Hosted business VoIP phone systems are gaining significant ground with small business and self employed professionals. The limited budget of the small business and entrepreneurial market look favorably upon the many features of a hosted VoIP system as they are able to access revolutionary telecommunications for little cost.

Doing business over hosted VoIP system enables the small business professional to receive the same great features as those previously enjoyed by major fortune 500 companies for a fraction of the cost. One of the most revered features of a hosted VoIP system is the ability to forward calls. Call forwarding enables small business professionals and the self employed to route their incoming calls to any phone number they choose; this can be their office phone, answering service or even mobile VoIP phone. As any self employed professional will tell you the ability to remain mobile is paramount to their success. No one wants to be confined to a desk and through the use of a hosted VoIP system they no longer need to be as they can receive and make calls from any location they happen to be.

A hosted VoIP solution is well within the budgetary confines of the small business professional. Deploying a hosted VoIP telecommunications system is the most proficient method of achieving all of the features of a large corporate PBX without the necessities of a large capital investment. Since the VoIP system is hosted in an off-site location there is no need for any sort of expensive or bulky equipment, ideally most businesses will require little more than to purchase IP phones and possibly a router. Nextiva sells may great IP phones designed to meet the needs of any business. Another added bonus of a hosted VoIP environment is the piece of mind that comes with knowing that the business will never need to contract a service professional to maintain the phones or the system as all of that will be handled by the VoIP solutions provider.

If you are considering switching to a hosted phone system for your office or would like to learn more about Nextiva’s award winning business communications solutions. Please visit www.nextiva.com.

An auto attendant (also known as an auto receptionist) can help convey a professional and established image for all businesses, included startups. Virtual PBX phone systems like Nextiva provide small business owners with an auto attendant that helps create an image that customers are dealing with a reputable business that has experience and isn’t going anywhere. Not only are virtual phone systems affordable, they can also prevent callers from feeling they are being ignored. Since most small businesses can’t afford to have multiple receptionists to answer every phone call that comes in on the first ring, an auto attendant will always answer. Moreover, an auto attendant can help explain what your business does as well as route the call to the appropriate extension or employee.
Since first impressions are so critical, Nextiva records a complimentary voice greeting for it’s business VoIP clients.

Since many small businesses do no have experience with auto attendants and hosted phone systems, we feel that it would be helpful to provide our visitors with a sample auto attendant script.

SAMPLE AUTO ATTENDANT SCRIPT

Thank you for calling BH Uniforms, a leading provider of medical uniforms and scrubs.

If you know the extension of the person you wish to reach, you may dial it at any time.

For sales, please press 1.

If you’ve already placed an order with BH Uniforms, please press 2.

For our hours and locations, please press 3.

For business development and press information, please press 4.

To speak to the next available representative, please press 0.

To repeat this menu, please press *.

There is not a business on the market, large or small, that does not cite increasing profitability and business growth as two of their objectives for the coming year. Many smaller businesses, however, do not have a clear strategy has to how they wish to achieve these objectives. Some of the most established methods of reaching goals like these is by streamlining costs and broadening the capabilities of the current communications system. The invention of the Internet brought many great things for the business world; one of which is VoIP telecommunications.
Quick thinking business professionals will implement VoIP into their telecommunications plan and enable themselves to push ahead of the competition while greatly reducing their on-going operational expenses. No one doubts the reliability of traditional landlines, VoIP is just as reliable and much more efficient – not to mention the wide variety of added bonuses.
VoIP technology works by transmitting voice calls over a high speed Internet connection, since the entire process is in a digital format charges are based on data consumption and not the length of telephone calls. Businesses take advantage of great features such as unlimited local and long distance calling capability; a huge benefit to businesses looking to drastically reduce their telecommunications expenses.
The majority of smaller businesses deciding to migrate from conventional telephony to VoIP are able to do so without losing their existing phone number; this is known as number portability. Not only does retaining their current number assist in the transition, but it also ensures that businesses retain their current client base without the need to notify each consumer of the new number. Number porting also saves the company from needing to go to the expense of new advertising materials or company stationary.
Generally speaking, the quality of service offered by VoIP far surpasses that of conventional telephony. Operating over a VoIP platform allows businesses access to many of the same features they would find with regular corded phone service and affords them the use of many more advanced tools and features. Features such as enhanced voicemail, Find Me – Follow me and even a personal automated attendant. One of the greatest attributes of a VoIP system is its ability to be accessed outside of the physical office location, enabling more companies to hire outside professionals and have the peace of mind that comes in knowing they are only a click away.
Initial VoIP installation is easy and can be achieved with minimal equipment. While businesses are given the option of continuing to use their current telephone hardware with the addition of a special VoIP adapter, they can also access the service through a software application using nothing more than a headset.
The most recognizable benefit of VoIP when used in a small business environment is obvious cost savings; most businesses report an 80% drop in their regular telecommunications expenses less than one year after migration.
Additional benefits include:

