Best Business Phone Service Providers (September 2023)

With the rapid advances in technology and the need for efficient, reliable, and cost-effective communication systems, the choice of a business phone service provider has become an essential decision for businesses worldwide. As more businesses pivot towards flexible work arrangements and the integration of remote workforces, the demand for business phone service providers that offer robust, feature-rich, and affordable solutions has grown exponentially.

This article will guide you through the best business phone service providers in June 2023, focusing on their unique features, services, and overall offerings. It will culminate with a spotlight on Joon, an industry leader in providing top-tier business phone services to businesses of all sizes.

1. Joon: Business Phone Service for Businesses of Any Size

Joon sets itself apart by providing a high-quality, reliable business phone service that employs the latest in VoIP technology and robust internet capabilities. Joon’s services are designed to accommodate businesses of any size, from startups to multinational corporations.

Joon’s business phone services integrate seamlessly with its suite of VoIP services, providing a unified communication platform for your business. Its offerings extend from traditional phone services to hardware, VoIP services, and VoIP softphone.

Joon’s business phone services leverage state-of-the-art cloud technology, offering scalability and flexibility that traditional phone systems cannot match. Moreover, Joon’s cloud-based services provide significant cost savings by eliminating the need for costly hardware and maintenance.

2. RingCentral: Best For Comprehensive Features

RingCentral is a robust, feature-rich business phone service provider known for its comprehensive set of capabilities. It provides an all-in-one solution, offering voice calls, video conferencing, team messaging, and even customer engagement tools.

3. Nextiva: Best For Ease Of Use

Nextiva stands out for its intuitive, easy-to-use interface and robust customer service. It provides a complete suite of VoIP services, including advanced call management, voicemail to email, call recording, and unlimited calling.

4. Grasshopper: Best for Small Business

Grasshopper offers a simple and cost-effective business phone service tailored to small businesses. It allows small businesses to establish a professional presence with features like custom greetings, extensions, call forwarding, and voicemail transcription.

5. 8×8: Best For Businesses On A Budget

8×8 offers affordable VoIP solutions without compromising on quality or features. Its offerings include unlimited calling, team messaging, video meetings, and call handling features such as auto-attendant and ring groups.

While all these providers offer exceptional services, Joon’s comprehensive suite of offerings, commitment to quality, and focus on customer satisfaction make it stand out in the crowded marketplace of business phone service providers.

What is Business phone service?

A business phone service is a telecommunications solution specifically designed to facilitate communication within a company and between the company and its customers. Business phone services can include a variety of features that go beyond what you would typically find in a personal phone service.

These services can be based on traditional landline telephones, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, or even mobile networks. They can be installed on-premise with physical hardware, or they can be cloud-based, requiring only an internet connection.

Key features of VoIP business phone services can include multiple lines for incoming and outgoing calls, call transferring, conference calling, voicemail, auto attendants, and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems. These systems can also include advanced features such as call recording, call forwarding, call queuing, caller ID, and voicemail-to-email or voicemail-to-text services.

Some business phone services also offer integration with other business applications such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, email clients, or team collaboration software. This integration can streamline communication processes and increase efficiency within a business.

Finding the Ideal Business Phone Service Provider

In a market saturated with business phone service providers, it can be quite challenging to identify the one that suits your needs the most. Some even offer their services for free. To help you navigate this, here’s a breakdown of what you should consider when searching for the best business phone service provider.

Service Pricing

The price of a business phone service varies widely based on several factors, including the type of service, the number of users, and the included features. Providers may offer a flat-rate pricing model, or they might charge depending on the usage or the required number of phone lines.

Cost can be influenced by:

Service Type: Cloud-based systems often come at a lower cost than on-site solutions. User Count: As your user count increases, so does the cost. However, some providers might offer bulk pricing.

Additional Features: Extra features such as call recording, forwarding, and voice mail could come with an additional fee.

To minimize costs, you could:

• Negotiate a better deal with the provider.
• Opt for a provider offering a flat-rate pricing model.
• Search for providers that offer free or cheap international calls.
• Avoid features and services you don’t really need.

When comparing a pricier option to a more affordable one, contemplate the following:

Which features are essential for your business? An expensive choice might have additional features you don’t need, while a more affordable one may not meet all your requirements. What is your budget? A costly option could exceed your budget, while an affordable one could fit right in. Could you adjust your budget to accommodate your preferred choice? What’s the service quality like? Affordable options might not provide the same level of service quality and customer support as their pricier counterparts. Customer reviews can offer insights into actual user experiences with different services.

Call Quality and Reliability

Several aspects can influence the call quality and reliability of business phone service. These include:

Network Traffic: Slow or inconsistent internet connections can lead to lag, jitter, and call drops.

