7 Key Factors for SMBs to Evaluate Cloud Telephony Providers

In today’s digital age, effective communication is one of the foundational pillars of an enterprise. For ages, enterprises used traditional landlines to communicate with their customers, tying them to physical locations and limiting their agility and scalability. However, today, the majority of the Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) have adopted cloud telephony services, also referred to as cloud calling.
Cloud telephony is a phone system where the internet is used instead of traditional landlines for business communication. There is a plethora of benefits of cloud telephony, ranging from flexibility, security, cost-effectiveness to scalability, plug-n-play integration and the ability to leverage AI.
With hundreds of cloud telephony providers in the market, choosing the right cloud telephony service for your enterprise can be overwhelming. Read to learn about the 7 key factors that you should consider while choosing the right cloud telephony for your business and why you must check out Vi Business’s suite of SMB solutions .
- Features
Figure out the main features that your enterprise will benefit from. Some key features that you must look for are AI-powered Interactive Voice Response (IVR) for automating customer interactions and reducing response time, virtual numbers for a global presence, call recording and analytics for tracking call performance and multi-channel support for business communication across platforms like chat, voice, etc.
- Scalability
Choose a cloud telephone service that can adapt and accommodate the growing needs of your enterprise. It is critical that you choose a cloud telephony provider that won’t spike its charges beyond your affordability in the future when the number of users or calls increases.
Choose a cloud telephony service that allows unlimited calls per user and has no upper limit on the number of users that can access the service. Opt for a provider that offers a pay-as-you-go model that is flexible and doesn’t require you to sign long-term contracts.
- Reliability & Support
Choose a cloud telephony provider that has a good reputation and one that provides dedicated support. A high uptime, robust security infrastructure, regular maintenance, 24/7 real-time monitoring and prompt troubleshooting are some of the features that make a cloud telephony service reliable.
- Security & Compliance
In today’s world, where cybercrimes are so rampant, data security is critical to safeguard your customers’ sensitive information. Hence, it is critical that you choose a cloud telephony service that offers data encryption, adheres to the industry-specific regulations and deploys robust security measures to protect your data.
- Seamless Integration
An ideal cloud telephony service is one which can seamlessly integrate with your current Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and existing lead management tools and Application Tracking Systems.
- Cost Effectiveness
Understand the pricing model of the cloud telephony service that you choose before you purchase it. Ensure that there is transparency and no hidden costs. Choose a provider that mentions all costs, like per-user fees, call rates, and any charges for advanced features. Invest in a cloud telephony service that will give you high ROI and help you save money in the long run.
- User-Friendly & Customisable
Choose a cloud telephony service that offers an easy-to-navigate interface that offers features like self-service support. The platform you choose should also be customisable, meaning it should allow you to customise your dashboard layouts, design your own reports, etc., to fit the unique needs of your enterprise.
Choose Vi Business CPaaS Solution
Choosing the right business communication partner is a strategic decision for SMBs. We believe Vi Business understands the struggles of SMBs to choose the right solutions and hence offers a wide range of SMB solutions that will help you accelerate your business growth.
Vi Business’ AI-powered Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) solution can transform your customer engagement. It offers features like Click2Call that allows you to reach your customers with a single click and Auto Receptionist, an automated system that greets your customers and routes calls. Furthermore, it enhances your lead generation and management, offers multi-channel communication and improves your customers’ purchase journey.
Empower your business communications by choosing a reliable CPaaS solution today.




