In the current climate, it’s vitally important to make sure your business is saving money wherever possible. Your phone bills are a great place to start.
By taking a little bit of time out to review what you are currently paying for, and making some smarter decisions, you have the potential to save a lot of money.
We’ve put together the following list of practical suggestions on ways you can start to lower your business phone costs right away.
11 Practical Ways to reduce your business phone costs
1. Use VoIP
Our first suggestion has some of the biggest cost-saving potential – switching to VoIP. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) allows you to use your internet connection to make phone calls, so you don’t have the per-call costs that you get with a traditional phone system.
There’s further savings too. With VoIP, you don’t need to buy an expensive phone system and pay for ongoing maintenance to keep it working. VoIP is usually charged on a per-month basis, which is better for cashflow and budgeting.
2. Do a price review of your phone system
What if you’re already using a VoIP system?
The next step is to make sure you schedule in a regular review to make sure you’re getting the most competitive rate. Prices and plans can often change and it’s good to know what the current rate is in the market.
3. Check you’re not paying for unnecessary features
As part of the price review we mentioned above, make sure you take a closer look at the features that are included in your package.
Ask yourself “do I need these?” and “when was the last time I used this?”. You may be paying for services that you hardly ever use and don’t really need. By identifying which features are essential and removing the ones that aren’t necessary, you might be able to reduce your monthly bill.
4. Make use of softphones
Softphones are a great feature of using a VoIP system that have additional cost-saving benefits. A softphone is a software app that turns your mobile, laptop, or desktop into a business phone, allowing you to make and receive calls through your VoIP phone system using the internet.
By using softphones, you can reduce the number of phone handsets you’ll need to purchase. There’s another benefit too, softphones are great for enabling your staff to work from anywhere. All they need is a device connected to the internet. With the rise of remote and hybrid working over the past couple of years, softphones are an ideal solution for many businesses.
5. Consider a SIP Trunk if you’re not ready to move to VoIP
If you’re not ready to move to VoIP just yet, consider looking into a SIP trunk. In simple terms, this allows you to convert your existing analogue on-site phone system into an IP-based one. This means you can enjoy many of the benefits that you get with VoIP, such as removing call costs by using your internet line instead.
6. Switch from standard broadband to SoGEA
A good internet line is vital for your VoIP phone system, and you can make further savings here too. Consider switching over to SoGEA broadband. SoGEA is a type of broadband connection that doesn’t require a separate phone line. Because of this, you can save up to 30%* over traditional broadband.
7. Do a price review on your lines
If you’re renting a phone line, it’s worth scheduling a regular review on this as well. Just like you did with your VoIP review, book this in on a regular basis and check the price of other providers in the market.
8. Check your mobile phone contracts
The next step is to check the contracts for your business mobile phones. Take a look at your current plan and make sure this is aligned with what you actually use. Are you currently paying for services you don’t need? It may pay to get a custom package that better suits your requirements.
Another part of your review is to check you’re not paying for handsets that are no longer in use such as staff who’ve left the company or are away for an extended period such as maternity leave.
9. Don’t rule out switching mid-contract
With all of your contracts, whether phone system, mobiles or broadband, consider switching if you’re paying too much.
Even if you are mid-contract with your current supplier, don’t rule out the idea of switching before the term is up. Sometimes, the savings you make can offset the costs and your new supplier may be able to help.
10. Use an IVR to save employee costs
Here’s a slightly different approach to reducing phone-related costs.
Consider using an IVR. An IVR call routing system is the system that allows a caller to be routed to different departments depending on which number they press (press 1 for reception etc.). Automating this job can save you both employee time and cost.
11. Bundle your phone-related services
Our final tip is to consider bundling your services together.
It’s worth considering if there are bulk discounts to be made by getting your internet, line rental, calls and other associated services all from one supplier. Suppliers want the extra business and can sometimes offer generous discounts to clients who come to them for all of their services.
The other advantage is having all the management and billing in one place will also save time and hassle too.
Conclusion
So that’s 11 different ways you can reduce your business phone costs. Taking a couple of hours out of your day with a cup of tea to go through these tasks can save your business hundreds of pounds (or even more).
At Tetra, we are dedicated to providing an exceptional service at a reasonable price. If you’d like to see how our packages compare to what you’re currently paying, please get in touch.
*Source: https://www.btwholesale.com/news-and-resources/campaigns/previous/sogea.html