Quality of Service (QoS): QoS is a technique to prioritize internet traffic, ensuring that your business calls get precedence over other internet activities.

Codecs: The quality of the codecs, which compress and decompress audio data, can affect call quality.

Hardware: The user’s hardware quality, like microphones and speakers, can also influence call quality.

Provider’s Network: The quality and reliability of the provider’s network significantly contribute to ensuring superior call quality and reliability.

To evaluate a provider’s call quality and reliability, you can:

• Request references and case studies from the provider’s existing clients.
• Peruse online ratings and reviews of the provider.
• Inquire about the provider’s network design and the steps they take to maintain call quality and reliability.
• Utilize a free trial period to test the service.
• Ask the provider about their Service Level Agreements (SLAs), which usually assure a certain level of uptime and call quality. Many providers promise a 99.99% uptime guarantee.

Popular Business Phone Service Features

Here are several vital features to keep in mind when choosing a business phone service provider:

Customer Support: While many providers offer round-the-clock support, others may only be available during standard business hours. Some might even charge extra for telephonic support. Assess your business needs to determine what kind of support is most suitable for you.

Toll-Free Numbers: This feature may not be necessary for every business, but if it’s crucial for yours, ensure your potential providers offer it.

Automated Attendant: This feature eliminates the need for a dedicated receptionist by transferring calls to the right person automatically, often using an interactive voice response (IVR) system.

Caller ID: Identifying who’s calling you sets the tone for the conversation and is crucial in sales and service sectors.

Call Holding: This feature lets you put callers on hold while you finish another task or conversation.

Call Queuing: This automated feature places callers on hold and sets up a queue based on the order of incoming calls, often referred to as automatic call distribution or ACD.

Music on Hold: Keeping callers entertained with music while they’re on hold can be more appealing than leaving them with silence.

Custom Ringback: Much like hold music, custom ringback is what your callers hear while waiting for someone to answer. It could be a message or a catchy jingle.

Hot Desking: This allows employees to log into any connected device to access their calls and messages.

Call Flipping: Also known as call pulling, this feature allows you to switch the call from one device to another without hanging up.

Conferencing Tools: These enable audio or video conferencing with employees or any group you establish.

Call Monitoring: This allows managers to listen in on calls for training or quality assurance purposes.

Call Whispering: This technology lets a supervisor quietly coach a phone representative during a call in real-time.

Call Barging: This allows managers to take over a call if the representative is struggling to meet the customer’s needs.

Transcriptions: These are written records of calls useful for training or as evidence of conversations.

Call Recording: This feature lets managers review not only what was said but how it was said, including tone and inflection.

Speed Dial: A convenient feature that enables employees to dial frequently called numbers quickly and easily.

Call Forwarding: This enables calls to be redirected to another device, allowing you to receive calls when away from the office.

Digital Faxing: This gives you the ability to send faxes from a computer, eliminating the need for a traditional fax machine.

Integrations: Some business phone systems can integrate with other software, like CRM platforms. This can streamline crucial business functionalities and boost the productivity of your sales and customer support teams.

Call Analytics: This offers managers important data about call durations and other valuable insights.

Live Chat: This modern alternative is often preferred by customers who’d rather not leave a message and wait for a callback.

Choosing Business Phone Features for Your Business

In addition to the common features we’ve discussed earlier, there are numerous other aspects to consider when choosing a VoIP business phone service. Therefore, it’s crucial to conduct thorough research before deciding on the best service plan and features for your organization.

While determining the VoIP features to invest in, either through your service plan or as additional add-ons, consider the following factors:

• How many team members will use this service tool?
• Does it facilitate easier collaboration and communication?
• Does it offer good value for its cost?
• Does it boost productivity and operational efficiency?
• Will the absence of this feature adversely impact your business?
• Have you received any feedback or suggestions from clients or staff about using the feature?

By answering these questions, you can make an informed decision about the most suitable VoIP features for your business. Then you’re ready to move forward with choosing the best options that align with your business needs.

Advantages of VoIP

VoIP systems are highly dependable, mainly because they leverage the superior efficiency of fiber optic and broadband cables for transmitting internet data. In contrast, landlines rely on copper wires, which are generally less effective and can result in more call interruptions or line noise.

Implementing a VoIP phone service comes with a plethora of features. It’s important to remember that many of these advantages are due to the integration of SIP technology, even though they are often part of your VoIP package.

Despite their extensive capabilities, VoIP services typically prove to be more cost-effective than installing the same number of landline connections. So, for all its benefits and features, VoIP represents a cost-efficient solution for businesses.

Set Up Your VoIP System

The primary step in setting up your VoIP system involves selecting the right service. It’s crucial to opt for a provider that supplies the necessary hardware, like phones, that will be utilized in your office. A provider offering E911 calls would be beneficial as these calls share your call back number and location with emergency responders.