• A more streamlined and productive work environment.
• Less expensive telecommunications costs.
• A better use of corporate resources.
• Heightened customer service capabilities.
• Shortened response time.
• Enhanced collaboration between employees of multiple office locations and outside remote workers.
• Better use of integrated applications when used in conjunction with unified communications.
• Increased scalability, portability and profitability.
• The ability to utilize local calling and toll-free numbers.
• Enhanced company image.

VoIP gives smaller businesses the freedom to free up financial resources to be invested into new and innovated ways to increase their profitability and aid in their growth potential.

There is no denying the rising demand amongst small enterprise owners for multifaceted and affordable communication services. This demand has sparked a growing interest in business VoIP services. As an advanced telecommunications technology, VoIP enables business communications to be transmitted via a corporate data network and provides a multi-layered and versatile solution to the rising costs of imposed upon small businesses in search of enterprise class communications tools.

The surge in VoIP use in the small business world did not happen overnight. Despite the most recent economic recession, small enterprise owners have been taking huge trade and industry and hits for many years. The recent recession has only caused smaller organizations to become more aware of their expenses and more responsible in their decisions. This heightened sense of financial responsibility has resulted in more companies finding it necessary to streamline expenses without sacrificing business enhancing essentials such as communications tools.

Newly established companies are not exempt from the desire to streamline costs. Starting out on the right foot is paramount in the overall success of any operation; especially those outfits seeking to compete with key players in any industry. A VoIP system allows startup companies to hit the ground running while taking advantage of a degree of flexibility far greater than that offered to businesses of the past and providing them with the upper hand in the competitive world of business.

VoIP breaks down the barriers between smaller organizations and major fortune 500 companies. With the use of a VoIP system any business can have easy access to affordable enterprise class communications tools and features, not just those businesses with a large capital.

Regardless of the operating life of a business, switching to VoIP offers affordable access to communication and allows businesses to collaborate effortlessly with consumers and employees on many different avenues.

A hosted VoIP PBX system signifies the preferred small business telecommunications outlet of the modern day. VoIP based PBXs facilitate the use of the same features offered via a standardized system for a much more attractive rate.

Utilizing a virtually hosted telecommunications system enables smaller enterprises to restructure their budget to a smaller scale while expanding their communications capabilities. For instance, operating over a conventional PBX may have restricted the businesses ability to mobilize their workforce. In migrating to a hosted VoIP solution, the same business is now able to employ an entire team of telework professionals by granting each employee virtual access to the corporate phone system via an active broadband Internet connection.

By now, the underlying functions of VoIP are known to most. Voice conversations are broken down and converted into encrypted packets of digitalized data. Once converted, these data packets are then transmitted over the public Internet to the intended recipient. Since VoIP makes use of digital information, instead of analog signals like service from the local telephone provider, subscribers to VoIP services are not charged per minute or in relation to the area they are calling.

As mentioned earlier, a hosted VoIP PBX provides the same basic features of a more conventional system and also expands on these features by offering a wide array of more exclusive and enhanced tools. Unlike conventional means, however, there is no need for subscribers to pick and choose what features are best for their business and then pay for each separately – VoIP is all encompassing meaning that dozens of remarkable tools and features are available at no extra cost.

