If a phone system upgrade is in your future, you probably have some questions about which systems will yield you the biggest benefit. Advancements in VoIP technology mean that you can get all the call quality and reliability of a traditional landline system, but without the big price tag and with added features that are constantly being updated. But out of the three common deployments, what makes hosted deployments different? We’ve put together some of the first things to consider when determining if hosted VoIP makes sense for your business.

Company Size

While it may not be a make-or-break factor in your decision to upgrade to a hosted VoIP solution, company size is a great place to start. Typically, on-premise VoIP is associated with large sized or enterprise companies, hosted deployments are linked with small and mid-sized businesses, and hybrid deployments with businesses that are established, heavily phone-reliant, and looking for a smooth transition from landline ISDN to VoIP. A good rule of thumb is that hosted, or cloud-based, deployments tend to offer better ROI for businesses with 100 or fewer users at a single location, but this isn’t hard and fast -- other hosted VoIP features, such as reduced IT workload, may tip the scale even for larger companies.

IT Workload

If there’s one thing that IT departments never have enough of, it’s time. Many companies are increasingly urging their IT leadership and staff to pursue more strategic goals, but it can be hard to dedicate any significant attention to them when daily maintenance, troubleshooting, and repairs take up valuable time. With cloud-based VoIP, the provider shoulders the responsibility for your business’s phone system, taking a big task off the everyday to-do list of your employees. From updating software, ensuring security, and resolving issues (often before you’re even aware of them), cloud-based VoIP providers can help you achieve great results from your phone system while they do the behind-the-scenes work.

Customer Location

Depending on where your customers are located, a hosted VoIP solution could save you serious money on long-distance calling. With versatility and options when it comes to phone numbers and routing, long-distance fees can be drastically reduced or eliminated. You can keep your old number so that current customers don’t notice a change, add toll-free numbers, or even add a number local to areas with large customer bases to make your business seem closer to them.

Current Phone Spending

If you’re looking for a new phone system, chances are you’re dissatisfied with what you’re already using. Call quality, maintenance time and cost, and unpredictable monthly bills can all be factors, but one of the big ones is overall cost. In addition to the cost saving we’ve already gone over in this post, hosted VoIP offers other benefits such as a predictable monthly cost, which makes for easier IT budgeting, fast and inexpensive installation and startup, and hassle-free expansion and potential for growth.

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