Determine the number of lines your business requires. During the selection process, consider if you need to retain an existing business number in the new system. If your business has been operating for a while, maintaining the same number can be essential for consistency. Make sure to communicate this need to the provider when signing up.

Once you’ve selected a provider and they’ve conducted the initial setup on their side, the following step is to activate the system. This involves connecting your communication device (phone or computer) to the internet. The provider will guide you through the configuration process to assure that your calls are correctly routed over the network. Remember to test the system to identify and resolve any potential issues.

Business Phone Service Trends for 2023

Numerous trends in VoIP technology are set to shape the landscape in 2023, and staying informed can help your business retain its edge in the ever-changing digital world.

The Ascendancy of Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS)

VoIP technology forms the core of Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) models. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing shift towards remote work, UCaaS models have seen a surge in adoption, with VoIP playing a vital role in enabling effective communication without physical constraints.

UCaaS now incorporates a diverse array of communication tools such as voice calls, instant messaging, video conferencing, integrated email, and file sharing. VoIP technology underpins these capabilities, which have become essential for global communication. Companies offering comprehensive UCaaS solutions are expected to outperform their competitors in the future.

As per market analysis, the UCaaS industry, valued at $38.74 billion in 2020, is projected to reach $210.07 billion by 2028, indicating robust growth in the years to come.

Integration with Existing Technology Infrastructure

Incorporating VoIP systems into existing business software and tech stacks has never been easier, thanks to cloud-based systems. VoIP tools that can be effortlessly added to and complement existing systems will have a clear advantage moving forward.

Advanced VoIP Assistants

Ongoing developments in language processing and machine learning have given rise to more intelligent and efficient voice assistants. These AI-driven assistants can effectively sort and redirect incoming messages, respond to simple customer inquiries, and gauge user behavior and sentiment from the content and tone of the conversation. These capabilities are expected to improve even more in 2023 and beyond.

Enhanced Emphasis on Security

Given that VoIP is internet-based, it is susceptible to cyber threats and attacks that could have severe repercussions for businesses. Security breaches can disrupt business operations and potentially result in legal actions. Therefore, ensuring security is paramount for any business leveraging VoIP technology.

In 2023, we anticipate businesses will allocate more resources towards securing their VoIP networks. Here’s how businesses can bolster their VoIP security:

Encryption: Choose VoIP providers that use industry-standard encryption methods such as AES or SSL for safeguarding data transmission.

Authentication: Authentication protocols ensure only authorized users can access the system. Look for providers that support digital certificates or biometric authentication.

Firewall: Use a firewall to shield your VoIP system from unauthorized access. Opt for providers that either offer firewall protection or support your firewall system.

Antivirus and anti-malware: Like any computer system, VoIP systems are also vulnerable to malware and viruses. Make sure your VoIP provider offers robust antivirus and anti-malware protection.

Network monitoring: Network monitoring helps in early detection of security breaches. Choose providers that offer network monitoring and reporting capabilities.

Regular software updates: Regular software updates can fix potential security vulnerabilities. Opt for providers that offer automatic updates for seamless security management.

Why Choose Joon as Your Business Phone Service Provider?

Joon understands the ever-changing needs of modern businesses and provides an integrated, reliable, and affordable solution for your communication needs. Our business phone services are designed with versatility and adaptability in mind, ensuring that your business can scale and grow without being hampered by its communication systems.

Here are a few reasons why Joon stands out:

1. Reliability and Quality: Joon ensures a high level of reliability and call quality by employing cutting-edge VoIP and cloud technology. Their services are designed to work seamlessly even in low-bandwidth scenarios, ensuring your business communication remains uninterrupted.
2. Scalability: Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, Joon’s services are designed to grow with you. Their cloud-based platform allows you to add or remove users easily, giving you the flexibility to adjust your services based on your business’s needs.
3. Features and Integration: Joon offers a range of features, including voicemail, call forwarding, call recording, and much more. Furthermore, Joon’s services can be integrated with various other tools and platforms, enhancing your business’s operational efficiency.
4. Affordable Pricing: Joon’s services are cost-effective, providing significant savings compared to traditional phone systems. By leveraging cloud technology, they eliminate the need for expensive hardware and maintenance, resulting in reduced overhead costs.
5. Customer Support: Joon’s customer support is top-tier, providing quick and efficient solutions to any issues you may encounter. Their support team is available round the clock, ensuring that any issues are addressed promptly.

Joon, as a business phone service provider, is committed to helping businesses thrive by providing robust, reliable, and affordable communication solutions. With Joon, businesses can focus on what they do best, knowing their communication needs are in capable hands.

Learn more about Business Phone and how Joon can provide customized business communications solutions specific to your business by filling out the form below or call us at 844-GET JOON.