Compare business phone line providers with Bionic
Every business knows the importance of being connected to the outside world, but have you ever stopped to consider whether or not your business phone line services are suited to your needs?
It’s easy to dismiss business landlines as outdated, not least because most of us carry a smartphone everywhere we go. But a good old-fashioned landline is as essential now as it ever was - not only does it provide a reliable line of communication for employees, customers, clients and suppliers, having a landline number on your website and marketing material can help improve the trust, image and authority of your business.
Why do you need a business phone line?
But do you really need a dedicated business phone, or will a domestic phone line will do the trick? A phone line is a phone line, after all, but the reality is that a dedicated business landline is often more cost effective and will offer a number of additional services that can really help your business.
A quick call to our tech-enabled team is all it takes to check out the current business phone line options and find the best deal for your business. Give us a call or enter your postcode and we’ll get right back to you.
Things to consider when choosing a business phone line provider
There are three main things to consider when choosing a business phone line provider:
1 . Do you have enough phone lines to manage the volume of calls your business handles?
If your business is taking an increasing number of phone calls, installing multiple phone lines could help spread the workload and increase productivity. It might also be worth looking into a multi-line phone system that directs multiple lines to a single device, so you can screen and transfer incoming calls to the right contact, quickly and easily.
2. Are you on the most cost-effective call plan?
If your business is being hit with high phone bills, switching to a more cost-effective call plan can help cut your overheads. Speak to our connectivity experts to find a call plan that suits the needs of your business, and see if you could save money with a plan that offers unlimited calls.
3. Can you keep your number if you switch business landline provider?
Your business should be able to keep its existing landline telephone number when you switch. This is known as number 'porting' and is fairly standard practice for landline providers. You might have some issues if you switch provider while moving business premises, but this will depend on your provider. To find out more, get in touch with our connectivity experts.
When choosing a business landline provider, you’ll also need to consider any extra services you might need, such as:
- Additional phone lines
- Three-way calling
- Conference calling
- Call diversion
- Call waiting
- Caller display
- Anonymous caller reject
It’s also worth weighing up whether you’ll need things like Interactive Voice Response (IVR), to automatically get caller information and routes calls to the right recipients, or even set up your own switchboard using a Private Branch Exchange (PBX).
While some of these features and functions could be valuable to the smallest of businesses, others are clearly aimed at larger businesses. At Bionic, we only want you to offer you the products and services you need, so we’ll never recommend any unnecessary extras.
Should you cap the cost of your business phone calls?
Capping the costs of your calls is another option you should consider, especially if you’re on a tight budget and need to reduce the risk of your bills unexpectedly soaring.
On the other hand, an unlimited calls package might work best, as this allows you to make as many calls as you need at certain times of the day, for no extra cost.
If you want to cap specific costs - international calls, for instance - you'll need to make sure this is specified in any deal you sign up to, so bear this in mind when you're considering a package that's right for your business.
Should you bundle your business phone line and broadband?
Phone and broadband services are often sold together as a combined product, known as a ‘bundle’.
It’s worth considering one of these packages, as they could be more cost-effective and convenient than getting separate deals for your landline and internet connections - you’ll only have one connectivity bill to look out for each month, which should make it easier to keep track of your monthly expenses.
When buying a business phone line and broadband bundle, you need to make sure it only includes features that are relevant to your business and its needs, and get rid of any unnecessary extras. It's also important to make sure your business broadband offers the right upload and download speeds.
Is VoIP a good alternative for your business phone line?
VoIP offers a great alternative to traditional business phone lines. Although it goes by complex sounding name of Voice over Internet Protocol, it's actually a very straightforward piece of kit that simply makes calls over an internet connection instead of a traditional phone line.
Although this might not sound like much, there are a number of benefits for businesses of all sizes, including:
- Suitable for large or small businesses - VoIP phones are quicker and more adaptable than traditional phone services
- Faster, cheaper, and easy to install - Set-up costs and call charges are much cheaper than most traditional systems. And no need to pay line rental at multiple sites.
- Simple multi-site network - VoIP is flexible and adaptable, meaning you can make calls from anywhere
- Customisable features - Conference calls, customer insights, call logging, and a virtual receptionist
- HD call quality as standard - Make and receive VoIP calls in crystal clear HD quality sound
- Improve the customer experience - VoIP includes additional tracking and reporting capabilities ideal for customer services
If you're still not convinced, then consider standard copper phone lines and ISDN lines will be out of use by 2025, which means all users will be switched from the old analogue public switched telephone network (PSTN) to a fully digital network.
Make sure your business stays one step ahead of the competition by switching to VoIP now. Get in touch with our connectivity team to find the perfect solution for your business.
If you're not sure which business phone line provider is best for you, or which landline features you need, our tech-enabled experts are on hand to talk through your all of the available options to find you the best business phone line package. Just enter your postcode and business name at Bionic.co.uk or call us to get in touch.
