Buyer’s guide: choosing a cloud phone system in 2024

Finding a cloud phone system for your business can be confusing. You have to consider how your employees will use the system and sift through a vast array of features available on different platforms. Simply testing out just a few systems could take weeks. Use this Ooma 2024 buyer’s guide to zero in on your company’s phone needs so you can find the perfect phone system.

Why is a cloud phone system perfect for today’s workforce?

The 2021 American Community Survey, released by the U.S. Census Bureau, estimated that the number of people primarily working from home tripled between 2019 and 2021 from roughly 9 million people to 27.6 million. Forbes Advisor predicts that by 2025, the number of Americans working remotely will reach 32.6 million. One thing is for sure—traditional phone systems anchored to a single location just aren’t flexible enough to give your staff the tools to communicate like a pro regardless of where they’re working.

Cloud phone system technology is also known as cloud PBX, virtual PBX, hosted VoIP and business VoIP. No matter what you call it, these VoIP phone systems transmit calls over the internet, which makes it easy to add advanced features as they become available. Another benefit is you don’t have to house and maintain the hardware associated with a traditional on-premise phone system. That work is handled by your VoIP service provider.

And, perhaps the best reason, is that VoIP phone service can save you money. With plans starting at just $19.95 per user per month, Ooma Office can help businesses that switch from traditional phone service stay on budget. Find out how much your monthly bill will be reduced and how much your taxes and fees will be with Ooma Office by checking out the Ooma small business savings calculator.

What are your basic phone needs?

Determine how many users you have, where they are located, and your average call volume.

Many cloud phone providers offer solutions based on a business scale. For example, Ooma Office is geared toward small to medium-sized businesses, while Ooma Enterprise provides large-scale phone and collaboration systems.

Most business VoIP systems will offer unlimited domestic calling and low-cost international rates. Some services allow you to add a toll-free number. Ooma Office customers get the benefit of a toll-free number included as part of their service. All three Ooma Office service plans include more than 100 features to suit a variety of business needs. One of the most popular is the mobile app, which allows employees to access their Ooma phone when they are away from the office. It’s like having a fancy desk phone in your pocket.

The Ooma Office mobile app comes with some handy features, too. For example, users can send and receive virtual faxes with the app. Even better, they can create a cover letter and send the fax to up to 10 recipients.

What calling features are available with a cloud PBX?

The scale of your business’s calling features should match the size of your user base and the depth of your business requirements. When your cloud phone system is the correct size, your business will avoid paying for tools you don’t need and you’ll experience easier deployment.

Businesses using Ooma Office have access to advanced features at a manageable scale. For example, all users get Virtual Receptionist, a conference bridge, voicemail audio to email for a productivity boost, Ring Groups, 24/7 support and more.

Large businesses that are deploying an enterprise communications solution can use Ooma Enterprise to implement a variety of communication options like a call center platform, multi-cloud application integration, analytics and more.

For additional productivity, your business may also need video call capabilities. Ooma Office Pro and Ooma Office Pro Plus plans include videoconferencing so you can share your screen with coworkers and customers. You can invite up to 25 participants with Pro and 100 participants with Pro Plus to a video call, which makes it a great way to hold team meetings.

That said, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. If your employees are getting worn out from too many video calls, use these five research-backed tips to prevent video conference fatigue. Sometimes, the best way to cure video call exhaustion is simple: Switch to an audio call.

Are cloud phone calls reliable for business?

For your phone system to support your business adequately, reliable service is just as important as advanced features.

The behind-the-scenes technology that powers cloud phones can vary significantly between providers. In the 2024 PCMag’s Business Choice Awards, Ooma Office was ranked as the #1 VoIP phone service as well as being the top choice for call quality and ease of use. In fact, Ooma Office has been voted by PCMag’s readers as the best business VoIP phone service for 11 years in a row.

VadimGuzhva – stock.adobe.com

What’s your budget for communication technology?

On average, worldwide IT spending is expected to grow 8 percent in 2024, according to Gartner. In addition, spending on communication services is projected to increase 4.3 percent this year.

When considering the total financial implications of your phone system, it makes sense to invest in the technology that empowers your employees to work together and your customers to connect with your business.

The good news is that accessing the rich functionality of a cloud phone system will typically cost less than traditional phone service, which is a definite plus in today’s economy. With a straightforward price per user, Ooma Office makes it easy to scale your phone system as your business grows.

Do you have life-safety systems that depend on analog phone lines?

Don’t let that stop you from switching to a cloud-based phone system. Ooma AirDial® is the hassle-free solution that lets you keep your life-safety communications and alarm systems up and running. AirDial runs on a secure and reliable wireless network, enabling it to imitate a standard POTS line. This eliminates the need to rip out and replace your copper line infrastructure and hardware. Among the equipment AirDial works with:

• Facility, burglar and fire alarm panels
• Elevator and public safety phones
• Building entry systems
• Fax machines

Designed for safety, AirDial is built with the applicable guidelines of UL Standards, NFPA 72, ASME A17.1 safety code for elevator communications, HIPAA and Payment Card Industry in mind. It is MFVN (Managed Facilities-based Voice Network) compliant, so traffic stays securely off the public internet.

Give us a call at (866) 343-7929 and learn how Ooma Office, Ooma Enterprise and Ooma AirDial can help your business make the most of cloud communications.