phone providers in the world. They’ve been in the business for over 20 years and have established an enviable reputation as a market leader.
The Virtual Receptionist automatic attendant feature allows calls to be forwarded to other departments.
Moreover, businesses can provide callers with alternatives for call routing that let them use either their name or an extension to dial. Before having their calls routed to a department, callers can also use the company directory.
Even when businesses use cloud services that consume a lot of bandwidth, such collaboration, chat, and video tools, Vonage’s network optimization features ensure call continuity and call quality.
Unfortunately for customers, Vonage has capitalized on its reputation by charging much more for its services than other comparable virtual phone software providers.
Vonage pricing also includes many hidden fees that make the service far more expensive than expected.
This can be a real downside for small businesses that need to be more discerning about how and where they expend their resources.
Vonage is best for companies looking for a well-established provider.
(quote upon request)
GoTo Connect is a frequent go-to choice for scaling businesses. Let’s take a closer look at this VoIP provider’s offering, examine its strengths and weaknesses, and determine whether it delivers on its promises.
Integration with other GoTo products improves your business communication, especially for remote teams. The solution offers an easy-to-use interface for call management and administration.
One of the first downsides users will notice when using GoTo Connect is the solution’s lack of integrations. Furthermore, there are a fair few features missing that you can expect to find with other providers, including call notes/tags, call masking, business hours, or even caller ID.
Scaling businesses that want an efficient path to the top of their industry
Net2phone is a modern VoIP phone service built to enhance business’s communication experience. Basic VoIP features come standard, including call forwarding, call transferring, and call recording.
Net2phone’s customers cite a number of benefits the service provided their businesses with, including ease of implementation, straightforward user interface, good call quality, and remote work capabilities. Not to mention several people boasting that they’ve been able to cut down their phone bills significantly since onboarding.
Net2Phone’s admin portal leaves much to be desired, according to reviewers on the G2 platform. It’s a basic setup and one that can hamper administrative efforts on the part of its user base.
Net2Phone is best for businesses looking for an all-in-one VoIP and communications solution.
Windstream, which is now primarily known as Kinetic for Business, is a phone and internet company that provides coverage to small, midsize and enterprise businesses, as well as to residences. They’re known for their reliability, comprehensive set of routing and rerouting options, and flexibility of use across many types of devices.
Windstream’s call center solution offers a range of benefits, including improved customer service, increased employee productivity, valuable data insights, and customizable features, making it an excellent choice for businesses looking to enhance their call center operations.
A variety of types of businesses operate under the Windstream name, including an office suite software, an internet provider, and a VoIP service. Reviewers have complained that the company’s resources are spread rather thin, to the detriment of their overall product offering.
Windstream is best for businesses interested in a single provider for both their phone and internet needs.
Starts at 19.95, but specific quote upon request.
Grasshopper is often the go-to VoIP solution for smaller businesses looking for call center software to streamline their operations all around the world. But is their business model really so SMB-friendly? Let’s see.
Set up is simple and takes just a few clicks — no IT degree required.
The Solo pricing tier is very affordable, even for companies that are just starting out. Furthermore, there are no limits on extensions after you reach the Small Business tier of service.
There is no need to purchase pricey new equipment. You can run your business from your personal smartphone while keeping it separate from the rest of your life.
There is a downside to Grasshopper’s simplicity, however, and it’s this: The solution lacks several core VoIP features users may expect, including:
Furthermore, a fair few users complain that the app could benefit from some deeper reporting features.
Grasshopper is best for SMBs who value their customers’ happiness above all else.
Phone.com is another virtual phone service you don’t often hear about. It’s slowly but surely making a name for itself, though, by providing reliable, affordable and easy-to-use communication software to its customers. With Phone.com, businesses can easily maintain a professional image and stay connected with customers and colleagues from anywhere.
Phone.com is a cost-effective solution that allows users to save money on phone bills. Additionally, the provider lets users easily manage their accounts, and quickly add/remove phone numbers or users. Finally, Phone.com offers top-notch customer service and support, making it an ideal choice for those looking for a reliable virtual phone service.
While Phone.com’s features certainly offer plenty to its customers, there’s a catch. Many of its best features are locked behind a paywall. Furthermore, the software has a limited number of possible integrations, making it perhaps not the first choice for those looking for a centralized call center solution.
Phone.com’s VoIP calling solution is best suited for small businesses that only need basic functionalities.
To get additional tools, companies must upgrade to high-tier plans. Examples of such tools would be voicemail transcription, online voice transmissions, access controls, permissions, and even unlimited minutes.
Mitel’s VoIP product, MiVoice Business, provides users with a comprehensive calling platform capable of meeting both their sales and customer support needs.
Mite’ls list of features offers a number of benefits to users, improving their efficiency and productivity, regardless of whether they work from the comfort of their home or the office. The phone system was designed with flexibility in mind, making it easy to scale your business, without breaking the bank. What’s more, Mitel pays close attention to their customer experience, so you’ll always have someone to talk to, should anything ever go wrong.
Reviewers on G2 have complained about connectivity issues with this service. The interface can also be difficult to navigate for new users, according to some.
Mitel is best suited to enterprise-level businesses looking to maximize the productivity of their call center agents.
Quote upon request.
Avaya is a cloud contact center built for remote teams. It has the potential to boost workplace efficiency by allowing agents and managers alike to easily engage in video conferencing and instant messaging. On top of that, it integrates with some of the most popular software tools on the market.
Avaya offers an omnichannel experience with high-quality interactions across voice and digital channels — all in a single desktop view. It increases efficiency through automation, and provides advanced analytics for customer behavior insights.
The provider lets businesses improve customer experience via a wide range of features. Avaya also offers easy scalability that allows businesses to increase customer service capabilities. Furthermore, it reduces costs thanks to eliminating redundant manual tasks.
Many Avaya users have complained about the software’s old-fashioned and difficult-to-navigate UI. The platform is also lacking in the automations department – it doesn’t offer any smart dialers, which can be a real problem for sales teams looking to reach out to prospects in the most efficient way possible.
Lastly, while Avaya does offer some international numbers, its offering is limited. Users are currently only able to acquire numbers from 40 countries.
Avaya is best for businesses that require a robust communication platform, such as contact centers, large corporations, and organizations with multiple locations. It is also well-suited for small and medium-sized businesses that need a reliable and secure system to facilitate communication between employees, customers, and partners.
One virtual phone system worth considering is CloudTalk.
With its intuitive interface, customizable settings, and advanced features such as call recording and real-time analytics, CloudTalk is an ideal solution for small businesses looking to boost their productivity and enhance their customer experience.
Sign up for a 14-day free trial and see first-hand how CloudTalk can take your business communication to the next level.
FAQ
What is a virtual phone system?
A virtual phone system is a cloud-based phone system that allows businesses to make and receive phone calls using internet-based technology. It eliminates the need for traditional phone lines and hardware, making it a cost-effective and flexible solution for businesses of all sizes.
How to choose a virtual phone system for small businesses?
When choosing a virtual phone system for small businesses, consider the following factors:
IT & Operations
Sales
Customer support
Company-wide
Software & Tech
Financial Services
Professional services
Education & E-learning
Remote teams
Business phone system
Calling for HubSpot
Small businesses
Medium & Large businesses
Zendesk
Pipedrive
Salesloft