An added benefit of a VoIP PBX is the ability to share not only voice communications but written and video as well. The majority of business class VoIP PBXs facilitate the use of video and web conferencing to further enhance the VoIP experience.

As with most other VoIP systems, a hosted VoIP PBX is extremely user friendly and can be effortlessly adjusted to interface with nearly any type of computer or operating system. This ease of use allows businesses to easily integrate their communications systems with customer relations software and address books. Unlike PBXs of the past, programming a hosted VoIP system is as simple as picking up the phone and calling your hosted VoIP provider.

The growing popularity of ‘smartphones’ amongst business professionals has sparked the need for mobile technology to be merged with hosted business VoIP services. Business houses of the past viewed mobile phone usage as a cost prohibitive technology to be reserved for larger enterprises and executives. Rising roaming charges and per-minute billing often resulted in large and unnecessary expenses.

It has been known for some time that the 3G network would be capable of supporting the requirements of VoIP yet mobile phone service giants seemed contented to keep mobile rates well above the desired amount. More recently, however, increased competition between vendors and greater demand for features such as Find Me – Follow Me has sparked debate as to the increased benefits of VoIP on a mobile structure.

Modern ‘smartphones’ such as Apples popular iPhone have proven that the integration of both mobile and VoIP networks are the wave of the future and promise to change the way businesses communicate for generations. Most newer mobile phones are now being engineered to operate over both WiFi and 3G compatible networks.

For years smaller businesses have appreciated the comfort that VoIP brings them. Taking advantage of a hosted VoIP solution enables businesses to not only integrate existing applications with their communications system but it also allows them to greatly reduce cost while boosting employee productivity. Using VoIP on a mobile circuit is no different. Instead of separate monthly bills for costly mobile calling plans and Internet access, businesses can now merge their networks to encompass both data and call transfer. The ability to eliminate high cost plans, roaming and exceeded data limit charges will allow businesses to free up resources that can then be used in more deserving areas of the business.

There are many exciting and noteworthy reasons for the small enterprise to make the switch to VoIP telephony; cost savings and enhanced features often top the list, but what is the majority of businesses migrating to VoIP systems in the past year citing as their driving factors to make the switch?
The top five factors driving businesses to migrate to a VoIP based telecommunications system are:

1. Lowered operational expenses.
2. A greater variety of tools and features.
3. Greater usability in an easier to operate format.
4. Higher degrees of flexibility.
5. Enhanced security features.

Lowered Operational Expenses

Regardless of the size of a particular business, ongoing operational expenses have always been a concern. Businesses are unable to succeed without adequate communications services and in the past, telecommunications subscriptions have consumed a large deal of corporate finances.
While a large portion of the worlds businesses are still restricted by the constraints of conventional telephone service, a growing number are experiencing the benefits of a hosted VoIP system. Small businesses opting to take advantage of the low cost functionality of VoIP can expect many great rewards. Rewards like unlimited local and international calling, all inclusive feature sets and even valuable tools like the automated attendant all the while being able to save nearly 80% off of their previously calculated telecommunications expenses.

A Greater Variety of Tools and Features

While it is not uncommon for traditional phone service providers to offer features such as call forwarding and conference calling these features are normally only available at an added charge. Unlike traditional phone service, however, a business VoIP service plan provides all of the same great features and many more at no additional charge.

Greater Usability in an Easier to Operate Format

Some smaller businesses are still leery to migrate to VoIP as they fear the new technology will require them to spend countless hours and dollars training staff. This couldn’t be further from the truth. VoIP is extremely simple to set up and often requires little training. In fact, most people familiar with the operations of a standard telephone can already use VoIP.

Higher Degree of Flexibility

A VoIP system is one of the most versatile and flexible communications systems on the market. In fact, communications is possible from any location that maintains a valid Internet connection. Employees working from outside of the physical office location are given the freedom to access and use the corporate phone system by simply plugging their IP phone into a working broadband connection or taking advantage of a softphone application.
The flexibility of VoIP makes it the ideal system for any business, even more so for those routinely working from the road.

