Research shows that 65 percent of people would rather contact a business by phone, and a mere 24 percent would rather use a web form.

It may be 2022, but most businesses still need to invest in phone and voice services to serve their customers.

Do you have questions about phone and voice services for small businesses? If so, read on to learn more about your options.

What Are Phone and Voice Services for Businesses?

Put simply, phone and voice services are the tools that businesses use to make and receive phone calls. A popular example is companies like Peak Support which offer outsourced customer service. It’s a growing industry worldwide and for good reason, customers who don’t feel valued tend to leave.

Phone and voice services are essential for brands that want to be as accessible to their customers as possible. If you don’t have a reliable tool in place, you may notice an increase in the number of complaints you get from people who are trying to reach you. You may even lose customers altogether.

Types of Voice and Phone Services

Phone and voice services are a must for any business, whether you have 2 employees or 200. How do you know which type of service you should choose, though?

Listed below are some of the most common options for businesses to consider:

Landline

A landline is the most traditional phone and voice option for businesses.

A landline involves a standard phone system connected and wired by a local or regional phone company. It also requires on-site PBX (short for Private Branch Exchange) equipment that your in-house IT team will have to maintain and upgrade regularly.

Landlines are fairly simple, but they can also be expensive to install. You may have a hard time finding equipment if you need repairs, too.

Virtual Phone Systems

A virtual phone system only requires an internet connection. With the help of a call-forwarding tree, someone who calls your primary business number will automatically be redirected to an employee’s mobile phone.

This system is convenient, but some employees may not want to use their own mobile phones to receive work calls.

Voice Over Internet Protocol

Voice over internet protocol is also known as VoIP. What is VoIP?

It’s sort of a hybrid of a landline and a virtual phone system. Instead of using copper wiring like a traditional landline, it uses an internet connection. Your employees will still answer calls using a regular phone, though.

According to the experts at glofiberenterprise.com, there are 2 types of VoIP services. The first is Cloud-hosted VoIP, which stores PBX equipment in the cloud. The second is on-premises VoIP, which uses PBX equipment stored inside your business.

Which Phone and Voice Services Are Best for Your Business?

Now that you’re better informed about the options for business phone and voice services, do you have a better idea of what kind of service you want to use? Keep the information discussed above in mind so you can choose the right option for your business and your customers or clients.

If you need more help making decisions for your company, be sure to check out the Business section of our site today. It features lots of other great resources for business owners, marketers, and more.