Enhanced Security Features

The fear of security intrusions and the misuse of information has long been a caution for businesses deploying new Internet based technology. While that fear may have been well substantiated three decades ago, VoIP as a technology has come a long way. VoIP service providers and hardware manufacturers have gone to great lengths to ensure that the services they provide are as secure and safe as possible. It is highly unlikely that anyone looking to do harm by breaching a company VoIP system will ever be able to get passed the stringent security measures taken by a reputable VoIP provider.
For businesses seeking to further secure their systems there are a number of sources available to assist them in firewall, encryption and data protection.

Delivering voice communications over a data network can no longer be viewed as a new or immature technology. It has been a proven advancement in small business communications for more than 3 decades. While formally known as Voice over Internet Protocol, it can also be referred to as VoIP, Voice over Broadband, broadband phone, broadband telephony and even Internet telephony.

Regardless of how the technology is recognized its objective remains the same; to allow communications services such as fax, voice and video to be transported over the public Internet instead of a conventional telephone network.
VoIP deployment involves a few rudimentary steps. Since most phone calls originate in an analog format it becomes necessary to convert that analog signal to a digital format, once digitalized it must then be compressed, encrypted and then transmitted across the Internet.

Smaller organizations often benefit greatly after abandoning their conventional methods of communication in exchange for a more complete and comprehensive solution. While many of these benefits come in the form of cost savings and lowered ongoing expenses, there is also something to be said about the unique encompassment of features and tools often only available through a VoIP solution. Previously, for a small business to reap the rewards of features like call routing and toll-free calling they would be subject to large monthly payments and often would need to purchase each feature separately. This is not the case with VoIP. A small business VoIP solution from reputable service provider, Nextiva Inc, boasts more than 25 exclusive features offered as part of a package deal for as little as $8.95 per month. This means that small business professionals are no longer forced to decide ahead of time which features and tools are necessary for the survival and continued success of their business, nor are they limited to the few that meet the constraints of a small business budget.

Facilitating VoIP in a business environment is easy so long as the business maintains an active enterprise broadband Internet connection with significant bandwidth to support both incoming and outgoing communications. Since VoIP usage is tied to Internet connectivity, it can provide great benefits to employees routinely working from the road or those businesses that actively employ remote or teleworkers.

Given the uniqueness of every situation, it is preferable when making the decision to switch to VoIP to contact a qualified VoIP solutions provider to discuss the solution best suited to the needs of the business.

Through the use of the Internet as a mode of both verbal and written communication small businesses are able to effectively break free from the cost restrictive barriers of wired communication and experience many great benefits and reward previously only accessible to larger enterprises. Unlike conventional telephony, migrating to a complete business VoIP system requires little start-up capital and can be attained with minimal equipment.

While VoIP has the potential to greatly benefit smaller businesses, business owners are cautioned to carefully outline what they wish to obtain from VoIP migration prior to the commencement of a full implementation.

Some of the avenues that should be explored include:

1. When does the business hope to switch to a VoIP based communication system?
2. What are the most significant calling charges under the current PTSN system?
3. Does the business make a large amount of long distance or International calling?

Many of the benefits of VoIP technology can be experienced with little more equipment than a computer or ATA adapter. To truly experience the marvels of VoIP, however, it is recommended that a business invest in specialized VoIP routers to fully achieve a seamless integration. VoIP routers are a perfectly acceptable tool for VoIP use in smaller organizations, larger enterprises on the other hand may require more specialized infrastructure.

There are several outfits in the market that offer and provide VoIP services, and no two VoIP services are exactly alike; residential VoIP will not provide small businesses with the same features, benefits and Quality of Service as a VoIP service that is more geared towards the small business market – for that reason it is best to only explore service offerings from vendors specializing only in small business VoIP as they are likely to be the most knowledgeable.

Although simplistic in its operations, managing an entire VoIP solution can be complex and often tedious and therefore smaller organizations and those with limited in house IT personnel find the greatest returns in selecting a hosted VoIP solution offered by many small business VoIP solutions providers. This not only saves the business money in the long run, but it also allows them to free up existing resources and focus on more pertinent day-to-day aspects of the business.